In 2004, two-thirds of all four-year college graduates were in debt at the time of graduation, according to a report issued by the State Public Interest Research Group in April 2006. In 1993, one-third graduated with debt.

Not only are students graduating with more student loan debt; many have more debt than they can manage in their chosen career. PIRG studied the effects of student debt on low-paying public service careers and found 23 percent of public college graduates and 38 percent of private college graduates had more debt at graduation than they could manageably repay as starting teachers. [read more]