by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Skyline College, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
For incoming students at Skyline College, 0% of incoming students take out a loan to help cover first-year costs, for an average of $4,752 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federally funded loan is $4,752, or about 86.4% of the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent student. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Skyline College, 0% rely on federal student loans toward their education, at an average of $7,545 each per year. It comes to 58.8% more than the $4,752 typical freshmen borrow.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $15,090 after two years and $30,180 after four. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 0% |
| Average federal loan per year | $7,545 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 35 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $264,082 |
The middle borrower at Skyline College owes $7,500 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $7,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $6,939 |
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 Skyline College.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,459 |
| 25th percentile | $3,500 |
| 75th percentile | $10,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $20,000 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Skyline College.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Skyline College.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 618 | $18,010 |
| Completed (graduates) | 27 | $20,111 |
| Did not complete | 591 | $18,000 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $239.14/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Skyline College.
Stafford vs Non-Stafford (any year)
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 583 | $18,303 |
| No Stafford loan | 35 | $14,312 |
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 12 | — |
| No Stafford loan this year | 606 | — |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Skyline College.
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 Skyline College is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.3% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 47 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
Borrowing by Income Tier
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $8,358 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $8,500 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Skyline College.
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
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.