On any sunny afternoon at USC, you’ll see students walking in every direction, past Tommy Trojan, bags slung over their shoulders and laptops neatly tucked away.
Behind their routines, though, many carry an invisible weight: the reality of student debt.
For many USC students, the price of a degree is not just measured in tuition, but in the sacrifices that come along with it. According to the Education Data Initiative, U.S. student debt tops about $1.6 trillion, with loans associated with graduate degrees accounting for about 50% of the total outstanding student loan debt, based on a commentary by the Brookings Institution.
Despite this daunting reality, students persevere, acknowledging the eventual payout — literally and figuratively. A 2023 study by Trellis Strategies, an education research and consulting firm, found that first-generation and low-income students are likely to agree that the cost of college is an investment worth making.
Beth A., a fourth-year student at USC double-majoring in international relations and NGO’s/social change, agreed to speak to Annenberg reporters with the request that her identity be protected due to her active involvement in student advocacy. As a former first-generation student mentor, Beth feels that although there are supportive resources offered at USC, the university could do more to uplift students who sacrificed financial comfort for educational opportunity.
“Students shouldn’t have to go out of their way to advocate for resources,” Beth said. “There should be more surveying of the students about the needs of the student body — It shouldn’t solely fall on the students, we have enough to stress about.”
Jessica Lieban, a fourth-year USC law student, believes that the current economy can make aspiring young people feel discouraged.
“I do unfortunately think that rather than lowering the barriers of access to education, those barriers are going to continue getting worse unless we actually take some sort of action to regulate education prices, continuing to advocate to get rid of those student loan caps,” Lieban said. “There’s a lot of government complicity in all of that, and it needs to be addressed.”
She continued, regarding the frustrations that can be felt when it comes to lower-income students who have to closely consider the possibilities that come with each financial decision. However, Lieban deems this decision worth it.
“You are investing in yourself and your future, and the fact that someone might have to work twice as hard to get to where they are or where they want to be, they are likely to go further due to their developed resilience, passion and dedication,” Lieban said.
Lieban remains optimistic due to the belief that the university makes it well worth the investment, setting herself up for success in the long run.
“I would take solace and pride in the fact that you are investing in yourself,” Lieban said. “I do think that USC is a good place to do it, as much as it’s expensive, I think the Trojan network is a real thing, and I think that the school provides really great opportunities.”