Pennsylvania student debt is among the highest in the country. The following article discusses three PA colleges, both private and public universities. While PA is working on creating more funding for students PA, as well as the nation as a whole, is experiencing increasing levels of student debt.
Link to article: http://lancasteronline.com/pa-student-debt-burdens-are-among-us-highest-but-millersville/article_5fb253a2-7dbb-11e5-b681-bf23750289b9.html
Key take aways:
- Pennsylvania is ranked third in the country of highest debt
- Nationwide, average debt is increasing twice as fast as inflation
- PA's class of 2014 owes of $33,264
- Elizabethtown College graduates owe on average $30,355
- F&M grads owe $27,474
- Millersville grads owe $27,565
- PA is working on boosting funding for students to help lower the overwhelming debt they have post graduation
It surprises me that local private colleges have a lower debt than the overall PA debt since private schools are more expensive. I also wonder why the PA debt is so high compared to the rest of the nation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you comment, I agree it is weird that local private colleges have lower debt. I know that private colleges give out a large amount of scholarships so that might be playing a role.
DeleteAs tuition increases from year to year it seems like it may become harder and harder to find funding to compensate these increases. I think schools should make students more aware of why they are increasing fees each year - are the students benefiting by having smaller class sizes or better resources in the classroom? It also it a bit surprising that PA is ranked 3rd highest in the nation - maybe because there are a larger number of colleges/universities in the state?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Kate, I also thought it was surprising that PA had the 3rd highest debt. I just did some quick research and found that PA has the 3rd highest number of colleges in universities so that makes sense. I also think it is a good idea that colleges inform students why costs are increasing and where these extra costs are going.
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