by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Meridian Community College: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Looking at the entering class at MCC, 7% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $4,056 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federally funded loan is $4,056, which is 73.7% of the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing limit for a typical dependent freshman. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Looking at all undergraduates at MCC, freshmen included, 14% rely on federal student loans toward their education, for a typical $5,132 in federal loans per year. This is 26.5% higher than the $4,056 typical freshmen borrow.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $10,264 across two years and $20,528 over four years. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 14% |
| Average federal loan per year | $5,132 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 274 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,406,044 |
The median student at MCC borrows $4,500 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $4,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $5,521 |
| Students who withdrew | $3,500 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
Looking only at the median is misleading — these four percentiles describe the full debt distribution for borrowers at MCC.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,028 |
| 25th percentile | $1,750 |
| 75th percentile | $6,813 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $11,913 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at MCC.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for MCC.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 174 | $9,500 |
| Completed (graduates) | 44 | $8,239 |
| Did not complete | 130 | $9,894 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $97.97/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at MCC.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 42 | $6,380 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 132 | $10,228 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for MCC.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The federal two-year cohort default rate for MCC appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 14.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 750 |
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 | $4,000 |
| Middle income | $5,250 |
| High income | $5,000 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $4,518 |
| Continuing-generation students | $4,187 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $3,250 |
| Independent students | $6,000 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for MCC.
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.
Worth Knowing
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.