Student Loan Debt on the Rise

This past year has reached a record level of student debt, according to a recent article from CNN. The news outlet acquired its information from the Institute for College Access & Success' Project on Student Debt, which reports that the average debt from student loans has risen to over $25,000 for the first time. This is attributed to the skyrocketing cost of tuition and the terrible economy forcing students to find more financial assistance. To add to the dilemma, 2010 college graduates had an unemployment rate of 9.1% - higher than the national average and the highest number on record.

The Institute for College Access & Success' Project on Student Debt is particularly interested in finding this result, as it shows the difficulty of getting a post-secondary education. Methodology was not included in the article, other than comparing the unemployment of college graduates to the unemployment of those without a college degree (20.4%). The results are well articulated, but a lack of graphs and visual aids makes the message a bit harder to understand. If the article had some type of visual aid, it would be easier for readers to access the information it is trying to portray.

Source:

Ellis, Blake. “Average student loan debt tops $25,000.” CNN Money. November 3 2011. <http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/03/pf/student_loan_debt/index.htm>