by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend DSDT: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
Looking at the entering class at DSDT, 23% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses, for an average of $4,369 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
The average federally funded loan is $4,506, or about 81.9% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. 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 DSDT, 13% rely on federal student loans toward their education, averaging $4,851 annually. This works out to 7.7% more than the $4,506 typical freshmen borrow.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $9,702 over two years and about $19,404 after four. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 13% |
| Average federal loan per year | $4,851 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 50 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $242,573 |
The median student at DSDT borrows $5,911 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $5,911 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $6,333 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at DSDT.
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at DSDT.
Subsidized vs. 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.
Did You Know?
Federal student loans are not discharged in bankruptcy in all but the rarest cases, and the government can withhold part of your income or tax refund if you default.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.