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SALT LAKE CITY — A new study released has shown that Utah college students graduate with lower debt than the national average.
The study by Nerdscholar said that on average, a Utah student graduating with a bachelors degree will owe more than $17, 000. The national average for graduates is over $26,000.
Some college students credit their low debt to their parents helping them to pay for tuition.
"My parents are pretty much paying for school so I'm good when I graduate," said student Hayden Warzek.
Pamela Silberman, a representative of the Utah System of Higher Education, said that a higher majority of Utah students work to support themselves through college compared to students across the nation.
"I'm working full time," said University of Utah student Robert West. "I have a good job at Primary Children's."
However, while Utah has some of the most affordable public education in the county, many students try to pay off college debts before graduating which sometimes prolongs their education or even prevents them from graduating.
"While that's a good thing in that they don't have debt, there is also a down side in that they go part-time and it takes them longer to finish and they're more likely not to finish," Silberman said.
Silberman said Utah students have a completion rate of below 50 percent.
According to the Utah System of Higher Education about 55 percent of students will graduate with debt, but representative Pamela Silberman said the state has more affordable education compared to the rest of the county.
"About five years ago, the state covered about 63 percent of the cost of college and students covered about 37 percent," Silberman said. "Now it's about 50/50."
University of Utah Communications Director, Keith Sterling, said he is working to increase graduation rates by offering financial aid counselors to students before they even begin freshman year.
"What our financial aid people tell them is to save now before you start because you only want to take out the loans you absolutely have to," Sterling said.
Sterling said it's never too soon for parents to start a college fund for their child.
