The average federal student loan borrower owes $38,400 across the 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, but that number moves by $26,000 depending on where you live. Our analysis of the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid portfolio data ranks every state, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, by average balance, borrower count, the share of borrowers owing six figures and the share in default. Our student loan debt statistics page tracks the national totals over time.
Use the interactive state map to find your state, then compare it with the rest of the country. Each state links to its student loan repayment assistance programs, which matter far more to your payment than your state’s average.
Average Student Loan Debt By State: Key Points
The three numbers that matter most, from Federal Student Aid data as of March 31, 2026.
$38,400
Average Balance
50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico
$56,200
Highest: D.C.
Maryland leads states at $45,600
$30,200
Lowest: North Dakota
South Dakota is next at $31,900
21.2%
Borrowers In Default
9.0 million borrowers
What Is The Average Student Loan Debt In Your State?
Tap or hover any state. Switch views to compare borrowers, six-figure balances and defaults.
Average federal student loan debt ranges from $30,200 in North Dakota to $56,200 in Washington, D.C., with most states between $34,000 and $41,000. The darkest states on the map carry the largest balances, led by D.C., Maryland, Georgia, Virginia and Florida. Select any state to see its full numbers, plus links to its state student loan repayment assistance programs and, where one exists, its state financial aid page. Darker, redder states carry heavier debt loads, and lighter states are better off.
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Federal student loans by borrower’s current address. Source: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, data as of March 31, 2026. The College Investor.
What Is The Average Student Loan Debt In The U.S. In 2026?
$38,400 per borrower across the 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, but half of borrowers owe less than $20,000.
The average federal student loan balance is $38,400 per borrower across the 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, based on Federal Student Aid data as of March 31, 2026. That’s higher than what most graduates leave school with, as our average student loan debt by graduating class data shows.
Balances keep growing after school because of graduate degrees, Parent PLUS loans and years of interest. In total, these 42.7 million borrowers owe $1.64 trillion, and our student loan debt statistics page tracks how that total has changed over time.
Federal Student Aid’s full portfolio is larger, at $1.72 trillion owed by 42.6 million recipients. The difference is about 1.95 million borrowers, owing $52.2 billion, who have no state on file and are left out of every average on this page. Our latest FSA portfolio coverage has the newer national totals.
Most of those borrowers hold older FFEL and Perkins loans that the Education Department doesn’t hold, and the lenders and schools that do were never required to report a borrower’s address. Private student loans aren’t in any of these numbers, and our best student loan refinance lenders roundup covers that side of the market.
Most Borrowers Owe Less Than The Average
Just over half of borrowers (51.5%) owe less than $20,000. A much smaller group with six-figure balances pulls the average up, which is why the average monthly student loan payment looks manageable for most households and crushing for a few.
| Balance | Borrowers | Share Of Borrowers | Share Of Dollars | Share Of Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less Than $5,000 | 6,291,000 | 14.7% | 1.1% | |
| $5,000 To $10,000 | 6,905,300 | 16.2% | 3.1% | |
| $10,000 To $20,000 | 8,789,400 | 20.6% | 7.8% | |
| $20,000 To $40,000 | 9,181,900 | 21.5% | 15.9% | |
| $40,000 To $60,000 | 4,048,700 | 9.5% | 12.1% | |
| $60,000 To $80,000 | 2,492,700 | 5.8% | 10.5% | |
| $80,000 To $100,000 | 1,382,600 | 3.2% | 7.5% | |
| $100,000 To $200,000 | 2,482,400 | 5.8% | 20.9% | |
| $200,000 Or More | 1,139,500 | 2.7% | 21.1% |
Balances include principal and interest. Bars compare share of dollars. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
2.7% of borrowers, 21.1% of the debt: The 1.1 million borrowers who owe $200,000 or more hold $346.6 billion.
Nearly double the small balances: All 22.0 million borrowers who owe under $20,000 hold $194.9 billion combined.
