by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Park 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 Park University, 47% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, with a typical loan of $6,043 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,178, representing 94.1% of the $5,500 first-year borrowing cap for the typical first-year dependent student. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Park University, 32% finance part of their studies with federal loans, averaging $6,987 a year. That amounts to 34.9% larger than the $5,178 typical freshmen borrow.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $13,974 by year two and around $27,948 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 | $6,987 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,666 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $11,640,152 |
The middle borrower at Park University owes $12,500 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $12,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $21,685 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,545 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for Park University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,347 |
| 25th percentile | $5,046 |
| 75th percentile | $23,425 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $35,654 |
How wide this percentile range is tells you how much borrowing varies across students at Park University.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Park University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 853 | $10,429 |
| Completed (graduates) | 349 | $10,875 |
| Did not complete | 504 | $10,000 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $129.32/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Park University.
Stafford vs Non-Stafford (any year)
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 837 | — |
| No Stafford loan | 16 | — |
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 495 | $10,500 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 358 | $10,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Park University.
Defaulting means failing to repay a federal student loan, which carries serious credit consequences. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for Park University appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.8% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 2439 |
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 | $12,500 |
| Middle income | $12,500 |
| High income | $13,272 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,500 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $9,820 |
| Independent students | $13,852 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Park University.
The Difference Between 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
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.