by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Central Connecticut State University— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
At CCSU, 59% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, borrowing on average $6,741 each, across private and federal loan sources.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,363, amounting to 97.5% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Counting every undergraduate at CCSU, 51% rely on federal student loans toward their education, for a typical $6,553 each per year. This is 22.2% higher than the freshman federal average of $5,363.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $13,106 after two years and $26,212 after four. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 51% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,553 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 3,890 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $25,489,672 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at CCSU carry a median federal debt of $16,750 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $16,750 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $22,300 |
| Students who withdrew | $10,804 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 CCSU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,641 |
| 25th percentile | $6,500 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $34,800 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at CCSU.
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 CCSU.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1532 | $18,811 |
| Completed (graduates) | 802 | $19,642 |
| Did not complete | 730 | $17,832 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $233.56/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at CCSU.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1509 | $18,946 |
| No Stafford loan | 23 | $11,000 |
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 1279 | $18,800 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 253 | $19,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for CCSU.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for CCSU follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 7.1% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 2380 |
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 | $17,635 |
| Middle income | $17,607 |
| High income | $15,250 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,343 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $16,000 |
| Independent students | $18,748 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at CCSU.
Subsidized vs. 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.