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Student Loan Debt Essays

Student loan debt essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the impact of student loan debt on higher education.

Thesis Statement: The growing burden of student loan debt has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only individual borrowers but also the accessibility and affordability of higher education in the United States.

• Introduction
• Rising Student Loan Debt Levels
• Barriers to Accessing Higher Education
• The Impact on Career Choices and Financial Stability
• Potential Solutions and Policy Reforms

Essay Title 2: The Psychological and Emotional Toll of Student Loan Debt

Thesis Statement: Student loan debt can take a severe psychological and emotional toll on borrowers, affecting their mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.

• The Stress and Anxiety Associated with Debt
• Impact on Personal Relationships and Life Choices
• Strategies for Coping with Student Loan Debt Stress
• The Need for Mental Health Support

Essay Title 3: Exploring Solutions to the Student Loan Debt Crisis

Thesis Statement: Addressing the student loan debt crisis requires a multifaceted approach, including policy reforms, financial literacy education, and innovative repayment options, to provide relief for borrowers and future generations.

• Policies Aimed at Reducing Student Loan Debt
• Empowering Borrowers Through Financial Education
• Innovative Repayment Plans and Loan Forgiveness Programs
• Ensuring Affordability and Accessibility of Higher Education

10 Student Loan Debt Essay Topics

Exploring solutions to the student loan debt crisis is crucial for mitigating the financial burden on graduates and ensuring access to higher education. The following essay topics delve into various facets of this issue, presenting opportunities for problem-solution exploration:

• The Role of Federal Policy in Mitigating Student Loan Debt
• Innovative Repayment Plans.
• Private Sector Solutions for Student Loan Debt
• Educational Reform for Affordable Tuition
• Financial Literacy and Student Loan Debt
• Community and Technical Colleges as a Solution to High Student Loan Debt
• The Impact of Scholarship Expansion on Student Loan Debt
• Bankruptcy Law Reforms to Address Student Loan Debt
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Enhancements
• Technology-Based Solutions for Student Loan Management

Student loan debt in the United States has reached unprecedented levels, with millions of Americans grappling with the financial and emotional strain of repaying their education loans. This crisis not only hampers individual financial growth but also has broader economic implications, restricting consumer spending and contributing to wealth inequality.

Problem-solution essays on student loan debt offer a platform to investigate the roots of this issue and propose innovative solutions. From federal policy reforms to grassroots financial literacy programs, these essays explore multifaceted approaches to alleviate the student loan debt burden. By examining successful case studies and drawing on expert analyses, students can present comprehensive strategies that address both the immediate challenges of loan repayment and the systemic issues of higher education financing. Through such discourse, we can begin to envision a future where higher education is accessible and affordable for all, free from the shackles of debilitating debt. For those looking for problem solution essay examples offered free , ample resources are available to guide and inspire comprehensive solutions.

Student Loan Debt: The Problem and Solution

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Budgeting: a Crucial Tool for College Students

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The Student Loan Problem in America and Ways to Solve It

Analysis of forgiving student loan debt by providing a one-time bailout as a solution, student loan debt struggle in the united states, the origins and future of student loan debt crisis in america, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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The Issue of African American College Students Loan Debt

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Student loan debt refers to the financial obligation incurred by individuals who borrow funds specifically for educational purposes. It is a type of debt that students accumulate to cover the costs of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses during their pursuit of higher education. Student loan debt typically consists of borrowed money from government-based programs or private lending institutions, which students must repay over a specified period of time, often with interest.

Student loan debt in the United States has reached staggering levels and has become a pressing issue in today's society. As of recent data, the total student loan debt in the US exceeds trillions of dollars, making it one of the largest sources of debt for Americans. Many factors contribute to the current state of student loan debt, including rising tuition costs, limited access to grants and scholarships, and the increasing number of students pursuing higher education. The burden of student loan debt has far-reaching consequences for individuals and the economy as a whole. Many borrowers struggle to make timely repayments, leading to financial strain, delayed milestones such as homeownership or starting a family, and limited career choices. The ripple effects extend to the broader economy, affecting consumer spending, saving rates, and overall economic growth. Efforts to address the student loan debt crisis are underway, including income-driven repayment plans, loan forgiveness programs, and increased financial literacy initiatives. However, the magnitude of the problem necessitates further attention and comprehensive solutions to ensure that higher education remains accessible and affordable while mitigating the long-term impact of student loan debt on individuals and society.

