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MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

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Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Personal Financestudent loans and debt

The average student loan debt across the US: Here are the top 10 states where borrowers will benefit most from Biden’s loan forgiveness

Alicia Adamczyk
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Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
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Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
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August 24, 2022, 12:52 PM ET
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President Joe Biden announced today that his administration will forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for federal borrowers. That debt relief will go a lot further in some states than in others.

Total federal student loan debt in the U.S. stands at around $1.6 trillion, according to the most recent data provided by the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office. Borrowers average $37,667, though that figure varies by location, degree type, and other factors.

Californians, for example, owed the most collectively in student loan debt at the end of March 2022, at $146 billion—given the state’s population size, that’s not surprising—but averaging $37,366 per borrower, slightly below the national average.

Borrowers in Wyoming, meanwhile, owed the least collectively, at $1.7 billion, or $31,365 each, on average.

Washington, D.C., owed the most per borrower, averaging over $55,500. Meanwhile, borrowers in Maryland and Georgia also owed significantly more than the national average, at $43,619 and $42,200, respectively, per borrower. North Dakota had the lowest average balance, at $29,885.

Here’s a look at the 10 states with the highest average student loan debt per borrower across the U.S. 

1. Maryland

Average debt per borrower: $43,619
Total outstanding debt: $36.3 billion

2. Georgia

Average debt per borrower: $42,200
Total outstanding debt: $69.3 billion

3. Virginia

Average debt per borrower: $39,892
Total outstanding debt: $43 billion

4. South Carolina

Average debt per borrower: $38,915
Total outstanding debt: $28.4 billion

5. Florida

Average debt per borrower: $38,889
Total outstanding debt: $102.1 billion

6. Illinois

Average debt per borrower: $38,526
Total outstanding debt: $62.3 billion

7. New York

Average debt per borrower: $38,400
Total outstanding debt: $93.9 billion

8. Delaware

Average debt per borrower: $38,371
Total outstanding debt: $4.9 billion

9. North Carolina

Average debt per borrower: $38,287
Total outstanding debt: $49.8 billion

10. Alabama

Average debt per borrower: $37,831
Total outstanding debt: $23.8 billion

How will student loan forgiveness affect you and your finances? Please email reporter Alicia Adamczyk to be featured in a future article.

About the Author
Alicia Adamczyk
By Alicia AdamczykSenior Writer
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Alicia Adamczyk is a former New York City-based senior writer at Fortune, covering personal finance, investing, and retirement.

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