by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Columbia College— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at Columbia College South Carolina, 78% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, borrowing on average $8,603 per student, private and federal loans combined.
On the federal side, the average loan is $8,370. This meets or exceeds the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent freshman. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Columbia College South Carolina, 66% take out federal student loans, borrowing on average $8,720 each per year. This works out to 4.2% more than the first-year federal average of $8,370.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $17,440 in two years and roughly $34,880 over four years. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 66% |
| Average federal loan per year | $8,720 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 828 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $7,220,243 |
The middle borrower at Columbia College South Carolina owes $14,750 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,750 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $22,750 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,333 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for Columbia College South Carolina.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,260 |
| 25th percentile | $5,960 |
| 75th percentile | $24,625 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $34,000 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Columbia College South Carolina.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Columbia College South Carolina.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 308 | $12,714 |
| Completed (graduates) | 179 | $13,551 |
| Did not complete | 129 | $12,055 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $161.14/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Columbia College South Carolina.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 279 | $12,790 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 29 | $11,780 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Columbia College South Carolina.
Defaulting means failing to repay a federal student loan, which carries serious credit consequences. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for Columbia College South Carolina follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 8.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 529 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,000 |
| Middle income | $16,079 |
| High income | $18,781 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,953 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,750 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $14,500 |
| Independent students | $15,011 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Columbia College South Carolina.
Subsidized and 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.
Important to Remember
Declaring bankruptcy does not erase federal student loan debt. If you stop paying, the federal government can garnish a portion of your wages until the loans are repaid.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.