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The Daily Insight

How much credit card debt does the average college student have?

Author

Matthew Barrera

Updated on April 01, 2026

The average college student credit card balance over 12 months increased by $277 from 2016 to 2019, from $906 to $1,183 (Sallie Mae). 6.

What is the average debt per person with student loans?

Private student loan debt grew at a much faster rate than federal debt. The average federal student loan debt is $36,510 per borrower. Private student loan debt averages $54,921 per borrower. The average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

What is the maximum amount you can get in student loans?

The maximum amount you can borrow depends on factors including whether they’re federal or private loans and your year in school. Undergraduates can borrow up to $12,500 annually and $57,500 total in federal student loans. Graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 annually and $138,500 total.

What is the maximum amount of you can use to pay student loan debt?

When it comes to borrowing for college, federal student loans should usually be your first stop. But you can only borrow so much, since the federal government has a maximum student loan amount of $31,000 for dependent undergraduate students and $138,500 for graduate students.

Can you get a credit card with student loan debt?

People with big student-loan bills may have a hard time being approved for cards because lenders may worry that their income is not high enough for them to cover their debt payments and other bills, says Beverly Harzog, a credit-card expert and author of “The Debt Escape Plan.” Payment history is the No.

How much credit card debt do college students have?

And he’s not alone — 36% of U.S. college students say they already have more than $1,000 in credit card debt. That’s according to a new report this week from EVERFI and AIG that surveyed over 30,000 college students from more than 440 institutions spread across 45 states.

Which is better a student loan or a credit card?

However, lenders are a little more lenient with student loan debt than with credit card debt when it comes to approving you for major loans like a mortgage or car loan. The Verdict: Credit cards lose this round since it’s tougher to get approved for new credit cards or loans with credit card debt.

Can a student loan be discharged with a credit card?

This level of proof isn’t usually necessary for having credit card debt discharged in bankruptcy. Some student loans are eligible for forgiveness programs that will cancel some or all of the debt. This type of debt forgiveness isn’t available with credit cards.

How much of the US student loan debt is in repayment?

About $1.05 trillion of Americans’ student loan debt is in the form of direct loans. That’s a steep increase from five years ago when the total was $508.7 billion. Currently, 52% of direct federal loan debt is in repayment.