by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Augusta University— 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 Augusta University, 35% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, borrowing on average $5,888 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
The typical federal loan comes to $4,972, which is 90.4% of the $5,500 first-year borrowing cap for the typical first-year dependent student. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Looking at all undergraduates at Augusta University, freshmen included, 37% take out federal student loans, averaging $6,213 a year. That is 25.0% greater than the $4,972 typical freshmen borrow.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $12,426 over two years and about $24,852 after four. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 37% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,213 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,962 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $12,189,451 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Augusta University carry a median federal debt of $13,015 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $13,015 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $20,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,000 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for Augusta University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $20,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $28,439 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Augusta University.
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 Augusta University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 850 | $14,696 |
| Completed (graduates) | 474 | $15,568 |
| Did not complete | 376 | $13,947 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $185.12/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Augusta University.
Stafford vs Non-Stafford (any year)
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 836 | — |
| No Stafford loan | 14 | — |
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 742 | $14,743 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 108 | $14,272 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Augusta University.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. The federal two-year cohort default rate for Augusta University appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 4.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 2383 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,461 |
| Middle income | $12,000 |
| High income | $13,000 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $13,109 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,000 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,750 |
| Independent students | $16,598 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Augusta University.
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.
Important to Remember
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.