by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Northwest University: 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.
At Northwest University specifically, 50% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, at roughly $8,553 each, across private and federal loan sources.
The typical federal loan comes to $5,402, equal to roughly 98.2% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Across the full undergraduate body at Northwest University (freshmen included), 58% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, averaging $6,414 annually. That amounts to 18.7% greater than the freshman federal average of $5,402.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $12,828 after two years and $25,656 after four. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 58% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,414 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 374 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,398,737 |
The middle borrower at Northwest University owes $15,000 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $15,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $20,891 |
| Students who withdrew | $9,500 |
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 Northwest University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,000 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22,345 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $30,500 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Northwest University.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Northwest University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 228 | $15,420 |
| Completed (graduates) | 147 | $17,284 |
| Did not complete | 81 | $14,202 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $205.53/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Northwest University.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 214 | — |
| No Stafford loan this year | 14 | — |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Northwest University.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Northwest University is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 3.7% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 432 |
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.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,881 |
| Middle income | $15,732 |
| High income | $15,000 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $15,000 |
| Independent students | $16,750 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Northwest University.
Subsidized and 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.