by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, 46% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, averaging $5,904 each, across private and federal loan sources.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,631. That sits at or beyond the $5,500 first-year federal limit for a typical dependent student. Note that average undergraduate loan amounts shown later do not include private loans — so the full freshman figure above is not directly comparable.
Looking at all undergraduates at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, freshmen included, 67% use federal student loans to help pay for their education, borrowing on average $4,750 annually. This works out to 15.6% under the freshman federal average of $5,631.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $9,500 after two years and $19,000 over four years. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 67% |
| Average federal loan per year | $4,750 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,924 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $9,139,792 |
The middle borrower at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus owes $12,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $12,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $18,750 |
| Students who withdrew | $7,808 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
Looking only at the median is misleading — these four percentiles describe the full debt distribution for borrowers at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $18,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $28,897 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 543 | $9,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 271 | $10,771 |
| Did not complete | 272 | $7,926 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $128.08/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 508 | $8,954 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 35 | $13,215 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Southern Arkansas University Main Campus appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 12.6% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 871 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,000 |
| Middle income | $12,013 |
| High income | $11,278 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,609 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $17,818 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.
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.
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.