by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Pima Medical Institute-Mesa— 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.
Among first-year students at PMI Mesa, 78% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, at roughly $11,862 per student, private and federal loans combined.
On the federal side, the average loan is $9,490. This is at or above the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing cap that applies to the typical dependent freshman. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Looking at all undergraduates at PMI Mesa, freshmen included, 66% rely on federal student loans toward their education, at an average of $10,111 each per year. That is 6.5% above the $9,490 freshmen take on.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $20,222 over two years and about $40,444 over a four-year span. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 66% |
| Average federal loan per year | $10,111 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 746 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $7,542,971 |
The median student at PMI Mesa borrows $9,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $9,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $9,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $4,750 |
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 PMI Mesa.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,166 |
| 25th percentile | $5,498 |
| 75th percentile | $12,673 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $27,032 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at PMI Mesa.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for PMI Mesa.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 2207 | $6,401 |
| Completed (graduates) | 1732 | $7,489 |
| Did not complete | 475 | $4,044 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $89.05/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at PMI Mesa.
Any-Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 2142 | $6,580 |
| No Stafford loan | 65 | $2,682 |
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 2007 | $6,432 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 200 | $5,691 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at PMI Mesa.
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 PMI Mesa is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.2% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 6568 |
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 | $9,500 |
| Middle income | $9,500 |
| High income | $9,500 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $9,499 |
| Continuing-generation students | $9,500 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $9,500 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at PMI Mesa.
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
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.