Think those numbers are bad? In these U.S. metro areas, they're even worse.
Follow along as we count down the 50 places with the highest average student loan balances, including an area where the typical graduate is buried under nearly $50,000 in college debt. Experian says it's not surprising that most of these cities are college towns.
Average student debt in the US by city
50. Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is New Jersey's capital city, it's the home of Thomas Edison State University, and Princeton University is nearby. College grads with bachelor's degrees or higher make up 12.2% of the local adult population.
In the Trenton metro area — which includes neighboring Ewing, New Jersey — the average student loan debt is $37,719.
That's up 1.9% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,998.
49. Portland, Oregon
Oregon's largest and oddest city (the bumper stickers say, "Keep Portland Weird!") has lots of institutions of higher education in its midst, including Portland State University. Nearly half (48.2%) of adults here have attained a bachelor's degree or better.
In the Portland metro area — which also encompasses neighboring Beaverton, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington — the average student loan debt is $37,818.
That's up 5.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,813.
48. Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is the home of, well, Auburn. Auburn University is a powerhouse on the football field, and it's consistently ranked one of America's top public universities for academics. About 6 in 10 adults in Auburn (58.2%) hold bachelor's degrees or higher.
In the Auburn metro area — including the next-door community of Opelika — the average student loan debt is $37,828.
That's up 1.2% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,369.
47. Raleigh, North Carolina
The North Carolina capital is considered one of America's most educated cities — which contributes to high student loan debt. Thanks to the presence of Duke University, North Carolina State and many other schools, 50% of adults here have at least a four-year degree.
In the Raleigh metro area, which includes suburban Cary, the average student loan debt is $37,854.
That's up 6.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,521.
46. Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is home to "Southern Miss," the University of Southern Mississippi (Go, Golden Eagles!), and college grads with bachelor's degrees or better make up 31.3% of the local adult population.
In the Hattiesburg metro area, the average student loan debt is $37,866.
That's up 6.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,546.
45. San Diego
San Diego has a large U.S. military presence (including a Naval base and several Marine Corps installations) and several universities, including San Diego State. Among adults who live here, 44.4% have at least a four-year degree.
In the San Diego metro area — including nearby Carlsbad and San Marcos — the average student loan debt is $37,943.
That's up 6.7% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,571.
44. Philadelphia
Philly is a major college town, the place where you find college teams that include the Owls (Temple), the Quakers (U of Penn) and the Dragons (Drexel). Grads with bachelor's degrees or higher account for 27.1% of adults in the City of Brotherly Love and its suburbs.
In metro Philadelphia — which sweeps in neighboring Camden, New Jersey, and Wilmington, Delaware — the average student loan debt is $37,954.
That's up 6.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,538.
43. Charlotte, North Carolina
The largest metro area in North Carolina is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Bank of America, Lowe's and Duke Energy. Bachelor's degrees or better are held by 42.9% of adults who live here.
In metropolitan Charlotte — including nearby Gastonia and Concord in North Carolina, along with suburbs in South Carolina — the average student loan debt is $37,961.
That's up 6.3% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,724.
42. Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is called the Horse Capital of the World, but every college basketball season it's known for Wildcats — the ones at the University of Kentucky. Among adults who live here, 41.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher.
In the Lexington metro area, including all of surrounding Fayette County, the average student loan debt is $38,039.
That's up 8.4% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,080.
41. Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is Alabama's largest city, and the local college scene includes the massive University of Alabama at Birmingham, which is one of the largest employers in the state. More than a quarter (25.7%) of the local adult population has at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Birmingham metro area — including nearby Hoover — the average student loan debt is $38,120.
That's up 5.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,109.
40. Huntsville, Alabama
Hunstsville is sometimes called the Rocket City, because it's where you find NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Rocket scientists and others with bachelor's degrees and up comprise 41.6% of the local adult population.
In the Huntsville metro area, the average student loan debt is $38,215.
That's an increase of 6.4% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,904.
39. Memphis, Tennessee
Lots of people sing the blues about student loan debt in Memphis, where 25.4% of adults are college grads with at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Memphis metro area — which covers parts of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi — the average student loan debt is $38,469.
