Student Loan Debt by State: Who Owes the Most?

July 18th, 2026· 0:50

Student loan debt remains a major financial challenge across the United States as the federal government continues to be one of the nation's largest student lenders. Among the states with the largest outstanding student loan balances, California leads with roughly $150 billion, followed by Texas at $137 billion, New York at about $90 billion, and Illinois with more than $63 billion in outstanding federal student loan debt. At the same time, delinquency rates in many states range from 8% to 12%, meaning many borrowers have fallen at least 90 days behind on their required payments. The figures underscore ongoing concerns about higher education costs, student debt repayment, and the long-term impact on borrowers, taxpayers, and the broader economy. #StudentLoans #StudentDebt #Economy #Taxpayer #Education #Finance #California #Texas #BreakingNews #HigherEducation #Debt #FederalLoans #College #PublicPolicy #News