by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Northeastern University Professional Programs, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
Looking at all undergraduates at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network, freshmen included, 32% rely on federal student loans toward their education, with a mean of $9,016 per year.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $18,032 after two years and $36,064 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 | 32% |
| Average federal loan per year | $9,016 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 545 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $4,913,702 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network carry a median federal debt of $22,000 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $22,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $24,250 |
| Students who withdrew | $13,500 |
The figure for students who withdrew is worth watching: debt without a completed credential is the hardest to repay.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $5,757 |
| 25th percentile | $14,500 |
| 75th percentile | $31,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $34,500 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1953 | $28,442 |
| Completed (graduates) | 1092 | $34,984 |
| Did not complete | 861 | $21,110 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $416.0/mo.
Stafford loans are the federal direct-loan program most undergraduates use. The breakdown below separates borrowers who used Stafford loans from those who did not at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
Any-Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1922 | $28,401 |
| No Stafford loan | 31 | $34,761 |
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 1475 | $29,558 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 478 | $25,562 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 3.9% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 4550 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $21,950 |
| Middle income | $22,601 |
| High income | $21,500 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $21,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $22,249 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $21,500 |
| Independent students | $23,791 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network.
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.