Want to graduate with less student debt? Data says go to Auburn

According to a recent study, 69 percent of seniors graduating from U.S. colleges in 2013 had student loan debt, often in the form of private loans, which are generally more costly than federal loans. The national student loan average last year was $28,400.

The State of Alabama’s average student debt of $28,895—$495 more than the national average—means the state has the 12th highest average in the nation. But only 54% of students in Alabama have debt, which puts Alabama in a more favorable 40th place.

So how do Alabama’s public colleges stack up against each other?

The BBJ recently culled the data and ranked the schools in order from lowest average student debt to highest.

Here’s what they found:

No. 1 Auburn University: $26,990
No. 2 University of Alabama in Hunstville: $27,281
No. 3 University of Montevallo: $27,800
No. 4 University of Alabama at Birmingham: $28,164
No. 5 The University of Alabama: $28,508
No. 6 University of North Alabama: $30,880
No. 7 Alabama State University: $32,629
No. 8 Alabama A&M University: $33,113
No. 9 University of West Alabama: $38,126

The results of the study should make it no surprise then that Money Magazine ranked Auburn the ‘best college for the money’ in Alabama.

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— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) December 3, 2014