Student loans have become an increasingly important way for students and their families to pay for college. But for students at HBCUs student loan debt is a substantial burden. Students who attend these institutions—many of whom are low-income and first generation—must borrow at higher
rates and, consequently, graduate with substantially higher debt than their peers at non-HBCUs.

This report examines the rates, amounts and distribution of student loan debt among HBCU students relative to their non-HBCU peers and offers analysis that focuses solely on undergraduates attending four-year public and private, non-profit institutions.