CHICO – A recent report conducted by the Institute for College Access and Success found that Chico State students accrue the lowest amount of federal debt upon graduation among all public four-year colleges and universities in California.
According to the report, college students pursuing bachelor’s degrees at public and nonprofit colleges as of 2020 amass an average of $18,350 to $39,950 in student loan debt by their graduation. The report also found that the likelihood of new graduates having student loan debt ranged from 39% to 73% on average.
Jerry Ross, Chico State’s associate vice president of enrollment management, said that this news was a testament to the work the university has put in over the years to help students navigate the higher education system. “We try to make sure they’re savvy consumers when it comes to understanding what goes into student loans,” said Ross. “We help them find creative solutions with state and federal grants wherever possible and also scholarships to help them avoid taking out student loan debt whenever possible.”
Sameer Gadkaree, the institute’s president, said in the report that because of pre-existing economic and racial disparities in wealth, first-generation, Black, indigenous and people of color and students from low-income backgrounds tend to accrue the most debt from four-year colleges upon graduation.