by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for Truett McConnell University— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
Among first-year students at TMU, 55% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses, for an average of $7,439 per borrower, covering both private and federal loans.
Federal loans alone average $5,443, or about 99.0% of the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing limit for a typical dependent freshman. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Across the full undergraduate body at TMU (freshmen included), 51% rely on federal student loans toward their education, averaging $6,451 each per year. This works out to 18.5% more than the freshman federal average of $5,443.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $12,902 after two years and $25,804 after four. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 51% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,451 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 394 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,541,743 |
The median student at TMU borrows $12,000 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $12,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $23,439 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,179 |
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 TMU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $24,875 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $31,125 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at TMU.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for TMU.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 109 | $11,400 |
| Completed (graduates) | 51 | $12,500 |
| Did not complete | 58 | $10,500 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $148.64/mo.
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. TMU.
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 TMU appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 7.5% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 146 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
The breakdowns below show median federal debt by income, first-generation status, and dependency.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $9,500 |
| Middle income | $17,169 |
| High income | $11,000 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,000 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $11,527 |
| Independent students | $25,000 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for TMU.
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.
Did You Know?
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.