by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
Across the full undergraduate body at SUNY Downstate (freshmen included), 43% finance part of their studies with federal loans, borrowing on average $9,352 annually.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $18,704 in two years and roughly $37,408 by the fourth year. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 43% |
| Average federal loan per year | $9,352 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 122 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,140,973 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at SUNY Downstate carry a median federal debt of $12,500 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $12,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $12,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $10,087 |
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 SUNY Downstate.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,897 |
| 25th percentile | $7,500 |
| 75th percentile | $19,166 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $30,250 |
How wide this percentile range is tells you how much borrowing varies across students at SUNY Downstate.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for SUNY Downstate.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 173 | $26,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 125 | $25,000 |
| Did not complete | 48 | $26,500 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $297.28/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at SUNY Downstate.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 133 | $28,000 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 40 | $23,750 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. SUNY Downstate.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The federal two-year cohort default rate for SUNY Downstate follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 0.2% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 381 |
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.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,500 |
| Middle income | $12,500 |
| High income | $12,500 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,875 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $10,006 |
| Independent students | $12,500 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at SUNY Downstate.
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loans
Subsidized loans pause interest while you are in school; unsubsidized loans do not. That difference compounds over four years, so the type of loan you take matters as much as the amount.
Did You Know?
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.