Average Student Debt by State (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Bachelor's graduates leave college with a median $21,000 in federal loans, in EDsmart Data's enrollment-weighted analysis of College Scorecard. The heaviest state is Pennsylvania ($25,000); the lightest is Puerto Rico ($8,250).
Key Facts
- U.S. median, bachelor's colleges: $21,000
- Highest state: Pennsylvania ($25,000)
- Lowest state: Puerto Rico ($8,250)
- U.S. median, all colleges: $18,450
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Median student debt at bachelor's colleges by state
Pennsylvania graduates borrow the most
Our analysis finds bachelor's graduates in Pennsylvania owe $16,750 more at the median than those in Puerto Rico.
Highest 12 and lowest 8 states. Enrollment-weighted median of institution medians.
Average student debt by state
| State | Bachelor's colleges | Certificate schools | All colleges | Debt as % of 10-yr earnings | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $25,000 | $12,230 | $24,395 | 38.4% | 261 |
| Maine | $25,000 | $7,700 | $20,160 | 39.1% | 32 |
| Delaware | $24,572 | $9,500 | $24,572 | 33.7% | 14 |
| Massachusetts | $23,704 | $9,500 | $22,902 | 30.3% | 114 |
| Connecticut | $23,500 | $11,250 | $21,500 | 29.1% | 52 |
| South Dakota | $23,500 | $7,917 | $23,250 | 42.2% | 18 |
| Michigan | $23,250 | $13,310 | $21,250 | 34.6% | 139 |
| Georgia | $23,250 | $9,500 | $20,903 | 41.4% | 136 |
| Ohio | $23,000 | $12,000 | $21,250 | 38.8% | 234 |
| Iowa | $22,869 | $11,000 | $22,500 | 34.7% | 61 |
| Alabama | $22,750 | $11,000 | $22,189 | 38.4% | 64 |
| District of Columbia | $22,750 | $6,333 | $22,750 | 35.5% | 16 |
| South Carolina | $22,750 | $12,250 | $21,500 | 34.6% | 77 |
| Montana | $22,500 | $18,750 | $22,400 | 42.2% | 17 |
| Kentucky | $22,500 | $10,500 | $20,500 | 38.1% | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $22,250 | $10,231 | $22,250 | 31.9% | 23 |
| Mississippi | $22,142 | $9,500 | $20,000 | 39.2% | 43 |
| Arizona | $22,114 | $7,473 | $19,500 | 32.7% | 99 |
| Louisiana | $22,113 | $12,450 | $20,500 | 42.4% | 88 |
| North Dakota | $22,057 | $11,630 | $22,057 | 36.4% | 19 |
| Wisconsin | $21,977 | $11,719 | $20,492 | 35.6% | 74 |
| West Virginia | $21,743 | $9,500 | $21,743 | 49.0% | 41 |
| New Jersey | $21,500 | $11,730 | $20,500 | 28.9% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $21,500 | $10,315 | $20,875 | 36.9% | 68 |
| Missouri | $21,500 | $11,605 | $20,500 | 32.3% | 109 |
| Virginia | $21,500 | $9,750 | $20,500 | 28.7% | 118 |
| North Carolina | $21,500 | $12,000 | $20,121 | 37.5% | 111 |
| Oregon | $21,221 | $10,512 | $20,139 | 33.2% | 58 |
| New Hampshire | $21,082 | $9,833 | $21,082 | 41.9% | 29 |
| Kansas | $21,000 | $8,800 | $20,500 | 33.9% | 75 |
| Maryland | $21,000 | $8,500 | $19,000 | 27.9% | 65 |
| Nebraska | $21,000 | $11,000 | $19,500 | 35.2% | 33 |
| Vermont | $20,951 | $6,333 | $20,951 | 33.5% | 11 |
| Illinois | $20,919 | $8,900 | $19,500 | 24.3% | 192 |
| Oklahoma | $20,654 | $9,500 | $20,500 | 34.9% | 54 |
| Idaho | $20,500 | $13,969 | $13,969 | 26.2% | 27 |
| Tennessee | $20,500 | $9,500 | $20,000 | 38.0% | 94 |
| Colorado | $20,500 | $10,000 | $20,000 | 32.0% | 69 |
| Minnesota | $20,500 | $14,250 | $19,500 | 32.6% | 93 |
| Alaska | $20,210 | $14,176 | $20,210 | 39.4% | 6 |
| Indiana | $19,684 | $10,727 | $19,509 | 30.6% | 129 |
| Texas | $19,606 | $9,500 | $17,277 | 27.7% | 332 |
| New York | $19,500 | $9,500 | $18,228 | 24.8% | 279 |
| Washington | $19,500 | $14,139 | $14,615 | 27.7% | 88 |
| Nevada | $19,450 | $11,000 | $15,750 | 31.2% | 36 |
| Hawaii | $18,500 | $10,500 | $18,500 | 32.1% | 15 |
| New Mexico | $18,450 | $6,612 | $17,095 | 41.2% | 34 |
| Florida | $18,000 | $9,300 | $15,531 | 28.8% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $18,000 | $6,800 | $11,000 | 24.6% | 10 |
| California | $15,000 | $9,500 | $13,000 | 22.0% | 455 |
| Utah | $11,116 | $15,000 | $11,116 | 18.3% | 40 |
| Puerto Rico | $8,250 | $9,500 | $9,500 | 37.5% | 82 |
What the data shows
State debt levels track the price of in-state public universities and how much of the market is private. States with large private college sectors and higher public tuition, many in the Northeast, borrow the most.
These are federal loan balances at graduation for completers. They do not include private loans, Parent PLUS loans, or interest that builds up after graduation.
Methodology
Scorecard reports each institution's median federal debt for completers. State values are the median across institutions weighted by undergraduate enrollment, split by predominant degree (bachelor's colleges vs certificate schools). States with fewer than 5 reporting institutions are omitted.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average student loan debt by state?
At bachelor's colleges, median federal debt at graduation ranges from $8,250 in Puerto Rico to $25,000 in Pennsylvania, based on College Scorecard data.
Which state has the highest student debt?
Pennsylvania has the highest median debt at bachelor's colleges ($25,000).
Which state has the lowest student debt?
Puerto Rico has the lowest median debt at bachelor's colleges ($8,250).
What is the national median student debt?
Across all colleges the enrollment-weighted median is $18,450; at bachelor's colleges it is $21,000.
Data sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard institution and field-of-study files (latest release in our extract)