Education
California vs New York: Student Loan Debt
California has lower average student loan debt than New York by $451.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for student loan debt.
California
#40 · $38,300
New York
#42 · $38,751
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Student Loan Debt
Lower is better
#1
North Dakota
$29,115
North Dakota
#2
Wyoming
$30,631
Wyoming
#3
Iowa
$30,698
Iowa
#4
South Dakota
$31,171
South Dakota
#5
Nebraska
$32,206
Nebraska
#6
Oklahoma
$32,245
Oklahoma
#7
West Virginia
$32,343
West Virginia
#8
Wisconsin
$32,619
Wisconsin
#9
Kansas
$33,013
Kansas
#10
Indiana
$33,234
Indiana
Selected states
#40
California
$38,300
California
#42
New York
$38,751
New York
California ranks 40th and New York ranks 42nd nationally for student loan debt.
What this means
California vs New York: Student Loan Debt in context
California's student loan debt is $38,300, compared with $38,751 in New York. Average federal student loan debt per borrower.
California
$38,300
New York
$38,751
Difference
$451
People also ask
California vs New York Student Loan Debt — common questions
QWhat is California's student loan debt?
California's student loan debt is $38,300.
QWhat is New York's student loan debt?
New York's student loan debt is $38,751.
QWhich state has a lower student loan debt — California or New York?
California has lower average student loan debt than New York by $451.
More comparisons: California vs New York
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Latest incorporated release
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Average federal student loan balance per borrower.