by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend California State University-San Marcos— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
At CSUSM specifically, 32% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, borrowing on average $6,065 each, across private and federal loan sources.
Federal loans alone average $4,872, representing 88.6% of the $5,500 federal limit that applies to a typical first-year dependent borrower. Bear in mind the undergraduate averages later on cover federal loans only, whereas this freshman total folds in private loans too.
Across the full undergraduate body at CSUSM (freshmen included), 28% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, for a typical $6,540 each per year. This works out to 34.2% more than the $4,872 borrowed by freshmen.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $13,080 over two years and about $26,160 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 | 28% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,540 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 4,038 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $26,407,520 |
The middle borrower at CSUSM owes $13,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $13,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $17,350 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,000 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for CSUSM.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $23,340 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $31,000 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at CSUSM.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for CSUSM.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 760 | $17,997 |
| Completed (graduates) | 502 | $18,031 |
| Did not complete | 258 | $17,817 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $214.41/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at CSUSM.
Any-Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 734 | $17,939 |
| No Stafford loan | 26 | $19,496 |
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 572 | $18,031 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 188 | $17,390 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. CSUSM.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for CSUSM appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 5.3% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 1503 |
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.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,610 |
| Middle income | $12,500 |
| High income | $15,000 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,995 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,500 |
| Independent students | $16,500 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at CSUSM.
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.
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.