by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Saint Leo University— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At St. Leo University, 56% of first-year students take on loan debt, averaging $7,661 per borrower, covering both private and federal loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,131, equal to roughly 93.3% 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.
For undergraduates overall at St. Leo University, 35% borrow through federal student loan programs, averaging $7,581 per year. It comes to 47.7% larger than the $5,131 freshmen take on.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $15,162 over two years and about $30,324 after four. These projections assume the same federal borrowing each year and exclude private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 35% |
| Average federal loan per year | $7,581 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 2,435 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $18,460,010 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at St. Leo University carry a median federal debt of $14,250 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,250 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $25,278 |
| Students who withdrew | $7,537 |
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 St. Leo University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,625 |
| 25th percentile | $4,750 |
| 75th percentile | $28,250 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $44,166 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at St. Leo University.
The figures above count only the students own federal loans. Adding PLUS loans (borrowed by parents or graduate students) gives a fuller picture of total borrowing at St. Leo University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1201 | $12,476 |
| Completed (graduates) | 587 | $14,773 |
| Did not complete | 614 | $11,477 |
On a standard 10-year plan, the median completing borrower would pay about $175.67/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at St. Leo University.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1186 | — |
| No Stafford loan | 15 | — |
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 905 | $13,146 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 296 | $10,133 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. St. Leo University.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for St. Leo University follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 9.3% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 4422 |
This rate follows a borrower cohort from the start of repayment through the two-year window the Department of Education uses.
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 | $13,099 |
| Middle income | $16,417 |
| High income | $14,750 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,250 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,500 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $15,750 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at St. Leo University.
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
Federal student loans are not discharged in bankruptcy in all but the rarest cases, and the government can withhold part of your income or tax refund if you default.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.