by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Glendale Community College, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
For incoming students at GCC, 3% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, for an average of $7,437 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $7,437. This reaches or tops the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing cap for a typical dependent student. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Counting every undergraduate at GCC, 3% rely on federal student loans toward their education, borrowing on average $7,866 per year. That is 5.8% larger than the first-year federal average of $7,437.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $15,732 after two years and $31,464 over a four-year span. 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 | $7,866 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 320 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,517,076 |
The median student at GCC borrows $7,000 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $7,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $8,972 |
| Students who withdrew | $6,750 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for GCC.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,000 |
| 25th percentile | $3,500 |
| 75th percentile | $10,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $19,250 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at GCC.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for GCC.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 734 | $18,343 |
| Completed (graduates) | 41 | $15,087 |
| Did not complete | 693 | $18,352 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $179.4/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at GCC.
Stafford vs Non-Stafford (any year)
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 702 | $18,047 |
| No Stafford loan | 32 | $20,502 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at GCC.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for GCC follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 4.3% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 183 |
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 | $7,000 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $7,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $6,500 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $8,000 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at GCC.
The Difference Between Subsidized and 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
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.