A total college debt of $120,000 would put you well, well into the top 1% of borrowers for an undergraduate degree. In fact, it would be hard to even accomplish this; you'd have to use Parent PLUS loans or private loans (for which you'd need to qualify) or both.
Only a small percentage—about 6% of borrowers—owe $100,000 or more. Nationally, the average student loan balance per borrower is $39,032, so if you have $100,000 in student loan debt, you have about 2.5 times the national average balance. But your loan principal is just one part of the problem.
What is considered a lot of student loan debt? A lot of student loan debt is more than you can afford to repay after graduation. For many this means having more than $70,000 – $100,000 of total student debt.
On average, it takes about 10–20 years to pay off a student loan. But with the right strategy, you can pay off your loans way faster! (I'm about to blow your mind.) Exactly how long it will take you to pay off your student loans depends on your original loan balance, your repayment plan and how much you pay each month.
The average student loan debt borrowed for a four-year bachelor's degree was $30,500 in 2019-2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The average federal student loan debt has more than doubled since 2007, from $18,233 in 2007 to $37,090 at the end of 2023.
If you have too much student loan debt, you won't be able to save as much for retirement. Student loan debt can lower your credit score, especially if you fail to make on-time payments. Student debts may be forgiven under certain circumstances, but almost never if they are in default.
As of 2023, there are one million federal student loan borrowers who owe $200,000 or more, according to StudentAid.gov. The good news is that even though paying off such a large balance can be difficult, it's not impossible. You can refinance your loans or add a cosigner to improve or lower your interest rate.
The maximum amount you can borrow each academic year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans ranges from $5,500 to $12,500 for undergraduates, depending on your year in school and your dependency status. Direct Unsubsidized Loans have an annual limit of $20,500 for graduate or professional students.
For example, making bi-weekly instead of monthly payments on a $100,000 student loan at 7% could lead to paying your loans off 12 months faster and saving over $4,000 in interest. To make this easier, set up autopay for the minimum required amount after your first paycheck lands.
The monthly payment on a $100,000 student loan ranges from $1,061 to $8,979, depending on the APR and how long the loan lasts. For example, if you take out a $100,000 student loan and pay it back in 10 years at an APR of 5%, your monthly payment will be $1,061.
A total college debt of $120,000 would put you well, well into the top 1% of borrowers for an undergraduate degree. In fact, it would be hard to even accomplish this; you'd have to use Parent PLUS loans or private loans (for which you'd need to qualify) or both.
Having a student loan will affect your credit score. Your student loan amount and payment history are a part of your credit report. Your credit reports—which impact your credit score—will contain information about your student loans, including: Amount that you owe on your loans.
In 2023, 9.9 million borrowers held between $20,000-$40,000 in student loan debt, the largest group of borrowers by debt size. About 19.2 million borrowers had student debt between $10,000-$40,000. This group made up about 42% of all student loan borrowers. Only 1 million borrowers had debt over $200,000.
Interest can make student loans more expensive, while inflation can make that debt harder to manage alongside other bills. Paying off some of your debt during your studies could ease the burden later on and save you money on interest.
Key Takeaways
Student loans are considered good debt due to their potential for long-term benefits, including increased earning potential. Other factors of good debt include lower interest rates, flexible repayment options, and potential tax deductions.
Student Loan Debt Statistics in 2023
Student loan debt totals $1.74 trillion and is held by about 43.5 million Americans, with the average monthly payment amounting to $337.
Most students have two main options for student loans: federal (government) loans or private loans from banks, credit unions, and other lenders. You should research all your options for federal loans, also known as Direct loans, before shopping around for private loans.
The average student loan takes 21 years to pay off but that doesn't mean that it has to take you that long. If you want to get a better idea of what your monthly payment will look like then you can use our student loan calculator to figure out your monthly and total student loan payments.
The rise and fall of interest rates are also a logical factor. According to the Federal Reserve, 30-39 year-olds have an average student loan debt of $42,748. 40-49-year-olds possess an average student loan debt of $44,864. Borrowers 24 and younger owe an average of $14,563 in student loan debt.