Impact of Graduating With Debt as Recession Hit

Graduating from college in 2007-08, just as the recession hit, was particularly challenging. A new study by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics shows how much more difficult it was for those with student debt than for those who didn't have such debt.

Among the findings, which were based on a survey of the graduates as of 2012:

• 44 percent of those with debt had taken "an undesirable job or job outside field due to education cost," while this was the case for only 28 percent of non-borrowers.
• 44 percent of borrowers delayed the purchase of a home, compared to 23 percent of non-borrowers.
• 26 percent of those with debt delayed getting married, compared to 14 percent of non-borrowers.