# American Student Debt Infographics Students Now Owe $1 trillion, or 6 Percent, of National Debt By Akihiko Tse | Published 2013-10-01 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-student-debt-infographic References: [cheapestcolleges.org](http://www.cheapestcolleges.org/student-debt/) & [cheapestcolleges.org](http://www.cheapestcolleges.org/) Student debt in America has now at a staggering $1 trillion, which is equivalent to about a 240 meter spherical money ball, according to an American student debt infographic by CheapestColleges.org. Such is the amount that has been accrued by students going into debt, that if the [U.S. government](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/platinum-card) divided $1 trillion between every household, it would come out to $9,009. In other words, to spend $1 trillion in one year, you would have to spend $189 million a day. With Obamacare such a hot button issue now, $1 trillion would be enough to cover the cost of healthcare spending -- which amounts to $959 billion -- and still have a surplus of $40 billion. More surprisingly, out of the $1 trillion owed, 15 percent, or $150 billion, is owed to [private lenders such as banks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mastercard-one-credential), while 85 per cent, or $864 billion is owed directly to the government. Overall, student debt has ballooned from $240 billion in 2003 to $1 trillion in 2013. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.7/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 8% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Youth](https://www.trendhunter.com/youth) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Rising Student Debt:** The ever-increasing amount of student debt in America presents an opportunity for disruptive innovations in the education financing industry. - **Government Vs Private Lenders:** The disparity between the amount owed to the government and private lenders highlights the need for innovative solutions in student loan refinancing and repayment. - **Healthcare Vs Student Debt:** The comparison between the cost of healthcare and student debt highlights potential opportunities for disruptive innovations in both industries. ### Who This Affects Most - **Education Financing:** The rising student debt trend necessitates innovation in the education financing industry to develop alternative financing models and reduce the burden on students. - **Financial Services:** The significant amount owed to private lenders presents an opportunity for innovative financial services that offer more favorable terms and repayment options for students. - **Healthcare:** The comparison between healthcare spending and student debt calls for disruptive innovation in both industries to address cost and accessibility issues. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Student Finance Management Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/student-manager.md) - [Debt Relief Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/debt-relief-initiative.md) - [Financial Challenges Mobile Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/achieve-good.md) - [Financial Literacy Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/secret-u.md) - [Barrierless Medical Schools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine.md) - [Beer Brand Bursaries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pilsner-tuition-tab.md) - [Student Network Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/studeen.md) - [Healthcare Education-Focused Scholarships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bee-healthy-scholarship.md) - [Teen Finance Education](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/simplybudget.md)