Oklahoma ranks in the middle of the pack when states are compared to levels of college student debt.

According to WalletHub.com, Oklahoma is ranked No. 30 in “2018’s States with the Most and Least Student Debt.”

Oklahoma is No. 8 in the category of “grant and student work opportunities.” Oklahoma is tied with Louisiana at No. 43 in the ranking of “lowest proportion of students with debt.” Oklahoma is No. 4 in “highest percentage of student-loan balances behind Mississippi, West Virginia and Kentucky.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 11 key points. The data ranges from average student debt to unemployment rate among the population aged 25 to 34 to share of students with past-due loan balances.  

Best vs. Worst

  • Utah has the lowest average student debt, $19,975, which is 1.8 times lower than in New Hampshire, the state with the highest at $36,367. 
  • Utah has the lowest proportion of students with debt, 43 percent, which is 1.8 times lower than in West Virginia, the state with the highest at 77 percent. 
  • Massachusetts has the lowest share of student loans in past-due or default status, 7.44 percent, which is 2.3 times lower than in Mississippi, the state with the highest at 16.84 percent. 
  • Hawaii has the lowest share of student-loan borrowers aged 50 or older, 3.86 percent, which is 2.6 times lower than in Vermont, the state with the highest at 10.03 percent.