by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Bemidji State University, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Bemidji State University, 56% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, for an average of $8,407 per borrower, covering both private and federal loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,173, representing 94.1% of the $5,500 first-year borrowing cap for the typical first-year dependent student. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Bemidji State University, 49% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, for a typical $6,640 a year. It comes to 28.4% more than the $5,173 typical freshmen borrow.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $13,280 after two years and $26,560 by the fourth year. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 49% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,640 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,522 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $10,106,720 |
The median student at Bemidji State University borrows $13,809 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $13,809 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $19,750 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,628 |
The figure for students who withdrew is worth watching: debt without a completed credential is the hardest to repay.
Looking only at the median is misleading — these four percentiles describe the full debt distribution for borrowers at Bemidji State University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,774 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $23,336 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $30,487 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Bemidji State University.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Bemidji State University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 362 | $11,500 |
| Completed (graduates) | 188 | $12,173 |
| Did not complete | 174 | $10,618 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $144.75/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at Bemidji State University.
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 295 | $11,286 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 67 | $13,882 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Bemidji State University.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The federal two-year cohort default rate for Bemidji State University is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 7.4% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 1258 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $13,142 |
| Middle income | $13,018 |
| High income | $14,150 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $13,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $13,300 |
| Independent students | $14,499 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Bemidji State University.
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
Federal student loans are not discharged in bankruptcy in all but the rarest cases, and the government can withhold part of your income or tax refund if you default.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.