April 15, 2015
The New America Foundation analysis shows a surge in average graduate-student debt between 2004 and 2012. According to the study, which was based on Department of Education data, average debt for master’s students at the 75th percentile of indebtedness increased from $54,000 to $85,000, adjusting for inflation. The study found that while many undergraduate students have "manageable" degrees of debt, those who pursue further postsecondary education are often crippled by massive piles of unpaid loans. Law students in the 50th percentile of indebtedness owe roughly $128,000 on average when they graduate, according to the report. For med students, that figure jumps to $200,000 in the 75th percentile and $250,000 for those in the 90th.