by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, including completion-adjusted borrowing and a standard repayment estimate. These figures are reported by the Department of Education and IPEDS.
For undergraduates overall at TTUHSC, 43% take out federal student loans, averaging $7,835 annually.
Carrying that yearly figure forward comes to roughly $15,670 by year two and around $31,340 across a four-year program. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 43% |
| Average federal loan per year | $7,835 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 596 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $4,669,924 |
The middle borrower at TTUHSC owes $11,250 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $11,250 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $12,268 |
| Students who withdrew | $6,250 |
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 TTUHSC.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,656 |
| 25th percentile | $7,000 |
| 75th percentile | $16,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $19,342 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at TTUHSC.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at TTUHSC.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 557 | $17,431 |
| Completed (graduates) | 445 | $17,355 |
| Did not complete | 112 | $18,044 |
On a standard 10-year plan, the median completing borrower would pay about $206.37/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at TTUHSC.
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 425 | $17,839 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 132 | $15,433 |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at TTUHSC.
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 TTUHSC is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 1.1% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 923 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,401 |
| Middle income | $12,500 |
| High income | $11,250 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,399 |
| Continuing-generation students | $11,250 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $11,033 |
| Independent students | $12,500 |
The Department of Education computes gap indicators that show how borrowing differs between student groups at TTUHSC.
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.
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.