Which States Have The Highest Average Student Loan Debt?
D.C. at $56,200, then Maryland, Georgia, Virginia and Florida.
Washington, D.C. has the highest average federal student loan balance at $56,200. Maryland has the highest of any state at $45,600, and our student loan repayment assistance programs by state list shows which of these places help borrowers pay it down.
| State | Average Balance | Borrowers | Owe $100K+ | Compared To D.C. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. District Of Columbia | $56,200 | 114,500 | 16.5% | |
| 2. Maryland | $45,600 | 842,400 | 12.0% | |
| 3. Georgia | $43,800 | 1,702,800 | 10.6% | |
| 4. Virginia | $41,900 | 1,085,400 | 9.8% | |
| 5. Florida | $41,100 | 2,747,800 | 9.4% | |
| 6. Illinois | $40,800 | 1,601,600 | 9.6% | |
| 7. Delaware | $40,700 | 137,800 | 9.9% | |
| 8. New York | $40,600 | 2,456,600 | 9.5% | |
| 9. North Carolina | $40,500 | 1,379,500 | 9.2% | |
| 10. Hawaii | $40,200 | 120,900 | 9.5% |
Federal student loans, March 31, 2026. Bars compare average balance with D.C. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
D.C. sits $10,600 above Maryland and $17,800 above the overall average. D.C., Maryland, Georgia and Virginia also rank in the top five for borrowers owing $100,000 or more, which points to graduate and professional school debt. Borrowers with balances that large should compare the best student loan repayment plans before picking one.
Six-figure balances almost always involve graduate school or Parent PLUS loans. Federal aggregate limits for undergraduates cap dependent students at $31,000 and independent students at $57,500, so undergraduate borrowing alone rarely reaches $100,000.
For high-balance borrowers in D.C. and Maryland who work in government or at a nonprofit, Public Service Loan Forgiveness can be worth more than any refinance offer.
Which States Have The Lowest Average Student Loan Debt?
North Dakota at $30,200, then South Dakota, Iowa, Wyoming and Oklahoma.
North Dakota has the lowest average federal student loan balance at $30,200. Plains and Mountain states fill most of the bottom 10, and families planning ahead can compare those balances with the average cost of college at in-state public schools today.
| State | Average Balance | Borrowers | Owe $100K+ | Compared To D.C. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52. North Dakota | $30,200 | 88,400 | 4.9% | |
| 51. South Dakota | $31,900 | 116,700 | 5.7% | |
| 50. Iowa | $32,000 | 423,500 | 5.7% | |
| 49. Wyoming | $32,400 | 54,700 | 6.4% | |
| 48. Oklahoma | $33,500 | 510,900 | 6.6% | |
| 47. Nebraska | $33,700 | 243,600 | 6.8% | |
| 46. Wisconsin | $33,800 | 709,100 | 6.4% | |
| 45. West Virginia | $33,800 | 228,400 | 6.5% | |
| 44. Rhode Island | $34,400 | 149,700 | 6.9% | |
| 43. Kansas | $34,500 | 379,200 | 6.8% |
Federal student loans, March 31, 2026. Bars compare average balance with D.C. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
These states also have more small balances. In Wyoming, 36.9% of borrowers owe less than $10,000, compared with 24.9% in D.C. Puerto Rico has the highest share of all at 41.4%, and our Puerto Rico student loan repayment assistance programs page covers local help.
A low average doesn’t mean low risk. Oklahoma ranks 48th of 52 for average balance but ninth for the share of borrowers in default, and our breakdown of how long it really takes to repay student loans shows how much the loan type changes the outcome.
Which States Have The Most Student Loan Borrowers?
Texas edged past California, with Florida, New York and Pennsylvania next.