That's up 7% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,955.
38. Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is a major center for health care, and it's home to East Carolina University, one of North Carolina's largest universities. College grads with a bachelor's degree or better make up 38.3% of the adult population here.
In Greenville and the surrounding metro area, the average student loan debt is $38,694.
That's up 6.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,302.
37. Columbus, Georgia
Columbus isn't far from Auburn University, which is over the state line in Alabama, and the U.S. Army's Fort Benning is just outside of town. Among the adults who live here, 26% have at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Columbus metro area, the average student loan debt is $38,740.
That's up 9% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,552.
36. Chicago
Chicagoloand is home to Northwestern University, DePaul, the University of Chicago — and student loan balances that might seem as imposing as the Willis Tower or the John Hancock Center.
In the Chicago metro area — which includes not only Naperville and Joliet in Illinois but also areas of Indiana and Wisconsin — the average student loan debt is $38,751.
That's up 6.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,540. Graduates with bachelor's degrees or better amount to 37.5% of the adult population in metro Chicago.
35. Athens, Georgia
Athens is known for the bands that started here (the B-52's, R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers and others) and for the University of Georgia. Apparently, many people stick around after graduation, because 41.3% of adults here have a four-year degree or more.
In metro Athens — which encompasses all of Clarke County, Georgia — the average student loan debt is $38,854.
That's up 4.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,072.
34. Miami
The student loan debt stings just like the sunburns in Miami, where 26.3% of adults hold bachelor's degrees or better from the University of Miami and other schools.
In the Miami metro area — which stretches north to include Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach — the average student debt is $39,059.
That's up a stiff 8.9% from last year, when balances were averaging $35,868.
33. Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut and the place that gave us Subway restaurants and the Frisbee. Institutions of higher learning include the University of Bridgeport, and 34.1% of adults living here hold at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Bridgeport metro area — which also covers neighboring Stamford and Norwalk — the average student loan debt is $39,064.
That's up 5.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,014.
32. Los Angeles
They hand out Oscars in LA, and a lot of diplomas, too. USC, UCLA and other major universities are located in this sprawling metropolis, where 33% of adults have four-year degrees or better.
In metro Los Angeles — including Long Beach and Santa Ana — the average student loan debt is $39,181.
That's up 6.7% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,728.
31. Ithaca, New York
Beautiful Ithaca, in New York's Finger Lakes region, is home to the Ivy League's Cornell University, as well as Ithaca College. It's a highly educated community where 64.4% of adults have bachelor's degrees or higher.
In Ithaca and its suburbs, the average student loan debt is $39,192.
That's up 7.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,372.
30. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is where you find Wake Forest University, a major research institution. Among adults in the area, 34.1% hold at least a four-year degree.
In metro Winston-Salem, the average student loan debt is $39,234.
That's up 3.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,919.
29. Baltimore
Johns Hopkins is the biggest name in education in Baltimore, where 30.4% of adults have bachelor's degrees or better. Johns Hopkins University is a research giant, and the school has ties to 27 Nobel Prize winners.
In the Baltimore metro area — including the giant suburb of Towson, Maryland — the average student loan debt is $39,478.
That's up 5.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,421.
28. Macon, Georgia
Macon is known as the Heart of Georgia, located in the geographic center of the Peach State. Fittingly, Middle Georgia State University is located in Macon, where 25.4% of adults hold bachelor's degrees or better.
In Macon and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $39,631.
That's up 7.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,020.
27. New York
One reason New York is the city that never sleeps is all the college students (from NYU, Fordham University and other schools) pulling all-nighters here. Among adults in the Big Apple, 36.7% have at least a four-year degree.
In the sprawling New York metro area — which includes Long Island, northern New Jersey and even areas in Pennsylvania — student loan debt averages $39,707.
That's up 5.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,763.
26. New Orleans
You better believe that you find a lot of college students in a party town like New Orleans. Tulane, Xavier University of Louisiana, Loyola University New Orleans and other schools are here, and 36.5% of local adults hold bachelor's degrees or higher.
In the New Orleans metro area — including nearby Metairie and Kenner — the average student loan debt is $39,825.
