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Nellie Mae's library of student loan information 2000 Credit Card Usage Analysis See the summary statistics on our student credit card debt report.

 

by Nellie Mae
Summary Statistics
December 2000

Graduate Student Credit Card Debt

  • Students with no credit history: 1%
  • Students with a credit history having no credit cards: 4%
  • Student with a credit history and had credit cards: 95%

Of the 95% who have credit cards:

  • Average number of credit cards: 4
  • Average credit card debt: $4,776 (median=$3,068)
  • 20% have credit card debt between $6,000–$15,000
  • 6% have credit card debt greater than $15,000
Graduate Student Credit Card Debt
Factors 1998 2000
Percentage who have credit cards 95% 95%
Average number of credit cards 6 4
Average credit card debt $4,925 $4,776
Median credit card debt $2,834 $3,068
Percentage with balances between $6,000 and $15,000 22% 20%
Percentage with balances exceeding $15,000 6% 6%

Undergraduate Student Credit Card Debt

  • Students with no credit history: 12%
  • Students with a credit history having no credit cards: 10%
  • Student with a credit history and had credit cards: 78%

Of the 78% who have credit cards:

  • 32% have four or more cards
  • Average number of credit cards: 3
  • Average credit card debt: $2,748 (median=$1,236)
  • 13% have credit card debt between $3,000–$7,000
  • 9% have credit card debt greater than $7,000
Undergraduate Student Credit Card Debt
Factors 1998 2000
Percentage who have credit cards 67% 78%
Average number of credit cards 3.5 3
Percentage who have 4 or more cards 27% 32%
Average credit card debt $1,879 $2,748
Median credit card debt $1,222 $1,236
Percentage with balances between $3,000 and $7,000 14% 13%
Percentage with balances exceeding $7,000 10% 9%

Read "Credit Card Usage Continues among College Students."