Texas has the most federal student loan borrowers, with 3,949,900 as of March 31, 2026. California is a close second, and our Texas student loan repayment assistance programs page covers what the state offers.
| State | Borrowers | Average Balance | Compared To Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Texas | 3,949,900 | $35,000 | |
| 2. California | 3,919,500 | $40,000 | |
| 3. Florida | 2,747,800 | $41,100 | |
| 4. New York | 2,456,600 | $40,600 | |
| 5. Pennsylvania | 1,853,900 | $37,500 |
Federal student loans, March 31, 2026. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
The version of this page we published in December 2025 had California ahead by about 23,600 borrowers. Texas borrowers also owe less on average ($35,000) than California borrowers ($40,000). California borrowers can check the California student loan repayment assistance programs for state help.
Wyoming has the fewest borrowers at 54,700. Borrower counts follow where people live now, not where they went to school, so if you moved after graduating, our complete list of federal student loan servicers has current contact details.
How Many Borrowers Owe More Than $100,000 In Each State?
16.5% in D.C., 4.9% in North Dakota, 8.5% overall.
In Washington, D.C., 16.5% of federal student loan borrowers owe $100,000 or more. That’s more than three times North Dakota’s 4.9%, and borrowers in this group gain the most from the plan our Repayment Assistance Plan explainer walks through.
Maryland (12.0%), Georgia (10.6%), Delaware (9.9%) and Virginia (9.8%) round out the top five. Our RAP vs. IBR comparison shows which plan keeps a big balance from growing.
Which States Have The Highest Student Loan Default Rates?
Puerto Rico at 30.9% and Mississippi at 28.3%, with Wisconsin lowest at 15.2%.
Puerto Rico has the highest share of borrowers in default at 30.9%, and Mississippi leads the states at 28.3%. Wisconsin has the lowest share at 15.2%, and our steps for getting out of student loan default cover what to do if you’re in that group.
| State | In Default | Average Balance | Compared To Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Puerto Rico | 30.9% | $34,700 | |
| 2. Mississippi | 28.3% | $38,900 | |
| 3. Louisiana | 26.9% | $36,200 | |
| 4. New Mexico | 26.5% | $35,600 | |
| 5. Alabama | 25.5% | $39,200 | |
| 6. Arizona | 25.3% | $37,100 | |
| 50. Massachusetts | 15.4% | $37,000 | |
| 51. Utah | 15.3% | $35,300 | |
| 52. Wisconsin | 15.2% | $33,800 |
Share of borrowers with a defaulted Direct or Department-held FFEL loan, March 2026. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
Across the 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, 9.0 million borrowers were in default in March 2026. The national count has since reached 9.3 million borrowers in default in the June 30 data.
$24,300 average defaulted balance: About $14,100 less than the $38,400 average for all borrowers.
7.1 points above average: Mississippi’s average balance ($38,900) is near the national figure, but its default share is far higher.
Default exposes borrowers to tax refund and Social Security offsets and wage garnishment whenever involuntary collections are active. The Education Department and Treasury opened an online portal for borrowers in default on September 30, 2026.
Loan rehabilitation remains the main route back to good standing, and it removes the default notation from your credit report once you finish.
Average Student Loan Debt For All 50 States, D.C. And Puerto Rico
Ranked by average federal student loan balance. Each state links to its repayment assistance programs.
This table ranks every state, D.C. and Puerto Rico by average federal student loan balance as of March 31, 2026. “Owe $100K+” is the share of borrowers with $100,000 or more in federal loans, and “In Default” is the share with a defaulted Direct or Department-held FFEL loan. Each state name links to its state student loan repayment assistance programs page.
