How the states stacked up in total college student debt

	Percentage of Grads w/ Debt and Avg Debt of those with Loans, by State
	Class of 2010				Institutions (BA-granting)		Graduates
State	Average Debt	Rank	% with debt	Rank	Total	Usable	% Represented in Usable Data
Alabama	$ 24,821	14	56%	29	33	16	68%
Alaska	$ 22,717	27	50%	40	4	4	100%
Arizona	$ 18,454	45	47%	45	11	6	99%
Arkansas	$ 21,408	35	57%	27	23	10	59%
California	$ 18,113	46	48%	43	127	73	85%
Colorado	$ 22,017	32	55%	33	22	16	86%
Connecticut	$ 25,360	13	61%	21	23	14	88%
Delaware	$ 21,500	34	50%	40	6	3	72%
District of Columbia	$ 24,191	17	54%	36	9	7	90%
Florida	$ 21,184	37	49%	42	75	29	85%
Georgia	$ 18,888	44	55%	33	53	30	85%
Hawaii	$ 15,550	49	38%	50	7	2	64%
Idaho	$ 24,178	18	66%	11	9	3	43%
Illinois	$ 23,885	20	62%	18	76	43	75%
Indiana	$ 27,001	8	62%	18	50	35	91%
Iowa	$ 29,598	3	72%	4	35	24	93%
Kansas	$ 22,280	29	57%	27	29	11	68%
Kentucky	$ 19,375	43	58%	25	32	23	96%
Louisiana	$ 24,548	16	48%	43	26	11	64%
Maine	$ 29,983	2	68%	7	19	10	74%
Maryland	$ 21,750	33	54%	36	34	17	67%
Massachusetts	$ 25,541	12	63%	16	81	48	75%
Michigan	$ 25,675	11	60%	23	58	32	87%
Minnesota	$ 29,058	4	71%	5	38	27	81%
Mississippi	$ 22,142	30	52%	39	17	6	70%
Missouri	$ 22,601	28	65%	14	54	22	70%
Montana	$ 22,768	26	65%	14	10	7	93%
Nebraska	$ 21,227	36	62%	18	24	11	58%
Nevada	$ 16,622	47	39%	49	8	3	94%
New Hampshire	$ 31,048	1	74%	2	16	9	76%
New Jersey	$ 23,792	21	66%	11	37	19	73%
New Mexico	$ 16,399	48	56%	29	10	4	40%
New York	$ 26,271	10	61%	21	176	84	71%
North Carolina	$ 20,959	38	53%	38	59	33	70%
North Dakota	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	13	7	65%
Ohio	$ 27,713	7	68%	7	80	44	85%
Oklahoma	$ 20,708	40	56%	29	28	14	76%
Oregon	$ 23,967	19	63%	16	29	17	72%
Pennsylvania	$ 28,599	5	70%	6	126	77	79%
Rhode Island	$ 26,340	9	67%	9	10	6	71%
South Carolina	$ 23,623	23	55%	33	35	17	77%
South Dakota	$ 23,171	25	75%	1	13	7	76%
Tennessee	$ 19,957	42	46%	46	48	29	88%
Texas	$ 20,919	39	56%	29	90	47	73%
Utah	$ 15,509	50	44%	47	9	8	91%
Vermont	$ 28,391	6	66%	11	18	11	77%
Virginia	$ 23,327	24	58%	25	44	36	96%
Washington	$ 22,101	31	59%	24	30	16	53%
West Virginia	$ 23,678	22	73%	3	21	14	47%
Wisconsin	$ 24,627	15	67%	9	37	24	77%
Wyoming	$ 20,571	41	42%	48	1	1	100%

The Institute for College Access & Success

About the blogger

Alex Friedrich

afriedrich@mpr.org

Alex Friedrich reports on higher education issues for MPR News. Among the stories he has covered: the fall of the Berlin Wall, aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, 2003 Moscow suicide bombing and 2004 presidential elections in the Republic of Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s in European political economy from the London School of Economics.