by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Northern State University, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Looking at the entering class at NSU, 62% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, for an average of $6,087 per borrower, covering both private and federal loans.
The average federal loan is $4,873, representing 88.6% of the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent student. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at NSU, 52% rely on federal student loans toward their education, at an average of $5,635 per year. This is 15.6% above the $4,873 borrowed by freshmen.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $11,270 by year two and around $22,540 over four years. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 52% |
| Average federal loan per year | $5,635 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 648 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $3,651,623 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at NSU carry a median federal debt of $15,750 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $15,750 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $22,320 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,750 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for NSU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $6,621 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $36,375 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at NSU.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at NSU.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 192 | $10,111 |
| Completed (graduates) | 79 | $12,500 |
| Did not complete | 113 | $9,412 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $148.64/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 NSU.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 153 | $10,011 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 39 | $10,562 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at NSU.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for NSU appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.2% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 560 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $16,314 |
| Middle income | $14,462 |
| High income | $16,750 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $16,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,556 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $16,280 |
| Independent students | $13,289 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at NSU.
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
Declaring bankruptcy does not erase federal student loan debt. If you stop paying, the federal government can garnish a portion of your wages until the loans are repaid.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.