by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Pfeiffer University— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Pfeiffer University specifically, 73% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $6,873 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federally funded loan is $5,311, which is 96.6% of the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing limit for a typical dependent freshman. Remember the all-undergraduate figures below leave out private loans, so they will look lower than this private-plus-federal freshman amount.
Looking at all undergraduates at Pfeiffer University, freshmen included, 70% rely on federal student loans toward their education, borrowing on average $6,298 per year. This is 18.6% more than the freshman federal average of $5,311.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $12,596 in two years and roughly $25,192 over a four-year span. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 70% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,298 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 459 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,890,910 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Pfeiffer University carry a median federal debt of $15,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $15,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $26,163 |
| Students who withdrew | $9,500 |
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 Pfeiffer University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,250 |
| 25th percentile | $7,167 |
| 75th percentile | $25,240 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $32,084 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Pfeiffer University.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Pfeiffer University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 227 | $17,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 116 | $19,277 |
| Did not complete | 111 | $16,291 |
On a standard 10-year plan, the median completing borrower would pay about $229.22/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Pfeiffer University.
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 205 | $17,162 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 22 | $12,875 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Pfeiffer University.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for Pfeiffer University appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 7.9% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 641 |
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.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,750 |
| Middle income | $15,500 |
| High income | $17,750 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,900 |
| Continuing-generation students | $19,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $14,375 |
| Independent students | $22,328 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at Pfeiffer 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
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.