The Debt Plu$ Project explores the characteristics, enrollment patterns, and descriptive outcomes of Parent PLUS Loans, including how borrowing varies across student, family, and institutional contexts.
Through rigorous research that leverages student and institutional data sources, the project produces actionable insights to inform public policy and institutional practice. View work from the DebtPlu$ project, including our peer-reviewed journal articles, policy briefs, and other research products below.
Publications
Briefs
This brief summarizes preliminary findings from the DebtPlu$ Project’s analysis of student-level and institutional data around Parent PLUS Loan borrowing and outcomes. Key insights from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (2012:17) build profiles of who borrows, how much, and how often—and document students’ descriptive outcomes. Data from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and Title IV Program Volume Reports) show which institutions have more or less Parent PLUS Loan volume, including across sections, states, and special campus designations.
- Taylor Odle, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Jeremy Wright-Kim, University of Michigan
- Jorge Burmicky, Howard University
June 2024
Reports
This report draws on interviews and focus groups with 66 students, parents, and financial aid administrators across nine four-year institutions—including public flagships, private universities, faith-based institutions, and historically Black colleges and universities—conducted between 2024 and 2025. Findings reveal that families often navigate financial aid in a state of confusion, rely on PLUS loans as a de facto gap-filling strategy, and experience significant emotional, academic, and financial strain as a result of borrowing. Financial aid administrators play a critical but constrained role in guiding families through the process, balancing access and opportunity against long-term financial risk.
- Jorge Burmicky, Howard University
- Taylor Odle, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Jeremy Wright-Kim, University of Michigan
December 2025
This report explores descriptive trends in Parent PLUS Loan usage for the last decade across institutional types. Findings suggest total borrowing is on the decline, though average amounts per recipient hold steady. We note substantial variation across sectors, as well as relatively high reliance on PLUS loans across select states and HBCUs. We offer considerations for future research and policymakers and practitioners amidst potential changes to the PLUS program.
- Jeremy Wright-Kim & Meng Wang, University of Michigan
- Taylor Odle, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Jorge Burmicky, Howard University
June 2024