This issue brief, commissioned by NASFAA and authored by the HEA Group, explores the extent to which college completion impacts student loan repayment. Specifically, author Michael Itzkowitz looks at the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data four years after students enter repayment to see if there are differences between those who completed college and those who did not.
In just over a four-year period, the author observed outstanding loan balances exceeding the amounts initially borrowed for those who entered but never completed college. They found:
The author also found significant differences based on the sector students attended.
Read the full issue brief and examine the author's data analysis, which is offered as an Excel workbook for those that wish to conduct their own analysis.
This report was commissioned by NASFAA and authored by Michael Itzkowitz of the HEA Group. The data analysis in this report was completed by the HEA Group.
Publication Date: 1/31/2024