by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend American University of Health Sciences— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At AUHS Signal Hill specifically, 0% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses.
Looking at all undergraduates at AUHS Signal Hill, freshmen included, 83% rely on federal student loans toward their education, at an average of $10,959 each per year.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $21,918 in two years and roughly $43,836 by the fourth year. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 83% |
| Average federal loan per year | $10,959 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 302 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $3,309,550 |
The median student at AUHS Signal Hill borrows $32,484 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $32,484 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $40,326 |
| Students who withdrew | $16,333 |
The figure for students who withdrew is worth watching: debt without a completed credential is the hardest to repay.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for AUHS Signal Hill.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $8,400 |
| 25th percentile | $19,000 |
| 75th percentile | $42,335 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $49,736 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at AUHS Signal Hill.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at AUHS Signal Hill.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 64 | $25,250 |
| Completed (graduates) | 42 | $28,003 |
| Did not complete | 22 | $21,996 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $332.99/mo.
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at AUHS Signal Hill.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. Two-year cohort default-rate data for AUHS Signal Hill appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 5.3% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 56 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $37,467 |
| Middle income | $31,036 |
| High income | $27,166 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $33,641 |
| Continuing-generation students | $29,834 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $27,000 |
| Independent students | $39,209 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at AUHS Signal Hill.
Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
With an unsubsidized loan, interest starts adding up the day the loan is disbursed, including during school. Subsidized loans, by contrast, do not accrue interest while you are enrolled at least half-time, which makes them the less expensive option when you qualify.
Did You Know?
Declaring bankruptcy does not erase federal student loan debt. If you stop paying, the federal government can garnish a portion of your wages until the loans are repaid.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.