That's up a sharp 8.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,695.
25. Boulder, Colorado
The largest campus of the University of Colorado is in Boulder, a city about 30 miles northeast of Denver where a stunning 73.8% of adults have at least a four-year degree.
In metro Boulder, the average student loan debt is $39,842.
That's up 7.2% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,171.
24. Albany, Georgia
Albany is a small city in southwestern Georgia with big student loan debt. Local schools include Albany State University, and 19.6% of adults here hold bachelor's degrees or higher.
In Albany and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $39,935.
That's up a staggering 10.7% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,085.
23. Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a manufacturing hub in western Tennessee, but the workforce isn't entirely blue-collar: 29% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. Institutions of higher learning here include Jackson State Community College.
In the Jackson metro area, which is about halfway between Memphis and Nashville, the average student loan debt is $40,103.
That's up 7.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,216.
22. Charleston, South Carolina
Charming Charleston is South Carolina's biggest city, and the oldest — founded in 1670. Schools here include the 250-year-old College of Charleston and the prestigious military academy The Citadel. Just over half (51.4%) of adults have at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Charleston metro area, including North Charleston, the average student loan debt is $40,106.
That's up 7.4% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,329.
21. Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is known for Mizzou: the University of Missouri, America's oldest public university west of the Mississippi. Among adults in the area, 53.4% have at least a bachelor's degree.
In Columbia and the surrounding area in central Missouri, the average student loan debt is $40,146.
That's up 8.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $37,145.
20. Morgantown, West Virginia
Go Eers! Morgantown is the home of the Mountaineers of West Virginia University, and this college town has 49.4% of its adults holding bachelor's degrees or higher.
In metro Morgantown, the average student loan debt is $40,430.
That's up 1.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,803.
19. Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Pueblo architecture, colorful art and desert landscapes around Santa Fe are breathtaking — and so are the student loan balances in the New Mexico capital, where 41.9% of adults have bachelor's degrees or better.
In the Santa Fe metro area, the average student loan debt is $40,447.
That's up a steep 10% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,764.
18. Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is the third-largest city in Minnesota (after Minneapolis and St. Paul), and it's known as the hometown of the Mayo Clinic, one of America's premier health care institutions. Bachelor's degrees or better are held by 44.7% of the adults here.
In metro Rochester, the average student loan debt is $40,449.
That's up 3.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,227.
17. Tallahassee, Florida
As the state capital, Tallahassee is the center of state government in Florida, and it's also a major education center. Florida State and its Seminoles are here, so is Florida A&M. Almost half (48%) of adults hold bachelor's degrees or higher.
In Tallahassee and the surrounding metro area, the average student loan debt is $40,504.
That's up 5.3% from last year, when balances were averaging $38,458.
16. Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital of the Palmetto State and where you find the University of South Carolina, the state's largest school of higher learning with nearly 35,000 students. Among adults who live here, 42.3% have four-year degrees or better.
In the Columbia metro area, the average student loan debt is $40,778.
That's up 5.2% from last year, when balances were averaging $38,766.
15. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is dominated by the University of Alabama, known on sports fields as the Crimson Tide. The school has an enrollment of more than 38,000, and college grads with bachelor's degrees or higher make up 36.4% of the local adult population.
In Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $40,804.
That's up 4.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,014.
14. Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is Mississippi's capital and the state's largest city, named after President Andrew Jackson. Schools here include Jackson State University, and 27.1% of the local adult population hold bachelor's degrees or better.
In the Jackson metro area, the average student loan debt is $41,453.
That's up 7.2% from last year, when balances were averaging $38,670.
13. Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is one of America's oldest and loveliest cities, known for its live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. But there's nothing pretty about the student loan balances here.
In Savannah and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $41,583.
That's up a stunning 13.7% from last year, when balances were averaging $36,582. Among adults who live here, 28.3% have at least a four-year degree.
12. Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa and its legendary Hawkeye wrestlers, who have been the NCAA champs 23 times. Lots of college graduates wrestle with student loan balances in Iowa City, where 59.9% of adults hold bachelor's degrees or better.
In the Iowa City metro area, the average student loan debt is $41,727.
