Examining the Relationship Between Student Debt and Completion Rates at Four-Year Institutions in Illinois

• In Event: 46.035 - Persistence, Debt, and Degrees: Barriers and Supports to Degree Attainment

Abstract

A prominent challenge to addressing declining attainment rates in the United States is the rise of tuition costs. Accompanying increases in college costs are excessive amounts of debt accrued by undergraduate students. The total amount of student debt in the United States has tripled over the last twenty years, from $304 billion to over $900 billion. As postsecondary attainment becomes more expensive, it is important to consider the impact of student loan debt on persistence to degree. To address this question, we focus on data from four-year colleges and universities in Illinois, a state that is among leaders in percentage of college graduates with debt and total debt amount. Findings based on institutional sector and selectivity rankings are presented.

Authors

• Lorenzo DuBois Baber, Iowa State University

• Janet K. Holt, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville