How much debt is too much debt?

[CCD2016]

Where would everyone draw a comfortable line for debt? I was accepted into a top 30 program in my region/city of choice. I will, at most, will have to take ~25k out in debt to get my Master's there. I do not have any loans from undergrad or any other kind of debt. 

How much debt is too much debt, given this context?

[CakeTea]

Rule of thumb: Maximum debt < or = post graduation salary. But some people may be more debt averse when they have lot of undergrad student debt. I think you are on the right track. 

[Alphyn]

3 hours ago, CakeTea said:

Rule of thumb: Maximum debt < or = post graduation salary. But some people may be more debt averse when they have lot of undergrad student debt.  

Was about to come here to post this. Obviously the exact amount is going to be different depending on what you want to do, but you never want to take on more then what you expect to make annually after graduating. 

[OrientalYeezus]

On 4/29/2016 at 1:33 AM, CCD2016 said:

Where would everyone draw a comfortable line for debt? I was accepted into a top 30 program in my region/city of choice. I will, at most, will have to take ~25k out in debt to get my Master's there. I do not have any loans from undergrad or any other kind of debt. 

How much debt is too much debt, given this context?

bro, if you only have 25k in grad AND undergrad combined debt, you are well ahead of 90% of the people on here. you should be perfectly fine. that's a manageable amount of debt and there's not much need to stress out

[MD guy]

On April 29, 2016 at 1:33 AM, CCD2016 said:

Where would everyone draw a comfortable line for debt? I was accepted into a top 30 program in my region/city of choice. I will, at most, will have to take ~25k out in debt to get my Master's there. I do not have any loans from undergrad or any other kind of debt. 

How much debt is too much debt, given this context?

Very very good place you are in, young Padawan. Many would fist fight for a chance to go to a program in their preferred location with only $25,000 in the red over two years. Congrats. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that a fresh MPP/MPA grad can make more than $25k the first year out. 

[Kaneisha]

@CCD2016, you've already gotten some good advice here. I just wanted to pop in and give an actual number (many people overestimate the earning potential right out of policy school as many joint degrees and people who go into the private sector skew the numbers upward). I recommend you take on no more than $40,000 - $50,000 in student loan debt for the entire graduate degree. If you can really keep it down to $25,000, you're doing great and go for it! I also recommend applying to external (not school-based) scholarships and fellowships to bring that number down even more. Best of luck!