That's up 6.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,165.
11. Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is Alabama's capital city and the site of Maxwell Air Force Base, a Hyundai automaking plant, and schools including Alabama State University. Among adults in the area, 31.8% have at least a bachelor's degree.
In metro Montgomery, the average student loan debt is $42,347.
That's up 7.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,533.
10. Charlottesville, Virginia
Historic Charlottesville is where you find the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819. And, it's a place where lots of people are wishing they could declare independence from high student loan balances.
In the Charlottesville area, the average student loan debt is $42,476.
That's up 6.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $39,754. A little over half (51.4%) of adults here have at least a bachelor's degree.
9. Atlanta
Not only is Atlanta a state capital, a corporate center and a major sports hub, but it's also a college town. Georgia Tech and Georgia State are located here, and 48.7% percent of adults have at least a four-year degree.
In the greater Atlanta area — including suburban Marietta and Sandy Springs — the average student loan debt is $43,290.
That's up 7.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $40,215.
8. San Francisco
San Francisco is a place of steep hills, towering real estate costs, and sky-high student loan balances. To land a job that pays enough to live here, you've got to be highly educated, so 55.8% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree.
In the San Francisco metro — which includes the Oakland and Fremont areas — the average student loan debt is $43,674.
That's up 6% from last year, when balances were averaging $41,193.
7. Washington, D.C.
The nation's capital is a popular place to go to college, and there are plenty of schools to choose from, including American University, Catholic U, George Washington University and Howard. Here, 56.6% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.
In the Washington metro area — which includes Arlington and Alexandria in Virginia, as well as parts of Maryland and West Virginia — the average student loan debt is $43,797.
That's up 5.5% from last year, when balances were averaging $41,502.
6. Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is known for its beautiful ocean views, gorgeous weather and respected institutions of higher learning. They include the University of California, Santa Barbara, which has an enrollment of more than 24,000. Nearly half (48.3%) of adults here have at least a bachelor's degree.
In the Santa Barbara metro area — which includes nearby Santa Maria and Goleta — the average student loan debt is $44,294.
That's up 9.6% from last year, when balances were averaging $40,424.
5. Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the home of the Gators of the University of Florida — and probably more than a few real gators, too. (Because Florida.) Among adults who live here, 43.1% have bachelor's degrees or higher.
In Gainesville and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $44,508.
That's up 10.7% from last year, when balances were averaging $40,221.
4. Santa Cruz, California
The scenery is spectacular in Santa Cruz, and so are the student loan balances in this coastal community with a massive University of California campus in its midst. Bachelor's degrees or better are held by more than half (52.1%) the local adult population.
In the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area south of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the average student loan debt is $45,396.
That's up 4.1% from last year, when balances were averaging $43,599.
3. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a classic college town, often rated one of the best in America. It can seem like the city and the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) are one and the same, and an impressive 74.2% of adults here have bachelor's degrees or higher.
And they have a ton of student loan debt: In the Ann Arbor metro area, the average is $45,668.
That's up 5.8% from last year, when balances were averaging $43,182.
2. Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a small city (population 58,640) with outsize student loan balances. It's home to Oregon State University, with more than 32,000 students including 5,400 graduate students. Among local adults, 60.1% hold four-year degrees or better.
In Corvallis and the surrounding area, the average student loan debt is $46,164.
That's up 7.4% from last year, when balances were averaging $42,976.
1. Durham, North Carolina
The city where college grads have the worst student debt hangovers is Durham, which is part of the central North Carolina "Research Triangle" with Raleigh and Chapel Hill. Almost half (48.8%) of adults living here have bachelor's degrees or higher.
The brain power is colossal — and so is the student loan debt. In metro Durham, the average amount is $47,955, according to the Experian study.
That's up 10% from last year, when balances were averaging $43,614.
Sponsored
Meet Your Retirement Goals Effortlessly
The road to retirement may seem long, but with Advisor, you can find a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way
Advisor matches you with vetted financial advisors that offer personalized advice to help you to make the right choices, invest wisely, and secure the retirement you've always dreamed of. Start planning early, and get your retirement mapped out today.
