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Charted: Student Loan Debt in America
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Key Takeaways
- There are more than 45 million student loan borrowers in the U.S. as of 2025.
- Over half (56%) of borrowers owe less than $25,000 in student debt.
- Roughly 4 million borrowers owe $75,000 or more, including 1 million with balances above $200,000.
Student loan debt is one of the defining financial issues in the United States, shaping the lives of younger generations and fueling debates about higher education policy.
This infographic uses data from the FRBNY Consumer Credit Panel to show the number of Americans with federally managed student loans by debt balance as of Q4 2024.
Breaking Down America’s Student Loan Burden
Here’s the distribution of student loan borrowers by debt balance:
| Debt Balance | Number of student loan borrowers (millions) |
|---|---|
| $1 to $5,000 | 7M |
| $5,000 to $10,000 | 7M |
| $10,000 to $25,000 | 11M |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | 9M |
| $50,000 to $75,000 | 4M |
| $75,000 to $100,000 | 2M |
| $100,000 to $150,000 | 2M |
| $150,000 to $200,000 | 1M |
| $200,000+ | 1M |
Small student loan balances are common, with about 7 million people owing less than $5,000, with another 7 million falling into the $5,000–$10,000 range. The largest single group of borrowers—11 million people—owe between $10,000 and $25,000.
Taken together, more than half of all federally managed borrowers, around 56%, have balances under $25,000. Beyond this middle tier, roughly 9 million people owe between $25,000 and $50,000, and 4 million owe between $50,000 and $75,000.
Meanwhile, higher balances are less common but still significant, with 2 million borrowers carrying $75,000–$100,000, while another 2 million owe $100,000–$150,000.
The Heavy Tail of Student Debt
At the extreme end, a million Americans owe more than $200,000 in student debt. While these borrowers make up a small fraction of the total, the high balances highlight the financial strain of graduate and professional degrees.
Overall, the number of student loan borrowers has risen steadily, from 39 million in 2016 to more than 45 million at the end of 2024. With repayment plans, forgiveness programs, and interest policy still under debate, student loans remain a complex challenge in America.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Growth of U.S. Consumer Debt on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.