by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Fordham University, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
At Fordham U specifically, 51% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $10,225 per student, private and federal loans combined.
The typical federal loan comes to $5,262, representing 95.7% of the $5,500 first-year borrowing cap for the typical first-year dependent student. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Fordham U, 48% rely on federal student loans toward their education, borrowing on average $6,463 in federal loans per year. This is 22.8% greater than the freshman federal average of $5,262.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $12,926 across two years and $25,852 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 | 48% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,463 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 4,887 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $31,582,769 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Fordham U carry a median federal debt of $20,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $20,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $24,300 |
| Students who withdrew | $6,500 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 Fordham U.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $5,500 |
| 25th percentile | $11,450 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $32,230 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Fordham U.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Fordham U.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1622 | $34,178 |
| Completed (graduates) | 1240 | $37,095 |
| Did not complete | 382 | $29,149 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $441.1/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at Fordham U.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1594 | $34,091 |
| No Stafford loan | 28 | $40,000 |
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 1413 | $36,480 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 209 | $25,690 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. Fordham U.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Fordham U follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 3.4% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 3228 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,500 |
| Middle income | $20,500 |
| High income | $23,000 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $19,246 |
| Continuing-generation students | $21,500 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $20,500 |
| Independent students | $15,688 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Fordham U.
Subsidized vs. 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?
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.