In 2014, the agency projected that taxpayers would profit to the tune of 11 cents for every dollar of student loans the federal government issued in fiscal year 2024. But the most recent projections figure instead that taxpayers will lose 20 cents on the dollar for loans issued this fiscal year. ”
The focus of federal student loan programs is on enabling students to pay for a college education and not to provide profit to the federal government.
Grants and Student Loans
Typically, the school first applies your grant or loan money toward your tuition, fees, and (if you live on campus) room and board. Any money left over is paid to you directly for other education expenses.
The benefits of higher education come in the form of higher wages, increased productivity, and positive social outcomes — making degree attainment a high-return investment. At the same time, high levels of student debt can also harm certain sectors of the economy and lower the net wealth of households.
Student loan debt slows new business growth and limits consumer spending. Broad student loan debt forgiveness may help boost the national economy by making it more affordable for borrowers to participate in it.
Student Debt vs Income by Age Groups
Among the age groups, adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are the most likely to have student loan debt. Meanwhile, adults between the ages of 35 and 49 years old on average owe the most student loan debt.
Total federal student loan debt
Most student loans — about 92.4% — are owned by the government. Total federal student loan borrowers: 42.7 million. Total outstanding federal student loan debt: $1.64 trillion.
When the time comes to start making payments, only the student is obligated to repay these loans — not the parents. In fact, there's no co-signer. If the student defaults on a federal student loan, it will affect the student's credit and won't be reported on the parent's credit history.
Private loans may be bought out by another company. Federal loans may be transferred by the U.S. Department of Education from one member of its servicing team to another. Your federal loan servicer's contract may end with the U.S. Department of Education, resulting in a transfer.
"And if you assume there's a likelihood it's canceled, you're going to be more likely to take out more debt up front. That's going to give colleges more pricing power to raise tuition without pressure and to offer more low-value degrees."
The Qualtrics/Intuit Credit Karma report found 20 percent of borrowers hadn't made any payments on their loans. The percentage was even higher, at 27 percent, for borrowers who made less than $50,000 a year.
The benefits of free college include greater educational access for underserved students, a healthier economy, and reduced loan debt. Drawbacks include higher taxes, possible overcrowding, and the threat of quality reduction.
Federal, state, and local governments provide $878.2 billion or $17,700 per pupil to fund K-12 public education. The difference between spending and funding is $21.0 billion or $420 per pupil. The federal government provides 13.6% of funding for public K-12 education.
Overall, 32 percent of students have no responsibility in paying for college, while 39 percent pay for some of it, and 29 percent are responsible for all of it.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends limiting monthly student debt payments to no more than 10% of your gross monthly income. Borrowers with a relatively low income may pay considerably less if they opt for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan.
If a borrower dies, their federal student loans are discharged after the required proof of death is submitted. The borrower's family is not responsible for repaying the loans. A parent PLUS loan is discharged if the parent dies or if the student on whose behalf a parent obtained the loan dies.
Typically, your college applies grant or loan money toward your tuition, fees, and, if you live on campus, room and board. Any money left over is paid to you for other expenses.
About 75% of student loan borrowers took loans to go to two- or four-year colleges; they account for about half of all student loan debt outstanding. The remaining 25% of borrowers went to graduate school; they account for the other half of the debt outstanding.
Federal student loans and federal parent loans: These loans are funded by the federal government. Private student loans: These loans are nonfederal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school.
Soaring college costs and pressure to compete in the job marketplace are big factors for student loan debt. Student loans are the most common form of educational debt, followed by credit cards and other types of credit. Borrowers who don't complete their degrees are more likely to default.
The average debt for a 4-year Bachelor's degree is $35,530. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a public college is $31,960. 61% of students who completed a Bachelor's degree have received student loans. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a private for-profit college is $47,730.
Billionaire Robert F. Smith pledged to pay off student loans for every member of Morehouse College's graduating class. The Ivy League-educated business leader made his fortune investing in software firms and other tech companies.
Black adults are more than twice as likely than white adults to have student loan debt. The following graph includes federal and private student loan debt among all adults. On average, Black adults in the U.S. also hold higher student loan debt balances than borrowers of other races.
Higher percentages of Black (88 percent) and American Indian/Alaska Native (87 percent) students received grants than students who were of Two or more races (79 percent), White (74 percent), and Asian (66 percent).