by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Eastern Washington University, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at EWU, 44% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, with a typical loan of $6,375 each, across private and federal loan sources.
The average federal loan is $4,752, or about 86.4% of the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent student. 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 EWU, 39% finance part of their studies with federal loans, at an average of $6,280 in federal loans per year. That amounts to 32.2% larger than the freshman federal average of $4,752.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $12,560 by year two and around $25,120 after four. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 39% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,280 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 2,539 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $15,944,389 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at EWU carry a median federal debt of $14,053 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,053 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $19,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $9,653 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for EWU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $6,336 |
| 75th percentile | $25,163 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $34,500 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at EWU.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for EWU.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1114 | $15,693 |
| Completed (graduates) | 585 | $17,148 |
| Did not complete | 529 | $14,000 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $203.91/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at EWU.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1095 | $15,686 |
| No Stafford loan | 19 | $15,711 |
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 980 | $15,498 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 134 | $19,493 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for EWU.
Defaulting means failing to repay a federal student loan, which carries serious credit consequences. Two-year cohort default-rate data for EWU is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 4.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 2932 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
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 | $15,000 |
| Middle income | $14,000 |
| High income | $13,500 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,379 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,841 |
| Independent students | $18,828 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at EWU.
The Difference Between 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.
Did You Know?
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.