Student loan debt has a significant historical context that spans several decades. The roots of the issue can be traced back to the mid-20th century when higher education became increasingly expensive, leading to a surge in the need for student loans. In the United States, the establishment of the Federal Student Aid program in the 1960s aimed to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education. However, the situation evolved over time, and the accumulation of student loan debt became a pressing concern. During the 1980s and 1990s, tuition fees continued to rise, and the availability of federal grants decreased. As a result, students increasingly relied on loans to finance their education. The early 2000s witnessed a further expansion of the student loan market, with private lenders entering the scene alongside the government-backed loans. This expansion brought about changes in lending practices and the increasing burden of debt on students.

The influence of student loan debt extends beyond the individual level and has a profound impact on various aspects of society. Firstly, it affects the financial well-being of borrowers, often causing stress, limited financial freedom, and delayed milestones such as homeownership or retirement savings. The burden of debt can also impact mental health, creating anxiety and depression among borrowers. On a broader scale, student loan debt influences the economy. High levels of debt can hinder consumer spending and savings rates, affecting economic growth. Graduates burdened with student loans may delay or forego major life decisions, such as starting a business or pursuing advanced degrees, which can impede innovation and entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, student loan debt exacerbates social and economic inequalities. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds may face additional challenges in accessing higher education due to financial constraints, widening the opportunity gap. The burden of debt can also perpetuate intergenerational poverty, as individuals struggle to accumulate wealth and provide for future generations.

Public opinion on student loan debt is multifaceted and varies among individuals. However, there are some common themes that emerge. Many people acknowledge the growing concern surrounding student loan debt and the challenges it poses for borrowers. There is a general recognition that the rising cost of education and the increasing reliance on loans have created a significant burden for students and graduates. Public opinion is often divided on the responsibility of borrowers versus the role of educational institutions and the government. Some argue that borrowers should take personal responsibility for their loans, while others believe that the education system and policymakers should be held accountable for the affordability and accessibility of higher education. There is growing support for measures aimed at addressing student loan debt, such as loan forgiveness programs, income-based repayment plans, and efforts to lower interest rates. Many individuals believe that these initiatives can provide relief to borrowers and alleviate the financial stress associated with student loans.

1. As of 2021, the total student loan debt in the United States exceeds $1.7 trillion, making it the second-largest consumer debt category after mortgages. 2. Approximately 45 million Americans carry student loan debt, with an average debt per borrower of around $38,000. 3. The average monthly student loan payment for borrowers aged 20 to 30 is $393, which can significantly impact their financial stability and ability to save or invest. 4. Student loan debt is not only prevalent among recent graduates. Around 14% of borrowers are over the age of 50, often carrying debt from their own education or supporting their children's education. 5. Student loan default rates remain a concern. As of 2021, the federal student loan default rate was around 9%, indicating the financial challenges faced by some borrowers. 6. High levels of student loan debt can hinder homeownership rates. Studies suggest that the burden of student loans can delay or deter individuals from purchasing homes, impacting the housing market. 7. Certain professions, such as doctors and lawyers, often accumulate substantial student loan debt due to the extended education required for their careers.

The topic of student loan debt is of paramount importance as it addresses a pressing financial and societal issue that affects millions of individuals in the United States. Writing an essay on student loan debt allows us to delve into the multifaceted consequences it poses on borrowers and the broader economy. The staggering amount of outstanding debt, coupled with rising tuition costs, presents a significant barrier to accessing higher education and achieving economic mobility. Furthermore, the burden of student loan debt impacts borrowers' financial well-being, hindering their ability to save, invest, and contribute to the economy. Exploring the public's opinion, representation in media, and potential policy solutions can provide valuable insights into the urgency of addressing this crisis. By discussing student loan debt, we foster a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by borrowers and encourage dialogues that may lead to effective measures for easing this financial strain and supporting the pursuit of education.

1. Akers, B., & Chingos, M. M. (2014). Is a student loan crisis on the horizon? The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/research/is-a-student-loan-crisis-on-the-horizon/ 2. Baum, S., & O'Malley, M. (2003). College on credit: How borrowers perceive their education debt. The College Board. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED494509.pdf 3. Dynarski, S. M. (2014). Building the stock of college-educated labor. Journal of Labor Economics, 32(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1086/674012 4. Houle, J. N. (2014). Disparities in debt: Parents' socioeconomic resources and young adult student loan debt. Sociology of Education, 87(1), 53-69. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040713514014 5. Jackson, K. M. (2018). The impact of student loan debt on job satisfaction outcomes. Journal of Student Financial Aid, 48(1), 29-52. https://doi.org/10.4148/2572-456X.1018 6. Litten, L. H., & Ackerman, D. B. (2019). A comprehensive approach to student loan debt counseling. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 30(1), 43-57. https://doi.org/10.1891/1052-3073.30.1.43 7. Looney, A., & Yannelis, C. (2015). A crisis in student loans? How changes in the characteristics of borrowers and in the institutions they attended contributed to rising loan defaults. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 2015(1), 1-89. https://doi.org/10.1353/eca.2015.0001 8. Lusardi, A., Schneider, D. J., & Tufano, P. (2011). Financially fragile households: Evidence and implications. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 2011(2), 83-134. https://doi.org/10.1353/eca.2011.0016 9. Scott-Clayton, J. (2019). The looming student loan default crisis is worse than we thought. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-default-crisis-is-worse-than-we-thought/ 10. Zafar, B. (2013). Borrowing constraints and the returns to schooling. Annual Review of Economics, 5(1), 347-365. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-072412-133425

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Student Debt - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

Student debt refers to the cumulative outstanding loans taken out to cover educational costs, which has become a significant issue, especially in the United States. Essays could delve into the causes and consequences of escalating student debt, its impact on economic mobility, and proposed solutions to alleviate the burden of student debt on individuals and society. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Student Debt you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

More than Stress Biological Effects of Student Debt

Introduction: ""Student debt is on the rise is a statement made by every article that examines student debt. Studies that consider the effects of student debt on college students have concluded that that those who take out loans and gain debt are affected negatively by the need to pay those debts and having to add that to their long list of responsibilities. Thus, the popular notion is that student loans make these students stressed and full of anxiety even leading […]

Decrease Student Debt as Step for the Future of America

America has always been known as one of the freest and most prosperous countries that exist in our modern world today. Freedom is the staple of our country and is what distinguishes us from other places in the world. We, as citizens in the United States, enjoy an incredibly vast array of rights and laws from which we benefit every day, even if we are not actively aware of it. There are so many reasons why we can take pride […]

Why College Matters

The price of attending college has risen dramatically over the past few decades, so much that it causes many second thoughts and doubts from young adults who preferred to attend. These doubts are mostly centered around the amount of student debt loan they might be burdened with. Americans now have 1.3 trillion in student debt, this is a crisis that many people have been said will be solved with free community and state college. State and community college should be […]

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Reflections on the Worth of College and Student Debt

The unemployment levels for high school and college graduates alike have reached record heights. This surfaces the hugely controversial argument: Is college worth it? With student debt crossing detrimental lines and acceptance rates at all-time lows, many people are starting to lean towards the negative side of this ongoing argument. Although college does teach more than just the basics for scholastic intelligence, my beliefs have started to stray towards the negative side as well. Unless you need a college education […]

Why College Tuition should be Free

There are so many reasons why college should be free for everyone. First there would be fewer people that would need to have government assistance. Also with free college education there would be smarter people making better decisions that could help solve our most difficult challenges. Students won’t graduate without a job and $ 30,000 student loan debt. Finally, most jobs in today's society ethier need some kind of degree, or technical training of some sort. This is why I […]

Is College Worth the Expense?

This paper will be debating whether the cost of college is worth the expense. There are several factors that go into debating whether you should attend college or not. The stress associated with financing college in the United States has raised a big red flag for many people. Not only can college put you in debt, but it can also cause you a lot of stress. As many people know college is very pricey. You can go several thousand dollars […]

The Economic Burden: Analyzing the Impact of Student Debt on Individuals and Society

Within the realm of higher education, a looming specter casts its shadow—a financial burden that not only burdens individuals but also reverberates throughout society. Student debt, an omnipresent reality for many, holds sway over both personal finances and broader economic structures. To truly grasp the extent of this issue, one must navigate the intricate network of factors that contribute to the economic weight of student loans. At the heart of this issue lies the individual experience, where the repercussions of […]

Breaking the Chains: Strategies for Addressing and Alleviating the Student Debt Crisis

In the labyrinth of higher education, a formidable specter haunts the dreams of countless students: the student debt crisis. Like chains forged from the weight of financial obligations, it binds aspirations and stifles progress, leaving a generation burdened with unprecedented economic strain. Yet, amid this daunting challenge, lies a tapestry of innovative strategies waiting to be woven, promising liberation from the shackles of debt. Central to any effective approach is a deep understanding of the crisis's roots. The soaring cost […]

The Double-Edged Sword of Student Loans in Higher Education

In the expansive domain of advanced learning, the terrain is profoundly influenced by the availability and ramifications of student loans, a fiscal apparatus crafted to bridge the chasm between aspiration and actuality for multitudes aspiring toward tertiary education. While student loans have unquestionably unlocked doors for myriad individuals who may otherwise have been unable to afford college, they also carry ramifications that reverberate through diverse facets of access, affordability, enrollment rates, scholastic achievement, and post-graduation outcomes. This discourse delves into […]

How to Write an Essay About Student Debt

Understanding the issue of student debt.

Before writing an essay about student debt, it's essential to understand the extent and implications of this issue. Student debt refers to the money borrowed to finance higher education, which can include tuition, room and board, and other related expenses. Begin your essay by outlining the current state of student debt, including the average amount of debt per student and the total debt nationwide. Discuss the factors that have contributed to the rise in student debt, such as the increasing cost of college tuition, changes in government funding for education, and the broader economic context. It's also important to understand the impact of student debt on individuals, including its effects on financial stability, career choices, and mental health.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on student debt should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about student debt. For example, you might explore the socioeconomic implications of student debt, analyze the effectiveness of current loan forgiveness programs, or argue for a particular policy solution to address the student debt crisis. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your topic.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To support your thesis, gather evidence from various sources, such as economic studies, government reports, and personal testimonies. This might include data on the long-term financial impact of student debt, analysis of the demographic disparities in student debt, or case studies of individuals or communities particularly affected by it. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Be sure to consider different perspectives and address potential counterarguments.

Analyzing the Impact of Student Debt

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing the impact of student debt. Discuss how it affects individual choices and opportunities, including career decisions, homeownership, and family planning. Consider the broader economic and social implications, such as the potential for student debt to exacerbate income inequality or influence economic growth. Also, explore the psychological effects of carrying large amounts of debt over a prolonged period.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the importance of addressing student debt as a significant issue facing society. You might also want to suggest areas for future research, policy changes, or action steps to mitigate the impact of student debt.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and refine it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers, educators, or financial experts to further improve your essay. A well-written essay on student debt will not only demonstrate your understanding of the issue but also your ability to engage with complex economic and social topics.

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Is it fair to forgive student loans? Examining 3 of the arguments of a heated debate

Scott Horsley

Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of The White House on Aug. 25 to celebrate President Biden cancelling student debt. The plan has sparked heated debate, including about its economic fairness. Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We the 45m hide caption

Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of The White House on Aug. 25 to celebrate President Biden cancelling student debt. The plan has sparked heated debate, including about its economic fairness.

President Biden's plan to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt is sparking heated debate.

Biden last week announced plans to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for others who qualify.

The news will provide relief for borrowers at a time when the cost of higher education has surged.

