by our College Data Analytics TeamHow does student loan debt and default rates at College of the Mainland compare to the national average, and how could this impact your future? Scroll down the page for answers.
At College of the Mainland, 4.0% of incoming students take out a loan to help defray freshman year costs, averaging $3,630 a piece. This amount includes both private and federally-funded student loans.
The average federal loan is $3,630, which is 66.0% of the first-year borrowing cap of $5,500* for the typical first-year dependent student.
Unlike the data shown for freshmen, average undergraduate student loan amounts do not include private loans. In addition to unreported parent loans, this can increase the average amount borrowed significantly.
4.0% of all undergraduate students (including freshmen) at College of the Mainland utilize federal student loans to help pay for their college education, averaging $4,063 per year. This amount is 11.9% higher than the $3,630 amount borrowed by freshmen. The fact that returning students borrow more than freshmen could indicate that the school front-loads financial aid packages, offering more aid to new students while expecting returning students to take on larger loans to continue their education.
Borrowing the average amount will result in loans of $8,126 after two years and $16,252 after four.
These numbers are based on borrowing the same amount each year and do not include any loans where the parent is the borrower, even though Parent PLUS loans are frequently included in financial aid packages.
Were you surprised by how much you are projected to owe by the time you graduate? Remember this is an average: some students will borrow more than this.
Is the debt worth it? Research return on investment.
Loan default rates can indicate how well College of the Mainland is helping students afford to attend college without undue reliance on loans, particularly unsubsidized loans. It can also indicate future earnings and career potential. Pay close attention to this statistic. You don't want to take out loans you can't pay back.
A total of 211 College of the Mainland students entered loan repayment in 2017. After three years, 8.0% of these students (17 out of 211) defaulted on their loans. The lower the default rate, the better!
The chart below compares this college to the average 3-year default rate calculated across all of the 4-year schools we have data for.
What does the default rate mean?
A student is considered to be in default on a student loan if they have not made a payment in more than 270 days. The official student loan default rate for a school is calculated by measuring how many students are in default three years after graduation. Note that the default rate only takes into account federal loans, not private.
When compared to the average three-year default rate of 9.3%, the default rate at College of the Mainland is normal, but as the average is increasing at alarming rates, you should make sure you fully understand and are comfortable with your financial aid offer.
Is College of the Mainland offering you two separate student loans, one for a subsidized amount and one for an unsubsidized amount? Do you understand the difference? Multiply the total of the loans over four or five years of college and calculate your estimated monthly payment when you graduate. Does it shock you or does it seem affordable? Understanding what you will owe after graduation can help prevent you from starting your career with a large amount of debt that you cannot reasonably afford.
Declaring bankruptcy does not remove student loan debt owed to the Federal government. They can garnish part of your income if you do not pay back your loans.
What's the difference? Unsubsidized student loans accrue interest each month, even while you are in college. Unless you pay that interest each month, what you owe after graduation might surprise you.