Student Loan Debt in the U.S. Now Tops $1.7 Trillion

Student Loan Debt in the U.S. Now Tops $1.7 Trillion

This is a ticking time bomb, and it just keeps growing.

Campus Reform reports:

Student debt tops $1.7 trillion as many college programs leave graduates with low earnings, weak ROI

Millions of Americans are taking on massive student loan debt for college degrees that often fail to deliver strong financial returns, as research continues to raise questions about whether many academic programs are worth the cost.

Student loan debt in the U.S. has climbed above $1.7 trillion, with the average federal borrower owing nearly $40,000.

At the same time, multiple higher education analyses suggest that some college programs leave graduates with earnings too low to justify the price of attendance.

A 2026 report from the Manhattan Institute found that nearly one-quarter of bachelor’s degree programs produce a negative return on investment (ROI), meaning graduates may earn less over time than the total cost of obtaining the degree.

The findings were even worse for two-year and graduate programs.

According to the report, roughly 40 percent of associate and master’s degree programs generated negative ROI outcomes.

The study concluded that programs tied to lower-paying fields often leave students with significant debt burdens while generating relatively low or modest earnings potential after graduation.

The report also suggested that students are increasingly choosing degree programs with stronger economic outcomes.

According to the institute, majors such as engineering, nursing, and computer science have “surged in popularity” while majors like literature, history, and sociology “have seen student numbers dwindle.”

A separate 2025 Campus Reform analysis of undergraduate majors similarly found that degrees in business, finance, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) yield a higher ROI than degrees in humanities or social sciences.

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