A study of America's college student debt has revealed what many already suspected: students are getting into higher levels of debt and have worse job prospects.
From the report from nonprofit Project on Student Debt:
"College seniors who graduated with student loans in 2010 owed an average of $25,250, up five percent from the previous year, according to a new report from the Project on Student Debt at the Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). The Class of 2010 also faced the highest unemployment levels for new college graduates in recent history: 9.1 percent (still less than half the unemployment rate for young adults with only a high school diploma)."
In a state by state analysis, Iowa's debt was measured higher than the national average, at $29,598. You can see the whole new interactive map of the nation's student debt here.
The report, written last fall, is attached to this post.
Regents Universities Data:
Iowa State University Average debt of graduates 2010 $ 30,062 Proportion of graduates w/debt 2010 69% Nonfederal debt, % of total debt of graduates 2010 32% Full-time enrollment fall 2009 21,394 2009-10 In-state tuition and fees $ 6,651 2009-10 Total cost of attendance $ 18,366 2009-10 % Pell Grant recipients 22%University of Iowa Average debt of graduates 2010 $ 27,391 Proportion of graduates w/debt 2010 54% Nonfederal debt, % of total debt of graduates 2010 28% Full-time enrollment fall 2009 18,476 2009-10 In-state tuition and fees $ 6,824 2009-10 Total cost of attendance $ 19,438 2009-10 % Pell Grant recipients 17%
University of Northern Iowa Average debt of graduates 2010 $ 25,735 Proportion of graduates w/debt 2010 76% Nonfederal debt, % of total debt of graduates 2010 21% Full-time enrollment fall 2009 10,227 2009-10 In-state tuition and fees $ 6,636 2009-10 Total cost of attendance $ 18,077 2009-10 % Pell Grant recipients 24%