Student loan forgiveness is politically popular. But not all Democrats are on board

But critics are questioning the fairness of the plan and warn about the potential impact on inflation should the students with the forgiven loans increase their spending.

Here are three key arguments – for and against the wisdom of Biden's decision.

Raising living standards or adding fuel to inflation?

Undoubtedly, student debt is a big burden for a lot of people.

Under Biden's plan, 43 million people stand to have their loan payments reduced, while 20 million would have their debt forgiven altogether.

People whose payments are cut or eliminated should have more money to spend elsewhere – maybe to buy a car, put a down payment on a house or even put money aside for their own kids' college savings plan. So the debt forgiveness has the potential to raise the living standard for tens of millions of people.

Critics, however, say that additional spending power would just pour more gasoline on the inflationary fire in an economy where businesses are already struggling to keep up with consumer demand.

Inflation remains near its highest rate in 40 years and the Federal Reserve is moving to aggressively raise interest rates in hopes of bringing prices back under control.

Not all economists believe the debt forgiveness will do much to fuel inflation.

Debt forgiveness is not like the $1200 relief checks the government sent out last year, which some experts say added to inflationary pressure. Borrowers won't suddenly have $20,000 deposited in their bank accounts. Instead, they'll be relieved of making loan payments over many years.

President Biden announces student loan relief in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 24. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Biden announces student loan relief in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 24.

Because the relief is dribbled out slowly, Ali Bustamante, who's with left-leaning Roosevelt Institute says Biden's move won't move the needle on inflation very much.

"It's just really a drop in the bucket when it come to just the massive level of consumer spending in our very service- and consumer-driven economy," he says.

The White House also notes that borrowers who still have outstanding student debt will have to start making payments again next year. Those payments have been on hold throughout the pandemic.

Restarting them will take money out of borrower's pockets, offsetting some of the additional spending power that comes from loan forgiveness.

Helping lower income Americans or a sop to the rich?

Another big point of contention has to do with fairness.

Forgiving loans would would effectively transfer hundreds of billions of dollars in debt from individuals and families to the federal government, and ultimately, the taxpayers.

Some believe that transfer effectively penalizes people who scrimped and saved to pay for college, as well as the majority of Americans who don't go to college.

They might not mind subsidizing a newly minted social worker, making $25,000 a year. But they might bristle at underwriting debt relief for a business school graduate who's about to go to Wall Street and earn six figures.

Students from George Washington University wear their graduation gowns outside of the White House in Washington, D.C, on May 18. Economists worry President Biden's plan to forgive student loans could encourage more people to take on debt in the hopes of also being forgiven. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Students from George Washington University wear their graduation gowns outside of the White House in Washington, D.C, on May 18. Economists worry President Biden's plan to forgive student loans could encourage more people to take on debt in the hopes of also being forgiven.

The White House estimates 90% of the debt relief would go to people making under $75,000 a year. Lower-income borrowers who qualified for Pell Grants in college are eligible for twice as much debt forgiveness as other borrowers.

But individuals making as much as $125,000 and couples making up to $250,000 are eligible for some debt forgiveness. Subsidizing college for those upper-income borrowers might rub people the wrong way.

"I still think a lot of this benefit is going to go to doctors, lawyers, MBAs, other graduates that have very high earnings potential and may even have very high earnings this year already," says Marc Goldwein senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Helping those in need or making college tuition worse?

Goldwein also complains that the loan forgiveness doesn't address the larger problem of soaring college tuition costs.

In fact, he suggests, it might make that problem worse — like a Band-Aid that masks a more serious infection underneath.

For years, the cost of college education has risen much faster than inflation, which is one reason student debt has exploded.

And now what? The question that follows Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

By forgiving some of that debt, the government will provide relief to current and former students.

But Goldwein says the government might encourage future students to take on even more debt, while doing little to instill cost discipline at schools.

"People are going to assume there's a likelihood that debt is canceled again and again," Goldwein says. "And if you assume there's a likelihood it's canceled, you're going to be more likely to take out more debt up front. That's going to give colleges more pricing power to raise tuition without pressure and to offer more low-value degrees."