| State | Average Balance | Borrowers | Owe $100K+ | In Default | Average Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. District Of Columbia | $56,200 | 114,500 | 16.5% | 24.4% | |
| 2. Maryland | $45,600 | 842,400 | 12.0% | 21.3% | |
| 3. Georgia | $43,800 | 1,702,800 | 10.6% | 23.3% | |
| 4. Virginia | $41,900 | 1,085,400 | 9.8% | 17.6% | |
| 5. Florida | $41,100 | 2,747,800 | 9.4% | 21.4% | |
| 6. Illinois | $40,800 | 1,601,600 | 9.6% | 18.4% | |
| 7. Delaware | $40,700 | 137,800 | 9.9% | 21.0% | |
| 8. New York | $40,600 | 2,456,600 | 9.5% | 20.1% | |
| 9. North Carolina | $40,500 | 1,379,500 | 9.2% | 21.5% | |
| 10. Hawaii | $40,200 | 120,900 | 9.5% | 19.8% | |
| 11. South Carolina | $40,100 | 782,300 | 8.9% | 23.3% | |
| 12. California | $40,000 | 3,919,500 | 9.5% | 18.6% | |
| 13. Oregon | $39,500 | 526,500 | 8.5% | 21.1% | |
| 14. Vermont | $39,400 | 74,800 | 8.8% | 16.0% | |
| 15. Alabama | $39,200 | 664,000 | 8.9% | 25.5% | |
| 16. New Jersey | $39,200 | 1,235,400 | 8.9% | 18.0% | |
| 17. Colorado | $38,900 | 764,600 | 8.6% | 18.8% | |
| 18. Mississippi | $38,900 | 456,300 | 9.2% | 28.3% | |
| 19. Michigan | $38,600 | 1,377,400 | 8.3% | 22.4% | |
| 20. Tennessee | $38,600 | 894,800 | 8.5% | 21.9% | |
| 21. Connecticut | $38,400 | 515,400 | 8.5% | 17.7% | |
| 22. Washington | $38,200 | 776,300 | 8.6% | 16.8% | |
| 23. Pennsylvania | $37,500 | 1,853,900 | 8.0% | 19.9% | |
| 24. Alaska | $37,100 | 64,500 | 7.9% | 23.3% | |
| 25. Arizona | $37,100 | 916,200 | 8.0% | 25.3% | |
| 26. Massachusetts | $37,000 | 900,500 | 8.0% | 15.4% | |
| 27. Missouri | $37,000 | 826,400 | 7.7% | 21.1% | |
| 28. New Hampshire | $36,600 | 187,600 | 7.7% | 15.5% | |
| 29. Ohio | $36,300 | 1,770,800 | 7.2% | 24.2% | |
| 30. Louisiana | $36,200 | 693,900 | 7.7% | 26.9% | |
| 31. Nevada | $36,000 | 368,000 | 7.7% | 25.3% | |
| 32. Maine | $35,700 | 186,600 | 7.1% | 18.8% | |
| 33. Minnesota | $35,600 | 772,700 | 6.8% | 16.2% | |
| 34. Montana | $35,600 | 126,300 | 7.2% | 19.8% | |
| 35. New Mexico | $35,600 | 226,000 | 7.7% | 26.5% | |
| 36. Arkansas | $35,400 | 408,400 | 7.3% | 21.1% | |
| 37. Utah | $35,300 | 313,400 | 7.0% | 15.3% | |
| 38. Kentucky | $35,100 | 615,600 | 7.0% | 19.7% | |
| 39. Texas | $35,000 | 3,949,900 | 7.3% | 22.2% | |
| 40. Idaho | $34,800 | 216,500 | 6.7% | 19.9% | |
| 41. Puerto Rico | $34,700 | 337,000 | 8.5% | 30.9% | |
| 42. Indiana | $34,500 | 898,500 | 6.6% | 23.6% | |
| 43. Kansas | $34,500 | 379,200 | 6.8% | 22.1% | |
| 44. Rhode Island | $34,400 | 149,700 | 6.9% | 18.7% | |
| 45. West Virginia | $33,800 | 228,400 | 6.5% | 25.0% | |
| 46. Wisconsin | $33,800 | 709,100 | 6.4% | 15.2% | |
| 47. Nebraska | $33,700 | 243,600 | 6.8% | 17.7% | |
| 48. Oklahoma | $33,500 | 510,900 | 6.6% | 24.7% | |
| 49. Wyoming | $32,400 | 54,700 | 6.4% | 21.9% | |
| 50. Iowa | $32,000 | 423,500 | 5.7% | 20.8% | |
| 51. South Dakota | $31,900 | 116,700 | 5.7% | 17.1% | |
| 52. North Dakota | $30,200 | 88,400 | 4.9% | 18.1% | |
| All 50 States, D.C. And Puerto Rico | $38,400 | 42,713,500 | 8.5% | 21.2% |
Federal student loans, March 31, 2026. Bars compare average balance with D.C. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
Does Your State’s Average Debt Change Your Monthly Payment?
