Where Does Virginia Rank For Student Debt? New Study Weighs In

Virginia ranked among the states with a comparatively lower student debt burden in a recent nationwide analysis of borrowers' debt and economic opportunities.

WalletHub ranked Virginia 35th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., with No. 1 representing the state with the greatest student debt burden. Virginia received an overall score of 40.37.

Virginia ranked 34th for student-loan indebtedness and 43rd for grant and student work opportunities.

To compile its ranking, WalletHub compared states across 12 measures divided into two categories: student-loan indebtedness and grant and student work opportunities. Factors included average student debt, the proportion of students with debt, debt relative to income, past-due or defaulted loans, unemployment among adults ages 25 to 34 and the availability of student jobs and paid internships.

Nationally, outstanding student loan balances topped $1.72 trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2026, according to U.S. Department of Education data cited by WalletHub. About 42.6 million Americans have student loans, averaging more than $40,000 per borrower.

Mississippi ranked as having the greatest student debt problem, followed by Delaware, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia. Utah ranked 51st, indicating the lowest student debt burden in the study.

The analysis used data collected through Aug. 20 from federal agencies and other organizations, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Bank of New York and U.S. Department of Education.

Read the full ranking online.