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Debt isn’t good or bad on its own — it depends on what you’ll earn. Weigh what you’d borrow against your field’s typical early-career pay, and see whether it’s comfortable or a stretch before you sign.
Will it pay off?
A simple gut check: weigh what you’d borrow against what your field typically pays early on. The rule of thumb — keep total debt at or below your first-year salary.
$31,000 against a ~$62,000 starting salary is comfortable — about $352/month, well within reach.
Salaries are rough typical early-career figures and vary a lot by employer, location, and experience — use your own number if you have a better one. This is a gut check, not a guarantee.
How much student loan debt is too much?
A widely used rule of thumb: keep your total student debt at or below your expected first-year salary. At that level the standard 10-year payment usually stays a manageable slice of your income. Above about 1.5× your starting salary, it starts to crowd out rent, a car, and saving.
Does my major decide whether college is "worth it"?
Not by itself — the cost matters as much as the field. A lower-paying field with little debt can pay off beautifully, while a high-paying field financed with huge loans can still hurt. The gut check above weighs the two together, which is what actually matters.
My debt looks heavy — what can I do?
Lots. Win scholarships (free money), start at a community college and transfer (the 2+2 path can save tens of thousands for the same degree), live at home, choose a lower-net-cost school, and borrow only federal loans before private ones. Each lever brings the number down.