Your own balance and income set your payment, not your state’s average.
On a 10-year standard schedule at 6% interest, the average D.C. balance costs about $624 a month and the average North Dakota balance costs about $335. Under the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), payments run from 1% to 10% of adjusted gross income, so a single borrower with a $55,000 AGI pays about $229 a month in either place.
| Borrower Lives In | Average Balance | 10-Year Standard At 6% | RAP, Single, $55K AGI |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Of Columbia | $56,200 | $624/mo | $229/mo |
| All 50 States, D.C. And Puerto Rico | $38,400 | $426/mo | $229/mo |
| North Dakota | $30,200 | $335/mo | $229/mo |
Standard payment assumes 6% interest over 10 years. RAP payment is 5% of AGI divided by 12. Source: Federal Student Aid. The College Investor.
RAP waives unpaid interest and adds up to a $50 principal match on each on-time payment, which keeps a large balance from growing when the payment doesn’t cover interest. Borrowers who took out loans before July 1, 2026 can still compare RAP with IBR, and our RAP vs. IBR comparison walks through who comes out ahead.
Three Steps To Benchmark Your Own Debt
How We Calculated These Numbers
Federal Student Aid’s state-level portfolio files, data as of March 31, 2026.
We used three Federal Student Aid Data Center reports: Portfolio by Borrower Location, Portfolio by Location and Debt Size, and Defaulted Portfolio by Location. Average balance equals total outstanding principal and interest divided by borrowers, summed across the debt-size report’s nine balance ranges for more precision, then rounded to the nearest $100. Our student loan debt statistics page explains how this federal data differs from Federal Reserve totals.
Loans included: Direct Loans, FFEL and Perkins Loans in open status. Private student loans are not included.
Default share: Defaulted Direct Loan and Department-held FFEL borrowers divided by all borrowers in the state, so it slightly understates default on commercially held FFEL loans.
Average Student Loan Debt By State FAQs
Which State Has The Highest Average Student Loan Debt In 2026?
Washington, D.C. has the highest average federal student loan balance at $56,200. Among the 50 states, Maryland leads at $45,600, followed by Georgia at $43,800. D.C. borrowers can check the District of Columbia student loan repayment assistance programs for local help.
Which State Has The Lowest Average Student Loan Debt In 2026?
North Dakota has the lowest average federal student loan balance at $30,200. South Dakota ($31,900) and Iowa ($32,000) are next. North Dakota borrowers can also look at the North Dakota student loan repayment assistance programs for employer and state help.
Does This Data Include Private Student Loans?
No. These averages cover federal student loans only: Direct Loans, FFEL and Perkins. Private student loans add about $176 billion nationally, according to our student loan debt statistics, and are not reported by state in federal data.
Is My State’s Average A Good Benchmark For My Own Debt?
Only loosely. Just over half of federal borrowers owe less than $20,000, and a small group with six-figure balances pulls every state’s average up. Compare your balance against the average monthly student loan payment too.
How Often Is Student Loan Data By State Updated?
Federal Student Aid publishes portfolio-by-location data quarterly, and the state files can lag the national summary by a quarter. Our average student loan debt by year page tracks how balances change by graduating class.
