Student loans may make paying for college a bit easier while in school. However, have you thought about how paying for it will be after graduation?

About 62 percent of ISU students are graduating with loan debt and the average amount is $28,880. 

If a student were to agree to a standard repayment plan of 10 years, that would translate to $240 for 120 months. And that’s not counting interest. 

Here’s a look at student debt trends of the last 10 academic years: 

2005-06

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 69

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $32,000

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $4,890 / $5,708

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $14,980 / $15,720

2006-07

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 70.4

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $31,501

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $5,086 / $5,936

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $15,580 / $16,350

2007-08

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 71.1

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $31,616

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $5,352 / $6,246

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $16,110 / $16,906

2008-09

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 71.2

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $30,411

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $5,524 / $6,446

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $16,514 / $17,330

2009-10

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 68.8

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $30,062

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $5,756 / $6,716

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $16,976 / $17,816

2010-11

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 68.5

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $29,455

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $6,102 / $7,120

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $17,668 / $18,548

2011-12

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 65.4

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $30,374

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $6,408 / $7,476

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $18,280 / $19,192

2012-13

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 61

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $29,808

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $6,648 / $7,756

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $18,760 / $19,695

2013-14

Percentage of students who graduated with debt: 62

Average indebtedness of ISU grad with debt: $28,880 

Resident undergrad/ grad tuition: $6,648 / $7,848

Nonresident undergrad/ grad tuition: $19,200 / $20,158

The Board of Regents voted to freeze resident undergraduate tuition for the third time in a row, a historic decision in Iowa, but the legislature must determine the budget.

To read about how a few ISU alumni are dealing with their debt, click here