by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend College Unbound, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at College Unbound, 100% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $8,554 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $8,554. That sits at or beyond the $5,500 first-year federal limit for a typical dependent student. 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 College Unbound, 65% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, at an average of $8,577 per year. This works out to 0.3% greater than the $8,554 freshmen take on.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $17,154 across two years and $34,308 over a four-year span. These projections assume the same federal borrowing each year and exclude private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 65% |
| Average federal loan per year | $8,577 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 261 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,238,612 |
The middle borrower at College Unbound owes $7,690 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $7,690 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $12,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $5,433 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at College Unbound.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $5,500 |
Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
Subsidized loans pause interest while you are in school; unsubsidized loans do not. That difference compounds over four years, so the type of loan you take matters as much as the amount.
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.