The average student debt is on the rise. Student loan debt statistics show that only a few short years ago, student debt surpassed credit card debt to become the second-largest source of household debt after mortgages.

So what?

Conventional wisdom suggests that student loans generally pay for themselves thanks to the professional opportunities a college degree provides. There are certainly elements of our student loan debt statistics which suggest this is still true for many students. It’s not at all the certainty it once seemed, however. As average student debt continues to rise, career security continues to waver.

Even traditionally high-brow pursuits are showing mixed results in recent years. Medical school debt and law school debt have always been substantially more daunting than, say, my ed debt or yours, but students felt virtually guaranteed lucrative careers upon graduation. Their balances weren’t a significant concern. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case today.

Are Today’s Students Financially Irresponsible?

Despite our cultural tendency to mock and belittle Millennials and “Generation Z,” there’s no real data in terms of student loan statistics or overall student money management to suggest they’re any worse with money than their parents or grandparents were. In some ways, they’re better.

Age group

18 to 24 years

25 to 34 years

35 to 49 years

50 to 61 years

62+ years

Percentage with federal student loan debt

24%

33%

23%

12%

4%

I’m sure you know that credit card companies particularly target college students. Irresponsible credit card use and early credit card debt can put students in a serious financial bind before they’ve even graduated.

36% of American college students hold some form of credit card debt and 57% carry an unpaid balance month to month. The average amount owed is around $1,183 per student and 30% have paid a late fee in the past year.

How Does This Impact Student Loan Debt Statistics?

It’s difficult to prove a hard correlation between a 22-year old understanding exactly how quickly late fees and interest pile up when you miss a few credit card payments and their inability to get a decent home loan a decade later, but it’s not an irrational leap. A more difficult possibility to measure involves that overarching idea that these are young people “doing the right thing” without having substantive understanding of what makes it a good idea. In other words, is a four-year (or longer) college the best financial choice for them in the first place?

Wait – Blaine! Are you suggesting we shouldn’t go to college unless we know we’re going to make lots and lots of money as a result? Are you trying to convince us the only purpose of higher education is to fill our bank accounts? What about X? What about Y? WHAT ABOUT Z?!?

Easy there, friends. I’m not telling you anything about what you should or shouldn’t do. Nor am I evaluating the larger goals or benefits of education, higher or otherwise. I’m simply highlighting one possible quirk of available student loan debt statistics – the hint that maybe one reason so many of us are having trouble managing student debt is that we have too much student debt for the income we’re able to bring in as a result.

It’s also worth considering that many forms of student loans, grants, and other sorts of student aid, apply to degrees and certifications other than that “Exploration of the Self in 20th Century British Literature” program you’re considering. (I’m not making this one up; that was the official label of my custom degree program for the first year-and-a-half I was in college. I ended up changing it when I realized that once we moved past Rudyard Kipling, I pretty much lost all interest.)

You want that degree? Go get it, tiger! But if you’re just kinda trying to figure out what to do with yourself after high school and you’re pretty sure you need a job beyond those summers at the burger place or lifeguarding at the retirement villa, consider all of your options – associate’s degrees, professional certifications, two-year schools, four-year schools, community college, private universities, state schools, even online courses. If you’re going to be a small part of tomorrow’s student loan debt statistics, let’s at least try to make sure it’s for a good reason.

It’s not about me telling you what to do; it’s about making more informed decisions. Start with a general overview of different types of debt and the major pros and cons of each, then dig a little deeper on the specific sort of loan or line of credit you’re considering. If we’re talking student loan debt statistics, most debt starts – logically enough – when you’re first thinking about college or other training past high school.

What Is the FAFSA Everyone Keeps Talking About?

The FAFSA is the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” created and processed by the U.S. Department of Education. Most post-secondary educational institutions use it as their primary means of establishing whether or not you qualify for grants, scholarships, loans, or other aid, but you don’t have to start with them. It’s available online and is THE starting point for all things student aid-related.

Please note, however, that while the FAFSA should absolutely be where you start, it should not be where you finish. Ask any schools you’re considering attending what other sources of aid are available. Check with your workplace or your parents’ employers to see what they might offer. Get online and look at state and local resources, starting with government sites. Search local newspaper archives for stories about students who’ve received grants or scholarships in your area, and note the sources of each.

