For example, we know that the average public university student in the U.S. borrows around $30,000 to get a bachelor’s degree.36 We also know that the average annual out-of-pocket cost to attend a public four-year school is $11,800.37 This means that, over a four-year period, the total cost (out-of-pocket cost plus debt) of attending a public university is $77,200 ($11,800 × 4 + $30,000).
