by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Seward County Community College, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
Among first-year students at SCCC, 9% of freshmen borrow to help pay for their first year, averaging $3,752 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federal loan is $3,752, or about 68.2% of the $5,500 federal limit that applies to a typical first-year dependent borrower. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at SCCC, 8% finance part of their studies with federal loans, borrowing on average $4,525 each per year. This is 20.6% greater than the freshman federal average of $3,752.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $9,050 after two years and $18,100 by the fourth year. These figures assume identical federal borrowing each year and omit private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 8% |
| Average federal loan per year | $4,525 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 87 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $393,700 |
The middle borrower at SCCC owes $5,000 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $5,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $6,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $3,500 |
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 SCCC.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,526 |
| 25th percentile | $2,400 |
| 75th percentile | $6,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $9,500 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at SCCC.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for SCCC.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 47 | $15,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for SCCC.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. Two-year cohort default-rate data for SCCC appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 11.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 173 |
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.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $4,871 |
| Middle income | $3,500 |
| High income | $6,250 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $4,677 |
| Continuing-generation students | $6,250 |
By Dependency Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $4,500 |
| Independent students | $6,350 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at SCCC.
The Difference Between Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
Unsubsidized federal student loans accrue interest every month — even while you are still enrolled. Unless you pay that interest as it builds, the balance you owe at graduation can be noticeably higher than the amount you originally borrowed.
Important to Remember
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.