by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Lipscomb University— 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.
For incoming students at Lipscomb, 32% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses, with a typical loan of $8,193 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federally funded loan is $5,108, which is 92.9% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Looking at all undergraduates at Lipscomb, freshmen included, 32% finance part of their studies with federal loans, for a typical $6,299 in federal loans per year. That is 23.3% larger than the freshman federal average of $5,108.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $12,598 over two years and about $25,196 after four. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 32% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,299 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 962 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $6,059,676 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Lipscomb carry a median federal debt of $15,350 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $15,350 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $19,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $12,000 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 Lipscomb.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,000 |
| 25th percentile | $6,250 |
| 75th percentile | $26,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $31,000 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Lipscomb.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Lipscomb.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 621 | $25,313 |
| Completed (graduates) | 314 | $30,298 |
| Did not complete | 307 | $22,000 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $360.28/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Lipscomb.
Any-Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 609 | — |
| No Stafford loan | 12 | — |
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 526 | $27,971 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 95 | $15,000 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Lipscomb.
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 Lipscomb follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 3.4% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 835 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
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 | $12,500 |
| Middle income | $17,750 |
| High income | $17,750 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,750 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $17,904 |
| Independent students | $12,500 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at Lipscomb.
The Difference Between Subsidized and 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.
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.