by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend University of the Southwest: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. The data below is drawn directly from federal sources.
At USW, 63% of incoming students take out a loan to help cover first-year costs, averaging $5,748 per student, private and federal loans combined.
The typical federal loan comes to $5,327, equal to roughly 96.9% of the $5,500 federal limit that applies to a typical first-year dependent borrower. Bear in mind the undergraduate averages later on cover federal loans only, whereas this freshman total folds in private loans too.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at USW, 64% rely on federal student loans toward their education, borrowing on average $6,237 a year. That amounts to 17.1% higher than the freshman federal average of $5,327.
Repeating that yearly amount projects to about $12,474 across two years and $24,948 over a four-year span. The estimate holds federal borrowing constant and does not count private or Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 64% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,237 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 216 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,347,133 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at USW carry a median federal debt of $14,000 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $21,303 |
| Students who withdrew | $7,500 |
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 USW.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $20,889 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $31,000 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at USW.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for USW.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 178 | $12,925 |
| Completed (graduates) | 96 | $13,700 |
| Did not complete | 82 | $12,282 |
On a standard 10-year plan, the median completing borrower would pay about $162.91/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at USW.
Borrowers With a Stafford Loan This Year
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 155 | $12,600 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 23 | $16,000 |
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for USW.
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 USW is shown below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 12.0% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 233 |
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.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,863 |
| Middle income | $14,500 |
| High income | $13,750 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $11,026 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $23,000 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at USW.
The Difference Between Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
Unsubsidized federal student loans accrue interest every month — even while you are still enrolled. Unless you pay that interest as it builds, the balance you owe at graduation can be noticeably higher than the amount you originally borrowed.
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.