Average Student Loan Debt by State (2026 stats)
TL;DR
State-by-state breakdown of average student loan debt, showing regional variations in borrowing patterns.
Key Facts
- Data analysis based on College Scorecard 2024 data.
Download the data
Downloads reflect the processed dataset used to generate this page’s charts and tables.
Top 10 States
State-Level Variation
Significant variation exists across states, with the highest state showing values 1.2x higher than the lowest. This reflects differences in state funding, cost of living, and institutional characteristics.
Top 10 states by average student loan debt by state. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Data by State
| State | Median | Mean | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | $23,249.50 | $19,478.22 | 18 |
| Massachusetts | $21,882.50 | $18,758.47 | 114 |
| Alabama | $21,169.50 | $19,355.19 | 64 |
| Vermont | $20,951 | $19,260.73 | 11 |
| Wisconsin | $20,492 | $16,950.99 | 74 |
| District of Columbia | $20,224.50 | $21,263.19 | 16 |
| Virginia | $20,000 | $18,657.09 | 118 |
| North Carolina | $20,000 | $18,579.99 | 111 |
| Alaska | $19,660.50 | $17,444.17 | 6 |
| Nebraska | $19,500 | $18,042.91 | 33 |
| Maine | $19,328.50 | $18,546.59 | 32 |
| New Hampshire | $18,525 | $19,015.55 | 29 |
| Montana | $18,500 | $17,506.53 | 17 |
| North Dakota | $18,442 | $16,346.68 | 19 |
| Pennsylvania | $17,500 | $18,532.13 | 261 |
| Missouri | $16,750 | $16,328.04 | 109 |
| Indiana | $16,666 | $16,317.85 | 129 |
| Georgia | $16,167 | $17,371.84 | 136 |
| Oklahoma | $15,935.50 | $15,708.93 | 54 |
| Tennessee | $15,783.50 | $16,409.35 | 94 |
| South Carolina | $15,392 | $17,626.12 | 77 |
| New York | $15,250 | $16,278.85 | 279 |
| Minnesota | $14,750 | $16,580.20 | 93 |
| Iowa | $14,745 | $16,587.77 | 61 |
| Ohio | $14,211 | $16,054.62 | 234 |
| Washington | $13,653 | $14,930.49 | 88 |
| Oregon | $13,595 | $15,511.36 | 58 |
| Kentucky | $13,521 | $15,812.56 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $13,135.50 | $15,302.69 | 88 |
| Rhode Island | $13,000 | $17,393.26 | 23 |
| Florida | $13,000 | $16,109.44 | 260 |
| Michigan | $13,000 | $15,829.66 | 139 |
| Maryland | $13,000 | $15,947.42 | 65 |
| West Virginia | $13,000 | $16,272.61 | 41 |
| Connecticut | $12,758 | $16,842.81 | 52 |
| New Jersey | $11,997.50 | $14,622.07 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $11,576.50 | $14,550.94 | 68 |
| California | $11,537 | $13,714.73 | 455 |
| New Mexico | $11,356 | $12,804.53 | 34 |
| Colorado | $11,008 | $14,883.83 | 69 |
| Illinois | $10,669.50 | $14,150.97 | 192 |
| Texas | $10,652 | $13,654.98 | 332 |
| Idaho | $10,555 | $14,675.30 | 27 |
| Utah | $10,548 | $13,864.45 | 40 |
| Delaware | $10,500 | $15,387.50 | 14 |
| Hawaii | $10,500 | $13,081.93 | 15 |
| Kansas | $10,500 | $14,577.08 | 75 |
| Mississippi | $9,722 | $14,636.30 | 43 |
| Puerto Rico | $9,500 | $8,885.71 | 82 |
| Nevada | $9,500 | $12,356.39 | 36 |
| Arizona | $9,500 | $13,472.69 | 99 |
| Wyoming | $8,811 | $9,531.70 | 10 |
FAQ
What does the Average Student Loan Debt by State (2026 stats) dataset measure?
It summarizes the metrics shown on this page (charts and tables) using the sources listed in the Data Sources section, with national aggregates and breakdowns where available.
What is the primary data source?
College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Some pages also incorporate Census ACS context where noted.
How often is this page updated?
Pages update when the underlying processed datasets are refreshed and the HTML is regenerated; the Last updated date reflects the most recent build.
Data Sources
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and enrollment data
- Data year: 2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Census ACS - U.S. Census Bureau
- Demographic and workforce data
- Data year: 2023
- Source: census.gov