by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Medical University of South Carolina, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
For undergraduates overall at MUSC, 61% borrow through federal student loan programs, averaging $7,480 in federal loans per year.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $14,960 after two years and $29,920 over four years. These figures assume identical federal borrowing each year and omit private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 61% |
| Average federal loan per year | $7,480 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 171 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,279,159 |
The median student at MUSC borrows $13,021 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $13,021 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $15,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $7,256 |
The figure for students who withdrew is worth watching: debt without a completed credential is the hardest to repay.
Looking only at the median is misleading — these four percentiles describe the full debt distribution for borrowers at MUSC.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,000 |
| 25th percentile | $2,500 |
| 75th percentile | $12,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $23,962 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at MUSC.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for MUSC.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 315 | $22,597 |
| Completed (graduates) | 288 | $23,828 |
| Did not complete | 27 | $15,321 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $283.34/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at MUSC.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 287 | $23,509 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 28 | $17,775 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. MUSC.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for MUSC is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 0.4% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 719 |
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.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,500 |
| Middle income | $12,771 |
| High income | $10,554 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $9,300 |
| Independent students | $15,500 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at MUSC.
Subsidized vs. 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
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.