The old rule in economics is when the government subsidizes something, you tend to get more of it. And that includes high tuition and college debt.

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College students' financial behavior and credit card debt

• Masters Thesis
• Albannai, Sahar
• Martin, Allen
• Family and Consumer Sciences
• California State University, Northridge
• Dissertations, Academic -- CSUN -- Family & Consumer Sciences.
• 2015-07-13T21:22:09Z
• http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/142268
• by Sahar Albannai
• California State University, Northridge. Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
• Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-48)

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Student debt forgiveness would impact nearly every aspect of people’s lives

Subscribe to global connection, stephen roll , stephen roll research assistant professor, social policy institute, brown school - washington university in st. louis jason jabbari , and jason jabbari research assistant professor - social policy institute at washington university in st. louis michal grinstein-weiss michal grinstein-weiss nonresident senior fellow - economic studies @michalgw.

May 18, 2021

Though the emergency relief measures passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed student loan borrowers to defer their loan payments, student loan debt burdens still loom large for millions of U.S. households. According to the Federal Reserve , the national student debt level in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $1.7 trillion spread across 45 million borrowers—the highest level on record. Given the size of the debt burden, it is perhaps unsurprising that the possibility of student loan forgiveness has become a major policy discussion.

Most recently, President Joe Biden called for $10,000 in student debt forgiveness, while others, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, have called for as much as $50,000 in debt forgiveness. Some have even called for total debt forgiveness, which would represent a larger amount of spending than the cumulative spending on unemployment insurance over the last 20 years . In a recent poll from the Center for Responsible Lending, 63 percent of respondents supported permanently reducing student loan debt by $20,000. As policymakers grapple with this question, it is important to explore how debt forgiveness might relate to household behaviors.

A student loan forgiveness experiment

To examine the relationship between student debt forgiveness and household behaviors, researchers at the Social Policy Institute conducted a survey experiment that asked participants with student debt to imagine a scenario in which the federal government forgave some amount of their student debt, and then had these participants report on how this would affect their decisions and behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions that featured different levels of student debt forgiveness:

• Condition 1: $5,000 of student debt forgiveness
• Condition 2: $10,000 of student debt forgiveness
• Condition 3: $20,000 of student debt forgiveness
• Condition 4: All student debt forgiven

Participants could then select different behaviors they would engage in if their student debt were forgiven. The response options were intended to capture a wide range of experiences like working less, changing purchasing behaviors, having children or getting married, saving for different purposes, or returning to school. In total, 1,009 respondents who reported having student debt participated in the experiment.

The amount of debt forgiven matters

We present the results from this experiment in Figure 1. Generally speaking, the most common ways people reported that they would change their behaviors after student debt forgiveness—regardless of the amount forgiven—concerned their balance sheets. Large proportions of student debt holders reported that they would pay down other debts, save more for emergencies, save for a down payment on a home, or save more for retirement.

Figure 1. The relationship between the amount of student debt forgiven and household behaviors

Source: Social Policy Institute

Note: These results are from a survey experiment in which student debt holders were randomly assigned to receive one of four levels of student debt forgiveness. The impacts of the different levels of debt forgiveness were estimated using logistic regression models that also controlled for the amount of student debt held by participants. N=1,009. The brackets on each bar represent the 95 percent confidence interval of each estimate.

Turning to the differences between experimental conditions, we see interesting patterns in the relationship between the amount of debt forgiven and household behaviors. In particular:

• The amount of student debt forgiven was not strongly associated with either working less or paying down other debts.
• Higher levels of student debt forgiveness were associated with higher reported rates of purchasing more/better food, making large purchases like a car or appliance, returning to school, and saving more for emergencies.
• Student debt holders only say they would save more for retirement if all their student debt were forgiven, which implies that many student debt holders would prioritize other behaviors over the long-term goal of saving for retirement.
• Student debt holders were also twice as likely to report that they would have a child if they received $10,000 of debt forgiveness or complete debt forgiveness as they would if they only received $5,000 of debt forgiveness ($20,000 of debt forgiveness did not produce a statistically significant difference from $5,000).
• Higher amounts of student debt forgiveness were associated with other investment behaviors like starting a business or savings for a down payment on a home, as well as a willingness to spend more on entertainment.

