by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Harrisburg University of Science and Technology— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Harrisburg University of Science and Technology specifically, 63% of incoming students take out a loan to help cover first-year costs, averaging $6,242 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,542. 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.
Across the full undergraduate body at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (freshmen included), 62% borrow through federal student loan programs, borrowing on average $6,715 in federal loans per year. That amounts to 21.2% larger than the $5,542 borrowed by freshmen.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $13,430 in two years and roughly $26,860 across a four-year program. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 62% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,715 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 403 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,706,175 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology carry a median federal debt of $11,848 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $11,848 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $27,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,250 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,250 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $26,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $30,500 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 78 | $10,551 |
| Completed (graduates) | 29 | $13,773 |
| Did not complete | 49 | $9,799 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $163.78/mo.
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
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 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 12.6% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 87 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,594 |
| Middle income | $11,249 |
| High income | $9,793 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $9,538 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $11,562 |
| Independent students | $13,582 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
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.
Important to Remember
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.