California scores comparatively low among the states with the greatest student debt.

The Department of Education totaled up outstanding college-loan balances among 42-million borrowers and found an average of over $39,000 for each, as of the First Quarter this year.

California was among five states with the LEAST student debt. Washington and New Mexico performed the best.

States with the most student debt were Mississippi, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

WalletHub went deeper and based its data on 12 key measures of indebtedness and earning opportunities ranging from average student debt to unemployment rates among the population aged 25 to 34 to share of students with past-due loan balances.

It advised to plan carefully when borrowing. Consider attending college in a less expensive state and pursuing other avenues of funding like financial aid and grants. Students should carefully calculate how much they can afford to borrow before taking out a loan.

Story Date: December 10, 2025