The proportion of debt forgiven matters, too

In Figure 2, we shift our focus away from the amount of debt forgiveness to the proportion of debt forgiveness. For this analysis, we converted the amount of forgiveness in each experimental condition to a percentage based on each participant’s reported amount of student debt. That is, someone with $20,000 of student debt assigned to the $5,000 forgiveness condition would have 25 percent of their student debt forgiven, whereas if that person were assigned to the $10,000 forgiveness condition, they would have 50 percent of their debt forgiven. Everyone assigned to Condition 4, as well as everyone assigned to a condition that offered more student debt forgiveness than the amount of debt they owed, were coded as having 100 percent of their student debt forgiven.

Figure 2. The relationship between the proportion of student debt forgiven and household behaviors

Note: These results are from a survey experiment in which student debt holders were randomly assigned to receive one of four levels of student debt forgiveness. The proportions were calculated by diving the amount of student debt held by the proposed amount of student debt forgiven. The impacts of the different proportions of debt forgiveness were estimated using logistic regression models that also controlled for the amount of student debt held by participants. N=1,009. The brackets on each bar represent the 95 percent confidence interval of each estimate.

Interestingly, Figure 2 shows some interesting differences in response patterns when we shift from considering the amount forgiven to the proportion forgiven.

• There is now a clear relationship between the proportion of student debt forgiven and working less—roughly 10 percent of respondents who had 50 percent or more of their student debt forgiven would work less, compared to almost no one having 25 percent or less of their debt forgiven.
• Respondents having less than half of their student debt forgiven were much more likely to report paying down other debts than those with higher proportions of debt forgiven.
• The bulk of respondents saying they would be more likely to have a child if their student debt were forgiven were those who would have all their debt forgiven.
• Respondents became much more likely to report that they would save for emergencies once the proportion of their student debt forgiven exceeds 25 percent, and were more likely to return to school when the proportion exceeds 50 percent.
• Respondents who had all of their debt forgiven were also much more likely to report starting a business as well.

Student debt forgiveness would benefit both high- and low-income households

As a supplemental analysis, we investigated whether or not student debt holders’ incomes influenced the relationship between student debt forgiveness amounts and hypothetical changes in their behaviors. Interestingly, for the vast majority of possible behaviors, both high- and low-income households reported that different amounts of student debt forgiveness would affect them in similar ways. The one primary exception to this was in terms of savings for emergencies—low-income households were much more likely than high-income households to say that they would increase the amount they saved for emergencies as the amount of student debt forgiveness increased.

Implications

These results show two things. First, they show how extensively student debt affects debt holders. The responses to this experiment indicate that student debt is strongly influencing decisions that can have large implications for household economic stability (e.g., emergency savings) and mobility (e.g., saving for a down payment on a home, starting a business). In addition, student debt may be altering the structure of families themselves. Roughly 7 percent of respondents reported that they would be more likely to get married (results not shown) or have children if their student debt were forgiven, indicating that this debt burden is affecting even fundamental decisions about debt holders’ life trajectories.

Second, these results show that the level of student debt forgiveness matters. In particular, setting a student debt forgiveness target too low may not lead to broad-based changes in households’ economic behaviors. However, setting a student debt forgiveness amount at a point where the average debt holder would have more than a quarter of their debt forgiven may yield large changes in savings behaviors, human capital investments (e.g., returning to school), and business starts, without leading to large changes in labor supply.

As policymakers grapple with whether or not to forgive student debt, how much to forgive, and who gets their debt forgiven, it is important to consider the impact of debt forgiveness on household behaviors and how this might differ by the amount of debt held. Our results suggest that larger amounts of debt forgiveness can improve both family stability and upward mobility—especially when these amounts make up a greater proportion of their overall student debt amounts.