Now, normally I won’t actually tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. I prefer to poke and prod you a bit, share some insights, then let you be you. But I’m going to break that rule for one thing related to student loan debt statistics, or – more specifically – to seeking student aid to begin with. Are you ready?

Don’t pay anyone or anything to hunt down financial aid for you.

There are any number of “services,” locally and online, who will promise you all sorts of pipelines to the money reservoir for only a few hundred dollars. But here’s the thing – there are no secret back doors to this stuff. It’s all out there with a little Googling and asking around. There aren’t that many people who fund a scholarship and then says, “but keep it a secret or someone will use it to go to college!”

Ask the financial aid people at the schools you’re considering (they want to help you find the aid because it increases the chances that you’ll come to school there and that’s how they make their living). Do the FAFSA and any legit alternative applications you come across from local groups or institutions. Visit your local library and ask someone at the desk to point you the right direction (I promise you, they live for that stuff). But don’t type in your credit card info on some site promising you, well… anything.

What Sorts Of Financial Aid For Education Are There?

That’s a great question, and one more people should ask. There are several common types of aid you may be offered as a result of filling out the FAFSA, speaking to those financial aid officers, doing that online research, and visiting your local library.

Scholarships

Scholarships don’t normally show up in student loan debt statistics because they don’t have to be paid back. They’re “free money” for use in pursuing your education, although individual scholarships may have specific limits or requirements about how they’re utilized. They can come from the federal government, state or local government, various community groups, small businesses, corporations, churches or other non-profits, etc.

Scholarships are generally awarded based on merit – something you’ve achieved. Good grades, athletic prowess, musical ability, SAT or ACT scores, etc., are all common reasons schools or other institutions offer scholarships. Obviously, if you qualify for one or more scholarships that allow you to go the direction you’re wanting to go, accept these first. Gratefully.

Grants, on the other hand, are need-based. They’re less about what you’ve already accomplished and more about “leveling the playing field” so you have a better shot going forward, despite whatever existing financial limitations are in play.

Grants don’t normally have to be paid back, but be careful to note the specific requirements associated with any grants you accept. Some require that you remain in school full-time, or maintain a certain GPA, or that you commit to several years working in a particular field or high-needs area. If you don’t meet and continue to meet the requirements of the grant, the terms may stipulate that you must repay part or all of it. That can be tricky, especially if your circumstances have changed unexpectedly.

These are often sponsored by the school you’re attending, and the details will vary with the institution. The federal government has its own version as well, though, and may – after you’ve submitted your FAFSA – offer to hook you up with a local non-profit or government agency where you’d put in an agreed-upon number of hours. You’re paid for your time, but the assumption is that you’re using this money primarily to offset school expenses. As always, make sure you pay attention to the details of any offer you’re considering.

Here’s a term we know. While there are a few unique features to student aid loans, most of the general rules for accepting any loan apply when considering financial offers for education:

Are There Advantages To Student Loan Debt?

I’m not sure I’d put it that way, but there are a few things which certainly might offset the downside of all these student loan debt statistics.

First and foremost, of course, is the fact that you’re able to get a quality education as a result. For all the distress over the job market and career choices and long-term debts, let’s not overlook the value and power of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s Degree, or professional certification in a field (or two) of your choice.

I mean, you take out a loan and you get an education. That ain’t nothing.

There are tax benefits as well. The American Opportunity Credit allows you to claim up to $2,500 per year for the first four years of school as you work toward a degree or similar credential. The Lifetime Learning Credit allows you to claim up to $2,000 per year for any college or career school tuition and fees, as well as for books, supplies, and equipment that were required for the course and had to be purchased from the school.

Interest on student loans is also deductible (so far). You’ll use the 1098 e, which is a short, easy add-on showing your interest payments towards education. They don’t even have to be federal loans, as long as you can establish them as being used for their appropriate purpose.

If you’re a student, file a tax return each year whether otherwise required to or not (unless you’re still on your parents’ tax return, in which case they’ll receive any benefits). You can’t get the tax benefits if you don’t file!

