by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is federal data on the loans students use to pay for York University: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At York College, 65% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, borrowing on average $4,719 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $4,168, amounting to 75.8% of the typical first-year dependent student borrowing cap of $5,500. Bear in mind the undergraduate averages later on cover federal loans only, whereas this freshman total folds in private loans too.
For undergraduates overall at York College, 64% finance part of their studies with federal loans, for a typical $4,607 in federal loans per year. This is 10.5% above the $4,168 typical freshmen borrow.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $9,214 across two years and $18,428 over four years. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 64% |
| Average federal loan per year | $4,607 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 284 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $1,308,264 |
The median student at York College borrows $14,250 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $14,250 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $21,500 |
| Students who withdrew | $8,328 |
Withdrawn-student debt matters because those borrowers carry the loans without the degree that helps repay them.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 York College.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $3,500 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $36,500 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at York College.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at York College.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 77 | $17,000 |
| Completed (graduates) | 27 | $28,703 |
| Did not complete | 50 | $14,667 |
Completers face an estimated standard 10-year monthly payment on their PLUS-inclusive debt of roughly $341.31/mo.
These figures turn the debt totals into a monthly repayment picture for York College.
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 York College follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 5.9% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 135 |
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 | $15,510 |
| Middle income | $13,375 |
| High income | $12,000 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Borrowing
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,250 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,875 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $14,000 |
| Independent students | $19,498 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at York College.
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.
Worth Knowing
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.