CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina System says statewide, fewer students are graduating with debt than before the pandemic.
As millions of college graduates resume paying their student loans this October, the institution says low tuition rates are key to helping prevent student loan debt.
"I didn’t come from the highest income house," UNC Charlotte student Jake Dibuono said. "I gotta pay for a little bit of my school."
Like most students, Dibuono has federal students loans to help pay for his education.
UNC System President Peter Hans told WCNC Charlotte he hopes to minimize student borrowing by keeping in-state tuition low at all 16 state campuses by enacting tuition freezes.
The UNC System includes Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, and all other public state universities.
"By keeping tuition flat for eight straight years, we've been able to lower the number of people who take out a federal student loan in the first place," Hans explained.
According to the UNC System, the number of in-state students who graduate with federal student loan debt has dropped from 63% to 55% over the last seven years. Hans attributes the debt reduction to keeping in-state undergraduate tuition the same price over the last several years.
It’s great news, but out-of-state students like Dibuono face much higher rates.
"Everything’s expensive on campus," Dibuono added.
UNC Charlotte’s website says in-state tuition and fees cost about $3,600 a semester. Out-of-state tuition and fees cost about $11,000 a semester.
Hans explained in-state students receive much larger benefits than out-of-state students, "because the taxpayers in North Carolina subsidize the university..." He added students can file for state residency after living in North Carolina for one year.
Dibuono estimated he will graduate with about $11,000 in student loan debt but said he would’ve owed much more at other universities.
"I’m a transfer from West Virginia," he said. "UNCC does a better job with this than other schools -- as in like student loan forgiveness with financially helping out and stuff like that."
Hans said he is confident the eighth year of in-state tuition freezes will be formally approved by the university’s board early next year. His goal is to get to 10 years of tuition freezes.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.