by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Athens State University: 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.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Athens State University, 43% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, for a typical $8,001 a year.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $16,002 over two years and about $32,004 over four years. These figures assume identical federal borrowing each year and omit private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 43% |
| Average federal loan per year | $8,001 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,027 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $8,216,901 |
The median student at Athens State University borrows $14,861 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,861 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $18,051 |
| Students who withdrew | $11,883 |
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 Athens State University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $6,341 |
| 75th percentile | $25,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $34,231 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Athens State University.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Athens State University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 272 | $12,898 |
| Completed (graduates) | 117 | $12,896 |
| Did not complete | 155 | $12,900 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $153.35/mo.
Stafford loans are the federal direct-loan program most undergraduates use. The breakdown below separates borrowers who used Stafford loans from those who did not at Athens State University.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 198 | $12,285 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 74 | $15,979 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Athens State University.
Defaulting means failing to repay a federal student loan, which carries serious credit consequences. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Athens State University is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.7% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 892 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,650 |
| Middle income | $14,848 |
| High income | $13,487 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,000 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $17,750 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Athens State University.
The Difference Between Subsidized and 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.
Important to Remember
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.