by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend South Carolina State University: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at South Carolina State University, 72% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, with a typical loan of $6,774 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $6,141. 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.
Counting every undergraduate at South Carolina State University, 67% finance part of their studies with federal loans, borrowing on average $6,524 a year. That amounts to 6.2% more than the freshman federal average of $6,141.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $13,048 after two years and $26,096 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 | 67% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,524 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,856 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $12,108,275 |
The middle borrower at South Carolina State University owes $20,900 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $20,900 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $31,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $12,250 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
Looking only at the median is misleading — these four percentiles describe the full debt distribution for borrowers at South Carolina State University.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,750 |
| 25th percentile | $9,500 |
| 75th percentile | $37,250 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $50,450 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at South Carolina State University.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for South Carolina State University.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 823 | $24,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 358 | $29,808 |
| Did not complete | 465 | $21,000 |
On a standard 10-year plan, the median completing borrower would pay about $354.45/mo.
Federal data lets us separate Stafford borrowers from the rest at South Carolina State University.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 745 | $26,000 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 78 | $18,129 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at South Carolina State 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 South Carolina State University is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 16.9% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 1352 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $23,000 |
| Middle income | $19,500 |
| High income | $18,500 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $21,250 |
| Continuing-generation students | $20,000 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $21,000 |
| Independent students | $20,000 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at South Carolina State University.
Subsidized vs. 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.
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.