by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend Western Oklahoma State College— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Western, 20% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, at roughly $4,552 per student, private and federal loans combined.
Federal loans alone average $4,552, which is 82.8% of the $5,500 cap on first-year federal borrowing for the typical dependent student. 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 Western, 21% finance part of their studies with federal loans, at an average of $6,313 in federal loans per year. That is 38.7% higher than the $4,552 typical freshmen borrow.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $12,626 by year two and around $25,252 over four years. These projections assume the same federal borrowing each year and exclude private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 21% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,313 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 179 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,130,096 |
The middle borrower at Western owes $5,500 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $5,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $9,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $4,000 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for Western.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $1,700 |
| 25th percentile | $3,000 |
| 75th percentile | $9,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $16,500 |
The spread between the lowest- and highest-debt deciles summarizes how variable outcomes are at Western.
Median federal debt understates the full cost when PLUS loans are included. The totals below add PLUS borrowing for Western.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 42 | $8,658 |
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Western.
Stafford This Year vs Not
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 10 | — |
| No Stafford loan this year | 32 | — |
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Western.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. The federal two-year cohort default rate for Western appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 16.2% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 307 |
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 | $5,945 |
| Middle income | $5,225 |
| High income | $5,575 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $5,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $7,500 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $4,500 |
| Independent students | $8,436 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Western.
The Difference Between Subsidized and 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.