The University of Mary Washington ranked as one of the best schools in the nation for setting up students for successful student loan repayment after graduation, according to a new study.
UMW ranked first in Virginia, 44th overall, in terms of student debt repayment success, based on the first annual Student Debt Repayment Success Indicator (SDRSI) study conducted by the Student Loan Report, a website that reports on student loans.
The study considered three metrics: average student loan debt per borrower, average early career pay and default rate.
With student loan debt among college students in the U.S. now topping $1.4 trillion, it is more important than ever for students and their families to factor in debt-repayment data in their decision-making process when choosing higher education, according to the report.
Graduates from schools with high SDRSI scores tend to have higher salaries, lower debt and lower default rates, according to the study’s authors.
Besides UMW, only two other Virginia schools were listed among the top 100. Washington and Lee University ranked 46thand the University of Virginia ranked 74th.