by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Cosumnes River College, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Cosumnes River, 2% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses, at roughly $6,416 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
Federal loans alone average $6,416. That is at or past the $5,500 federal first-year limit 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 Cosumnes River, 3% rely on federal student loans toward their education, borrowing on average $7,199 annually. This works out to 12.2% greater than the $6,416 borrowed by freshmen.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $14,398 after two years and $28,796 across a four-year program. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 3% |
| Average federal loan per year | $7,199 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 383 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,757,408 |
The median student at Cosumnes River borrows $8,563 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $8,563 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $10,722 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,483 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for Cosumnes River.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,916 |
| 25th percentile | $3,182 |
| 75th percentile | $10,666 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $22,806 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Cosumnes River.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Cosumnes River.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1207 | $13,575 |
| Completed (graduates) | 43 | $14,539 |
| Did not complete | 1164 | $13,567 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $172.88/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at Cosumnes River.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1158 | $13,574 |
| No Stafford loan | 49 | $13,871 |
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 27 | $8,748 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 1180 | $13,745 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Cosumnes River.
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 Cosumnes River appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 15.0% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 366 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $9,276 |
| Middle income | $7,514 |
| High income | $5,500 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $8,672 |
| Continuing-generation students | $8,104 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $9,500 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Cosumnes River.
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.