by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Tuskegee 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.
Among first-year students at Tuskegee, 48% of new students use loans toward freshman-year expenses, for an average of $5,532 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $5,532. This is at or above the $5,500 first-year federal borrowing cap that applies to the typical dependent freshman. Keep in mind the all-undergraduate averages further down count federal loans only, unlike this private-plus-federal freshman figure.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Tuskegee, 60% take out federal student loans, borrowing on average $6,118 a year. This is 10.6% greater than the freshman federal average of $5,532.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $12,236 in two years and roughly $24,472 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 | 60% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,118 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 1,419 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $8,680,899 |
The middle borrower at Tuskegee owes $21,250 in federal borrowing.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $21,250 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $27,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $10,500 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for Tuskegee.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $5,500 |
| 25th percentile | $11,000 |
| 75th percentile | $39,486 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $52,700 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Tuskegee.
The figures above count only the students own federal loans. Adding PLUS loans (borrowed by parents or graduate students) gives a fuller picture of total borrowing at Tuskegee.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 832 | $42,160 |
| Completed (graduates) | 489 | $53,000 |
| Did not complete | 343 | $33,000 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $630.23/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Tuskegee.
Stafford vs Non-Stafford (any year)
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Used a Stafford loan | 787 | $42,381 |
| No Stafford loan | 45 | $36,314 |
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 778 | $42,613 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 54 | $35,657 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. Tuskegee.
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 Tuskegee is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 9.1% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 790 |
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 | $22,937 |
| Middle income | $21,500 |
| High income | $19,500 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $21,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $21,500 |
Dependency-Status Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $21,343 |
| Independent students | $20,025 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Tuskegee.
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.
Did You Know?
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.