Released: May 03, 2006

Student loans - a life sentence

Source: By Christian Zappone, CNNMoney.com

Mayrose Wegmann, 25, should have been starting on her dream career as a political consultant by now. And saving toward her first home.

Instead, Wegmann, who graduated with a degree in political science and journalism from the University of Iowa in 2004 and moved to Washington, D.C., is working at a non-profit because it pays significantly more than entry-level politics work. And she won’t even consider buying a home for several more years. “The school debt makes you decide [about your career] based on the money factor. Not based on what you want to do,” said Wegmann.

The Class of 2006, set to graduate this month, will soon be in the same boat. Approximately two-thirds of all students use loans to pay for their higher education, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research using data from the College Board. The average debt for students graduating in 2003-2004, the latest data available, was $15,622 for public schools and $22,581 for private – many students rack up even more on their credit cards.

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