California ranks ninth nationally for highest average student loan payments
A WalletHub study shows California holds the No. 9 spot in the United States for average monthly student loan payments, at $237.
According to a new WalletHub analysis, California ranks ninth among all states for the average monthly student loan payment, which comes to $237. The western region is absent from the top-ten list, with Washington at 21 and Oregon at 22. The northeastern states occupy the highest positions, led by Vermont at $258, followed by Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
Federal data show roughly 42.6 million Americans carry $1.72 trillion in student debt. WalletHub analyst Chris Lupo highlighted the wide variation in payments across states, citing Wyoming’s $159 median versus Vermont’s $258. He also warned that such payment levels extend repayment periods considerably. The study suggests California’s large public higher-education network—including the UC, CSU and community college systems—helps keep the share of students taking loans 44 % lower than the national average, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
