How Debt Compares to Expected Pay
Median federal loan debt and typical earnings diverge across Utah pathways — debt-to-pay ratios span 7% to 89%.
Expected pay and median federal debt tell different stories. Utah's Part 8 data shows debt burdens from 7% of year-10 earnings to 89% — a spread that pathway labels alone do not explain.
- Assumption
- Borrowing is affordable if you expect a good job after graduation.
- Question
- How does median federal loan debt compare to expected pay across Utah pathways and campuses?
- Evidence
- College Scorecard Part 8 · 41 institutions with debt and earnings
- Finding
- Debt-to-pay ratios span 89% at Careers Unlimited to 7% at Ensign College. Community college medians combine $4K debt with $38K typical pay; for-profit medians pair $8K debt with $25K pay.
- Limits
- Federal loans only. Institution medians — ask financial aid for your program.
Community college medians combine $4K debt with $38K typical pay — while Careers Unlimited reports 89% of year-10 earnings in median debt.
Debt burden by institution
| Institution | Median debt | Typical pay (10 yr) | Debt % of pay | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Careers Unlimited | $27K | $31K | 89% | for_profit |
| Provo College | $24K | $40K | 61% | for_profit |
| Eagle Gate College-Murray | $20K | $38K | 53% | for_profit |
| Eagle Gate College-Layton | $20K | $38K | 53% | for_profit |
| Taylor Andrews Academy-St George | $7K | $17K | 40% | for_profit |
| Nightingale College | $10K | $27K | 39% | for_profit |
| Healing Mountain Massage School | $8K | $22K | 37% | for_profit |
| Aveda Institute-Provo | $7K | $20K | 34% | for_profit |
Source: Pathways & Outcomes analysis · College Scorecard DEBT_MDN · Part 8
For-profit median debt ($8K) exceeds community ($4K) while typical pay six years after starting is lower.
Source: Pathways & Outcomes analysis · College Scorecard Part 8
Ratios span Careers Unlimited (89%) to Ensign College (7%).
- Highest burden: Careers Unlimited — 89% of year-10 pay in median debt.
- Lowest burden: Ensign College — 7%.
- Community medians: $4K debt, $38K pay six years after starting.
- For-profit medians: $8K debt at $25K pay — similar borrowing, weaker pay.
Careers Unlimited reports $27K median debt against $31K year-10 pay — expected earnings and borrowing do not move in lockstep.
Key takeaway: Compare debt to expected pay, not sticker tuition alone. Ratios from 7% to 89% show why two campuses with similar marketing can leave borrowers in very different positions.
Technical note: College Scorecard Part 8 · median federal debt ÷ ten-year earnings.
What this means for you
- Ask financial aid for median debt and typical pay in your intended program — not just net price.
- Use compare schools to line up debt % of pay across options.
- Read F-2 when net price looks low but debt may still be high.
Updated 2026-06-29. Sources: College Scorecard Part 8. Backlog S-7 · students.
Pathways & Outcomes original analysis; cite the report and link to the primary URL. Data vintage: College Scorecard Part 8.
APA: Pathways and Outcomes. (2026). How Debt Compares to Expected Pay. https://pathwaysandoutcomes.org/utah/research/how-debt-compares-to-expected-pay/
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