Are Student Loans Just For Tuition?

Well, mostly, yes. Things like textbooks and specific required supplies are usually covered as well. Sometimes housing, but you’ll have to check the specifics of the loan.

So, yes – official student loans are for immediate school expenses. No fudging! That kind of thing almost always comes back to bite you if you try to stretch the funds beyond their legally designated intentions. Besides which, it’s just wrong.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t other valid reasons to consider a small personal loan as a student. While I very much discourage taking on additional debt just because you can, students might sometimes benefit from personal loans for the same reasons as anyone else – credit card consolidation, reduced interest rates, or establishing a credit history in the first place. I highly recommend this piece from my colleague Sherry on personal loans for students. She discusses the ins and outs of various options in a clear, friendly manner. It’s well worth your time.

But, I mean… come back here when you’re done. We’re not finished with student loan debt statistics!

Another common sort of loan for students which isn’t actually a student loan is the student travel loan. As the name implies, these are small personal loans to finance trips – usually abroad, but possibly just across the state or some other part of the country. While designed to be educational journeys, they’re not technically part of a specific course or curriculum, and thus not covered by traditional student loans.

As with any debt, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not a trip of this sort is genuinely appropriate or necessary. What do you hope to gain or learn as a result? And, realistically, can you afford this sort of debt on top of whatever else you’re taking on as part of your educational pursuits?

I won’t lie – I wish more young people would travel. Honestly, it gets much more difficult after you graduate and have a “real job.” Those first few years, you may not even have the vacation time available to you. That’s assuming you make enough to afford the flights, the hotels, the food, the entertainment, etc. And of course, many young people start having kids at some point. Setting aside the joys or trials of parenting, it certainly makes backpacking across Europe trickier than it would have been at 22.

But that doesn’t mean it’s worth another decade of poor credit or debt you can’t manage. It might be a great idea, even if it requires some creative budgeting and extra hours to pay for everything. Then again, it might not. If you’re considering a personal loan for travel or any other reason, whether you’re a student or not, start by understanding some general personal loan statistics to help you make a more informed decision about what makes the most sense for you.

Is Student Loan Debt a Good Idea?

There’s no single right or wrong answer to this which applies to everyone.

Like buying a home, financing an automobile, or starting a small business, student loans are a risk. But they’re a risk taken in order to improve your future – at least that’s usually the idea. No one I know of has gone to school specifically in hopes of making their lives worse.

When you consider buying a home, you look at the various factors that go into the purchase. You learn more about mortgages and interest rates and you speak to several different financial institutions in order to fully understand your options. You look at mortgage statistics and you listen to advice, but in the end, you try to do what makes the most sense for you and yours. Which is exactly what you should be doing.

The same thing is true when you consider starting a small business. You examine different legal structures for the business, and the tax obligations, and – of course – whether or not you can reasonably make a living doing whatever it is you’d like to do. You look at the startup stats and the failure rates and which businesses are most likely to succeed and which ones don’t, but most of us aren’t entrepreneurs based solely on the statistics. You pursue something because it’s a passion, or a skill, or a belief – rarely because you picked it off a list of “most likely successes.”  

And yeah, it might not work. But then again, it might.

Even buying an automobile carries some risk. Is it better to go with a nicer, newer vehicle that has everything you want, or compromise on a more practical or older car or truck? Should you finance through the dealer, try your local credit union, or explore online lenders? Will you be happier in a month, or a year, based on Choice A, B, or C?

Conclusion

The fact that we’re having so much trouble paying off our student loans suggests perhaps the degrees or certificates earned through that education aren’t panning out to the extent most of us no doubt hoped. There are also discussions to be had about whether or not we pressure too many kids to go to four-year colleges when that’s not the best answer for everyone, or about rising costs due to the competitive nature of recruitment, or any number of other factors best left to those more qualified to discuss them.

Pay attention to the statistics, absolutely. It matters what college costs, and it matters what various professions pay. But it also matters what you care about and what you’re willing and able to do with your life. It even matters if you desperately want an art history degree just because you love art. Dive in with your eyes open and with all options on the table, but once you’ve decided, do go ahead and dive.

If we can be of any assistance along the way, let us know.