Across the 50 states, federal student loan borrowers owe thousands on average.
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The total federal student loan portfolio now exceeds $1.72 trillion, with 42.3 million borrowers.
Borrowers in Maryland owe an average of $45,589 — over $4,000 more than the national average.
Texas has the highest number of borrowers, while California has the highest total balance.
For millions of Americans, the cost of a college education doesn’t end after graduation.
As of June 30, 42.3 million people held more than $1.72 trillion in outstanding federal student loans , according to the Department of Education.
With the yearly sticker cost of attending some colleges surpassing the six-figure mark, many students and families turn to loans that can take years — or even decades — to repay.
Across the country, federal student loan borrowers carry an estimated average balance of $40,768 according to Business Insider’s analysis of the latest federal portfolio data released by the Department of Education .
The Department of Education reports the total outstanding federal loan balances and the number of borrowers by their current state of residence. Business Insider reviewed the department’s latest release and ranked all 50 US states by the average balance owed by borrowers living in each state.
While the federal data doesn’t reflect the colleges borrowers attended, where they took out their loans, or how much students currently borrow , it shows where borrowers live now and how the federal student loan portfolio is spread across the nation.
See how every state compares — and where borrowers owe the most on average.
50. North Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota.
Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $2.7 billion
Borrowers: 88,400
Estimated average balance per borrower: $30,543
49. South Dakota
EunikaSopotnicka/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $3.7 billion
Borrowers: 116,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $31,705
48. Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images
Balance: $13.5 billion
Borrowers: 423,400
Estimated average balance per borrower: $31,885
47. Wyoming
Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $1.8 billion
Borrowers: 54,800
Estimated average balance per borrower: $32,847
46. Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $17.1 billion
Borrowers: 510,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $33,483
45. Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $8.2 billion
Borrowers: 243,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $33,676
44. West Virginia
Wheeling Island, West Virgina.
ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $7.7 billion
Borrowers: 228,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $33,728
43. Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Jon Mattrisch/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $24.0 billion
Borrowers: 709,100
Estimated average balance per borrower: $33,846
42. Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
State total balance: $5.1 billions
Borrowers: 149,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $34,068
41. Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana.
f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $31.0 billions
Borrowers: 898,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $34,502
40. Kansas
Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
Balance: $13.1 billion
Borrowers: 379,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $34,537
39. Idaho
Boise, Idaho
christiannafzger/Getty Images
Balance: $7.5 billion
Borrowers: 216,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $34,642
38. Texas
Dallas, Texas
f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $138.3 billion
Borrowers: 3,949,800
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,014
37. Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images
Balance: $21.6 billion
Borrowers: 615,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,088
36. New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $8.0 billion
Borrowers: 226,000
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,398
35. Utah
Park City, Utah.
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Balance: $11.1 billion
Borrowers: 313,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,429
34. Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas.
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Balance: $14.5 billion
Borrowers: 408,400
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,504
33. Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota.
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Balance: $27.5 billion
Borrowers: 772,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,594
32. Montana
Helena, Montana.
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Balance: $4.5 billions
Borrowers: 126,400
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,601
31. Nevada
Reno, Nevada.
Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $13.2 billion
Borrowers: 367,900
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,879
30. Maine
Portland, Maine.
Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $6.7 billions
Borrowers: 186,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $35,906
29. Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $25.1 billions
Borrowers: 694,000
Estimated average balance per borrower: $36,167
28. New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $6.8 billion
Borrowers: 187,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $36,228
27. Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio.
AndreyKrav/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $64.3 billion
Borrowers: 1,770,800
Estimated average balance per borrower: $36,311
26. Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images
Balance: $30.6 billion
Borrowers: 826,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $37,024
25. Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $33.4 billion
Borrowers: 900,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $37,086
24. Arizona
Tucson, Arizona.
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Balance: $34.0 billion
Borrowers: 916,100
Estimated average balance per borrower: $37,114
23. Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska.
christiannafzger/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $2.4 billion
Borrowers: 64,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $37,209
22. Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $69.6 billion
Borrowers: 1,853,900
Estimated average balance per borrower: $37,542
21. Washington
Bellevue, Washington.
Sean Davis/Getty Images
Balance: $29.6 billion
Borrowers: 776,100
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,139
20. Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $19.8 billion
Borrowers: 515,400
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,417
19. Michigan
Lansing, Michigan.
Craig Rinzema/Getty Images
Balance: $53.2 billion
Borrowers: 1,377,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,626
18. Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee.
SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $34.6 billion
Borrowers: 894,900
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,664
17. Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont.
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Balance: $2.9 billion
Borrowers: 74,800
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,770
16. Colorado
Denver, Colorado.
miroslav_1/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $29.7 billion
Borrowers: 764,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $38,844
15. Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
CRobertson/Getty Images
Balance: $17.8 billions
Borrowers: 456,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $39,009
14. Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Kruck20/Getty Images
Balance: $26.0 billion
Borrowers: 664,000
Estimated average balance per borrower: $39,157
13. New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $48.4 billion
Borrowers: 1,235,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $39,174
12. Oregon
Portland, Oregon
4nadia/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $20.8 billion
Borrowers: 526,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $39,499
11. California
San Francisco, California
f11photo/Getty Images
Balance: $156.7 billion
Borrowers: 3,919,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $39,980
10. South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
Balance: $31.4 billion
Borrowers: 782,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,138
9. North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $55.8 billion
Borrowers: 1,379,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,455
8. Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Jonathan Ross/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $4.9 billion
Borrowers: 121,000
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,496
7. Delaware
ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $5.6 billion
Borrowers: 137,800
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,639
6. New York
New York City.
jirigeorge/Getty Images
Balance: $99.9 billion
Borrowers: 2,456,600
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,666
5. Illinois
Chicago, Illinois
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $65.3 billion
Borrowers: 1,601,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $40,774
4. Florida
Miami, Florida
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Balance: $113.1 billion
Borrowers: 2,747,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $41,162
3. Virginia
SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $45.5 billion
Borrowers: 1,085,500
Estimated average balance per borrower: $41,916
2. Georgia
Sean Davis/Getty Images
Balance: $74.6 billion
Borrowers: 1,702,700
Estimated average balance per borrower: $43,813
1. Maryland
Vito Palmisano/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Balance: $38.4 billion
Borrowers: 842,300
Estimated average balance per borrower: $45,589
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