Student borrowing is down as tuition rises more slowly, study finds
The report by the Institute for College Access & Success shows that 55% of students who graduated from California colleges had some debt and that it averaged $20,340, far below the national average of 69% of students who graduated with an average debt of $28,400. Only New Mexico produced a lower total loan average for its graduates. (The Institute and the College Board use different methodologies and factors in their surveys.) Strong financial aid in California, especially the Cal Grants, helped, as did the dominance of California public colleges and universities in enrolling more students than higher-priced private schools, according to Debbie Cochrane, the Institute’s research director. A proposal to increase UC tuition could affect future debt, she said.
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by Larry Gordon, The Los Angeles Times.