by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Arkansas Welding Academy: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Arkansas Welding Academy specifically, 71% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, borrowing on average $6,827 per borrower, covering both private and federal loans.
Federal loans alone average $5,868. This meets or exceeds the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent freshman. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Arkansas Welding Academy, 58% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, at an average of $5,573 per year. This is 5.0% less than the $5,868 freshmen take on.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $11,146 after two years and $22,292 over four years. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 58% |
| Average federal loan per year | $5,573 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 72 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $401,270 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Arkansas Welding Academy carry a median federal debt of $5,500 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $5,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $5,500 |
The figures above count only the students own federal loans. Adding PLUS loans (borrowed by parents or graduate students) gives a fuller picture of total borrowing at Arkansas Welding Academy.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 31 | $13,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Arkansas Welding Academy.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $8,360 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $4,865 |
| Independent students | $8,360 |
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loans
Unsubsidized federal student loans accrue interest every month — even while you are still enrolled. Unless you pay that interest as it builds, the balance you owe at graduation can be noticeably higher than the amount you originally borrowed.
Worth Knowing
Unlike most other debt, federal student loans generally survive bankruptcy — and unpaid balances can lead to wage garnishment — so borrow only what you truly need.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.