A College Board study released today has found that undergraduate student debt is heavier among African-American bachelor’s degree recipients than among graduates from other racial and ethnic groups. Twenty-seven percent of 2007-08 Black bachelor’s degree recipients borrowed $30,500 or more, compared to 16 percent of Whites, 14 percent of Hispanics/Latinos, and 9 percent of Asians. Along with the finding, reported in Who Borrows Most? Bachelor’s Degree Recipients with High Levels of Student Debt, researchers also found that a growing number of students are borrowing at high levels and taking out loans that are likely to cause substantial payment difficulties.

“The analyses in Who Borrows Most? emphasize the urgent need not only to strengthen postsecondary financing policies but to provide better guidance and improved financial literacy for students before they take out loans that will get them into trouble down the road,” said College Board president Gaston Caperton in a statement. “The College Board remains committed to working with our member schools and colleges, policymakers and families to help students understand their options and make levelheaded decisions.”

Known to the public for administering the SAT and the Advanced Placement program, the College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization comprising more than 5,700 schools and colleges

The Who Borrows Most? study found that among the 66 percent of bachelor’s degree recipients who graduated with debt, 25 percent borrowed $35,500 or more. The College Board has emphasized that high debt does not necessarily mean that a student would have trouble repaying their college debt. Many students with relatively low debt are as likely to struggle because of low earnings or failing to complete a certificate or degree program, according to the study.