Black Americans Twice as Likely as Whites to Default on Student Debt

College is supposed to help Americans get ahead. So why has paying for it left so many falling behind?
Photographer: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe
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Nearly half of black Americans who borrowed from the federal government to attend college defaulted on their student loans—more than double the rate among white student debtors, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Education.

The figures are part of a comprehensive report out this month that examines students who first enrolled in college during the 2003-04 academic year and whether they defaulted on at least one federal loan over the next 12 years, or until June 2015.