E D U C AT I O N
EXHIBITIONS
#BlackStudentDebt
SPRING 2023
BLACK WOMEN AND STUDENT DEBT
BLACK WOMEN ARE BURDENED THE MOST BY THE HIGH COST OF COLLEGE
TIME FOR CHANGE: ART AND
SOCIAL UNREST IN THE JORGE M. PÉREZ COLLECTION
College costs have risen dramatically over the past several decades, as state funding for public colleges and universities has declined.4 In 1980, the average cost of a public four-year college — including tuition, fees, and room and board — was $9,307 (in 2019-20 dollars). By the 2019-20 academic year, the average cost was $25,593.5 Financial aid hasn’t kept pace with college costs, which are now unaffordable for most Americans. In 1980, the maximum Pell Grant, the nation’s most important need-based grant, covered more than 50% of the full cost of a public four-year college; in the 2020-21 academic year, it covered only 28%, driving many students to borrow to make up the difference.6 The high cost of college is particularly burdensome for Black women, who because of structural racism and sexism, have fewer financial resources to pay for a higher education and little choice but to borrow higher amounts.7 A year after completing a bachelor’s degree, Black women hold more student debt than any other group — with an average of $38,800 in federal undergraduate loans. BY VICTORIA JACKSON AND BRITTANI WILLIAMS Black female borrowers who attended graduate school hold an average of $58,252 in graduate loans (see Figure 1).
On view through August 27, 2023 Exhibition Sponsor:
PURVIS YOUNG: REDUX
WITH MORE EDUCATION, BLACK WOMEN NEED TO BORROW MORE, BUT STILL MAKE LESS.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? (Authors’ Opinion) The student debt crisis among Black women is the result of failed and intentionally racist policies. Policymakers must act. The Biden administration and Congress should take the following actions to end the student debt crisis and make college affordable for future students: • More than 80% of the participants in the “Jim Crow Debt” study think the federal government should cancel all student debt. The Education Trust supports cancelling at least $50,000 of federal student debt and opposes limiting eligibility
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Grant and create federal-state partnerships to make public college debt free.
Victoria Jackson is assistant director of Higher Education Policy, and Brittani Williams is senior policy analyst in Higher Education at The Education Trust. Read the entire article at edtrust.org.
JACOB HASHIMOTO:
THIS PARTICLE OF DUST On view now
LIFE & DEATH IN THE ANCIENT WORLD: INTRODUCTION TO THE
ANTIQUITIES COLLECTION On view now
TRAVELS IN ITALY: A 19TH-CENTURY
APRIL 2022 | HOW BLACK WOMEN EXPERIENCE STUDENT DEBT
an assistant professor at Villanova Univer- FIGURE 1: CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL UNDERGRADUATE LOANS, INCLUDING PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST, 12 MONTHS AFTER BACHELOR’S DEGREE COMPLETION, AND CUMULATIVE FEDERAL GRADUATE sity and co-founder of the Equity Research LOAN AMOUNT OWED, INCLUDING PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST Cooperative, highlights the crisis of Black $35,997 student debt and the experiences of Black Black or African American male $49,416 borrowers. The report is based on the $38,800 Black or African American female $58,252 National Black Student Debt Study, which $26,582 Hispanic or Latino male $31,971 was led by Mustaffa and includes a sur$25,927 Hispanic or Latina female $40,185 vey of nearly 1,300 Black borrowers and $32,619 American Indian or Alaska Native female $36,795 in-depth interviews with 100 borrowers. $20,829 Asian male $9,913 College costs have risen dramatically $20,417 Asian female $21,180 over the past several decades, as state $30,524 Male of more than one race funding for public colleges and universi$28,628 Female of more than one race $43,984 ties has declined. In 1980, the average cost $24,348 White male $25,905 of a public four-year college — including $27,068 White female $29,323 tuition, fees, and room and board — was $9,307 (in 2019-20 dollars). By the 2019Undergraduate Graduate 20 academic year, the average cost was $25,593. Financial aid hasn’t kept pace with Source: Education Trust analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National For Black Women, More Debt college; in the 2020-21 academic year, it college costs, which are now unaffordable Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 2016 Graduate Students (NPSAS:GR) and Baccalaureate and Beyond: 2016/2017 (B&B). covered only 28%, driving many students Does Not Equal a Higher Salary for most Americans. In 1980, the maxi- Note: American Indian or Alaska Native males were not included because reporting standards were not met. to borrow to make up the difference. mum Pell Grant, the nation’s most importThe gender and racial pay gaps are The high cost of college is particuant need-based grant, covered more than larly burdensome for Black women, who well documented, and Black women 50% of the full cost of a public four-year because of structural racism and sexism, experience them no matter their eduhave fewer financial resources to pay for cation level. Gender wage gaps are a higher education and little choice but widest among workers with at least a for cancellation by income, loan to borrow higher amounts. A year after bachelor’s degree. Among bachelor’s type, or degree type (e.g., undercompleting a bachelor’s degree, Black degree holders across all fields of graduate vs. graduate degree). women hold more student debt than study, men make more than women. any other group—with an average of But women of color face particularly • In the absence of total broad$38,800 in federal undergraduate loans. acute pay disparities. Black women based debt cancellation, the Black female borrowers who attended must obtain a bachelor’s degree Biden administration should graduate school hold an average of or higher to earn more than White make significant improvements to men who have some college but no $58,252 in graduate loans (see Figure 1). income-driven repayment (IDR) And yet, despite the enormous cost degree. In other words, Black women plans to make monthly payments of going to college, Black women are still need additional credentials to commore affordable, reduce negative pursuing a higher education, because pete in the labor market, but they get amortization, and shorten the they can’t afford not to: In order to a lower financial return on their coltime-to-forgiveness window. achieve their academic and professional lege investment than men of all races goals and improve the financial situation and most women, except for Latinas • To make college affordable, of their families, they need a degree (if with a bachelor’s degree or higher, Congress should double the Pell not two or three). according to the data.
Presented in part by:
JOURNEY THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY
On view January 28 through July 9, 2023 Supporting Sponsor:
14TH CONGRESSIONAL AND NEXT GENERATION HIGH SCHOOL ART COMPETITION – 2023 On view February 4 through April 16, 2023
SALMAN TOOR: NO ORDINARY LOVE
THE EDUCATION TRUST
F
orty-five million Americans collectively owe $1.7 trillion in student loan debt. Women hold nearly two-thirds of that debt, and because of the gender pay gap, are more likely than men to have trouble paying off their debt. Black borrowers are the group most negatively affected by student loans, in large part because of systemic racism, the inequitable distribution of wealth, a stratified labor market, and rising college costs. Black women enroll in college at higher rates than Black men. But because they exist at the intersection of two marginalized identities and experience sexism and racism at the same time, they make less money and often need to borrow more to cover the cost of attendance, and struggle significantly with repayment. “Jim Crow Debt: How Black Borrowers Experience Student Loans,” a 2022 report published by The Education Trust in partnership with Jalil B. Mustaffa, Ph.D.,
On view through June 30, 2024
On view February 23 through June 4, 2023 Presenting Sponsor: Life On Canvas
DRAPO VODOU: HAITIAN VODOU FLAGS
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FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
Opening early 2023
CHILDREN’S BOARD FREE FAMILY DAY APRIL 29, 2023 Installation view, Purvis Young: Redux, 2022 Photographer: Cait Peterson
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