by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Southeast Community College Area, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Southeast Community College, 26% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, for an average of $4,616 each, across private and federal loan sources.
The average federally funded loan is $4,061, which is 73.8% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Bear in mind the undergraduate averages later on cover federal loans only, whereas this freshman total folds in private loans too.
Looking at all undergraduates at Southeast Community College, freshmen included, 21% rely on federal student loans toward their education, with a mean of $4,311 per year. This works out to 6.2% above the $4,061 borrowed by freshmen.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $8,622 across two years and $17,244 across a four-year program. This projection keeps yearly federal borrowing flat and excludes private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 21% |
| Average federal loan per year | $4,311 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,319 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $5,685,566 |
The median student at Southeast Community College borrows $6,672 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $6,672 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $11,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $5,167 |
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 Southeast Community College.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,250 |
| 25th percentile | $2,375 |
| 75th percentile | $10,992 |
| 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 Southeast Community College.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Southeast Community College.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 1099 | $13,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 240 | $11,715 |
| Did not complete | 859 | $13,772 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $139.3/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Southeast Community College.
Borrowers With Any Stafford Loan
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 1084 | — |
| No Stafford loan | 15 | — |
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 492 | $9,995 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 607 | $15,754 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Southeast Community College.
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 Southeast Community College is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 6.2% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 3125 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
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 | $7,375 |
| Middle income | $6,668 |
| High income | $5,500 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $6,918 |
| Continuing-generation students | $6,228 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $9,389 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Southeast Community College.
The Difference Between Subsidized and 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.