Despite the tuition hikes and budget cuts that Cal State Long Beach students have seen in recent years, student debt in California has still been ranked amongst the lowest in the nation, according to a recent study.
The Institute of College Access and Success, a non-profit organization supporting affordable education, studied data voluntarily reported by public and private colleges regarding students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2011.
In the study, California ranked third lowest in student debt at an average of $18,879 per student with only 51 percent of students in debt. California closely followed Utah and Hawaii, which averaged $17,227 per student with 45 percent of students in debt and $17,447 per student with 38 percent of students in debt, respectively.
In August President F. King Alexander said nationally, public university students graduated with an average of $21,740 in debt, while CSULB students graduated with $14,822 in debt.
Various factors contribute to the debt levels, including endowment resources, institutional financial aid and cost of living in the area, according to the report Student Debt and the Class of 2011.
David Dowell, CSULB’s vice provost and director of strategic planning, said CSULB has a lower amount of student debt, and despite tuition increases California college attendance costs are still low compared to those of other states.
“The State University Grant, funded by the [Cal State University] system, [also] provides unusually generous financial aid compared to most states,” Dowell said. “The federal government in recent years has increased funding for financial aid as well.”
Armando Morales, a junior international business major, said he received big help in scholarship endowments during his first semester at CSULB.
“When I transferred here, I brought along two environmental science scholarships with me, which really helped me adjust financially,” Morales said. “Now, I work and live at home, which also helps me cut my expenses. I only get the things I need so I don’t wind up owing anyone.”
Dowell said that budget cuts threaten the favorable college cost situation in California.
“Budget cuts force increases in tuition,” Dowell said. “However, tuition increases have only replaced about one half of the budget cuts so far, so colleges are hurting for resources.”
Senior engineering major Jonathan Ramirez said the ranking does not resonate with him.
“I am already in debt myself,” Ramirez said. “Tuition keeps going up, and I don’t know if students are going to get the same kind of help. It’s going to get harder to qualify, and in turn, we’re going to end up taking on more loans.”
