by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend United States 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.
Looking at all undergraduates at USU, freshmen included, 15% borrow through federal student loan programs, borrowing on average $9,332 annually.
Borrowing the same amount each year would add up to roughly $18,664 over two years and about $37,328 after four. These projections assume the same federal borrowing each year and exclude private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 15% |
| Average federal loan per year | $9,332 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 25 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $233,297 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at USU carry a median federal debt of $13,598 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $13,598 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $15,244 |
| Students who withdrew | $10,250 |
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 USU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,424 |
| 25th percentile | $4,750 |
| 75th percentile | $25,813 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $37,750 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at USU.
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 USU.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 151 | $9,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 60 | $11,520 |
| Did not complete | 91 | $8,050 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $136.99/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at USU.
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 36 | $9,102 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 115 | $9,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for USU.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The official Department of Education two-year default rate for USU follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 2.8% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 71 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Middle income | $13,924 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for USU.
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
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.