SoFi Blog

The final week of the quarter was an exciting one. Continued troubles with European banks led to volatile stock markets (more on this next week). Oil prices were sent sharply higher after a productive meeting among member countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Inflation data out of the United States continues to move towards the Fed’s target, but came in at expected levels leading to little change in the 10-year Treasury yield.

Graduate school is all about lots of work, little sleep, and often tight budgets. But after years of ramen and roommates, you’ll graduate with an advanced degree and likely some student loan debt as well. Fortunately, new data from SoFi reveals that your extra work really can lead to increased earning power —and the ability to pay down your debt faster.

For SoFi’s millennial members, Twenty One Pilots’ hit “Stressed Out” is more than a good song—it’s an anthem. And this lyric says it all: “Out of student loans and treehouse homes, we all would take the latter.”

How could it not? Roughly 70% of 2016 college graduates borrowed to get their degrees, leaving them with a whopping $37,172 in student loan debt, up from about $35,000 in 2015.

The average American household carrying a credit card balance has over $16,000 in debt, but you sure wouldn’t know it. People talk all day long about their workouts, favorite apps, and their love lives, but bring up the subject of money, especially credit card debt, and suddenly everyone clams up.

Borrowing to pay for college, a down payment on a home, or even a car is a financial given for Americans striving to reach their long-term goals. These loans are as common as Sunday brunches and binge watching Netflix. And with the rising popularity of personal loans, it’s clear that they, too, are becoming a part of the financial journey for many people.