Boulder Among Worst U.S. Cities For Student Loan Debt: Report

BOULDER, CO — Boulder is the 22nd worst city in the country for student loan debt, according to a new SmartAsset report. Student loan debt in the nation reached an all-time high of $1.4 trillion in the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 116 percent from a decade prior, the data show.

The average American has $35,359 in student loan debt, the report shows. The average student loan debt in Boulder is $39,842.

To find the metro areas most impacted by student loan debt, SmartAsset analyzed data from Experian to look at metrics such as average student loan debt, returns with the student loan interest deduction, and earnings for bachelor’s degree holders.

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The median earnings for bachelor's degree holders in Boulder is $53,118, and the rate of tax returns with student loan interest deduction is 11.36 percent, according to the report.

The worst city for student loan debt is Gainsville, Florida; Corvallis, Oregon and Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, finished second and third respectively.