by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Loras College, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
At Loras, 64% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $9,054 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
The average federal loan is $5,285, which is 96.1% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Loras, 60% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, borrowing on average $6,469 in federal loans per year. That is 22.4% greater than the $5,285 borrowed by freshmen.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $12,938 across two years and $25,876 across a four-year program. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 60% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,469 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 656 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $4,243,395 |
The median student at Loras borrows $19,500 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $19,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $26,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $7,780 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 Loras.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,500 |
| 25th percentile | $8,500 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $36,000 |
How wide this percentile range is tells you how much borrowing varies across students at Loras.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Loras.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 161 | $18,422 |
| Completed (graduates) | 80 | $30,983 |
| Did not complete | 81 | $11,000 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $368.42/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Loras.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 148 | — |
| No Stafford loan this year | 13 | — |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Loras.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Loras follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 4.7% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 404 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $13,667 |
| Middle income | $17,750 |
| High income | $21,250 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $21,500 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $20,000 |
| Independent students | $13,486 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Loras.
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.
Did You Know?
Unlike most other debt, federal student loans generally survive bankruptcy — and unpaid balances can lead to wage garnishment — so borrow only what you truly need.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.