"Many students from the class of 2024 borrowed money to pay for college, according to U.S. News data: 56% of graduates took out student loans, with an average total student loan debt of nearly $30,000. Sometimes this type of debt can be a wise investment, experts say, but students should exhaust all other sources of funding and financial aid for college before turning to loans. They should also carefully consider how much is too much to borrow," U.S. News & World Report writes.

...  "A good way to see the net price of a college, which is an estimate of the amount students will actually pay after financial aid is factored in, is to use a net price calculator. Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, recommends students use the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator tool, which includes financial aid information such as the average amount of aid offered. 'You go to the College Navigator, you enter the school name and all the information comes up, versus going to each school's website and trying to find their financial information,' McCarthy says."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 3/31/2026