A proportional approach to student loan forgiveness

Among those who are considering student debt forgiveness policies, the debate is often framed as a choice between a universal or a targeted policy approach. In this debate, proponents of targeted approaches suggest that universal approaches tend to be inequitable, as they offer benefits to individuals who don’t necessarily need them, and that these approaches tend to be unfair, as these breaks do not apply to previous debt holders who paid off their student loans. As universal approaches tend to be more expensive, proponents of targeted approaches also note fiscal trade-offs, as the money used to pay off the “luxuries” of higher earners could instead be used to help lower earners meet basic needs, such as food and housing.

While the universal approach often focuses on the dollar amount of debt forgiven and the targeted approach often focuses on the income threshold for who would qualify for debt forgiveness, our results suggest that an approach forgiving a proportion of loans should be considered as an option as well. Here, policies could take into account the actual amount of individuals’ debt and forgive a certain proportion of it. This strategy could be applied to either universal or targeted debt forgiveness, or a combination of both approaches. For example, all individuals could have a proportion of their student debt forgiven, and this proportion could increase for lower-income individuals. This approach would have the benefit of addressing the equity concerns of those advocating for a more targeted approach, while still providing real and substantial benefits to student debt holders across the income spectrum.

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Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

Student loan debt and the career choices of college graduates with majors in the arts

• Original Article
• Published: 16 March 2023
• Volume 48 , pages 95–115, ( 2024 )

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• Richard J. Paulsen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6138-312X 1  

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This study looks to test the impact of student loan debt on the career choices of college graduates with majors in the arts in the USA. As earnings are on average lower and more variable for arts graduates when compared to graduates of many other fields, I hypothesize that student loan debt will decrease the likelihood arts graduates will work in jobs related to their major fields of study. National Survey of College Graduates data is used to test this hypothesis. I find that for arts graduates, owing on student debt decreases the likelihood of working in jobs closely related to their major fields by over 25% and decreases the likelihood they work as artists by over 30%. For all college graduates, the negative impact of student debt on working in closely related jobs to their major fields is only 3%. Student debt may have potential distributional impacts on who works as artists, as Black and Hispanic graduates and those whose parents did not attend college are more likely to have student debt and less likely to be working in jobs closely related to their major field of study. Policies that help to alleviate the debt burden on arts graduates, like debt relief, could help to mitigate these negative distributional impacts.

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1 Introduction

Student loan debt is an issue that has received increasing attention in the USA in recent years. As of late 2021, the total amount of outstanding student loan debt in the USA exceeded $1.5 trillion (Hansen, 2022 ), and student loan forgiveness was a talking point that received major attention in the 2020 democratic primaries (Nova, 2019 ). In late August of 2022 the Biden administration announced a plan to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student debt for all borrowers and up to $20,000 in federal student debt for borrowers from low-income backgrounds. Borrowers also saw a pause on student loan repayments that began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and ran through the end of 2022 (Kanno-Youngs et al., 2022 ). While student loan debt is a concern of many college graduates, graduates of low earning fields, like the arts, have the potential to be greatly impacted by this debt. The spotlight on graduates of the arts grew especially bright following mainstream media attention surrounding master’s degree programs with high debt-to-earnings ratios for graduates, many of which are programs in the arts at top U.S. universities (Korn & Fuller, 2021 ).

Theoretical and empirical research on arts workers paint a picture of a labor market that differs in many ways from traditional labor markets. Artists are thought to be motivated in their pursuit of artistic creation (Throsby, 1994 ), and the nature of artistic output is such that a select few superstars may emerge with high earnings while the vast majority have earnings that are low (Rosen, 1981 ). The consequence in the empirical literature has been a labor market with characteristics like low average earnings (within the study sample, average yearly earnings in arts occupations is below $60,000 while average yearly earnings in non-arts occupations is over $80,000) and multiple jobholding, and for college graduates of the arts high shares working outside the arts. Works using data from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project have found that about 60% of arts graduates work in jobs they consider to be closely related to their majors (Lindemann et al., 2012 ). However, works using the American Community survey find that less than a quarter work in arts occupations (Wassall & Alper, 2018 ). While artists may be intrinsically motivated to pursue artistic creation, financial limitations may make doing so difficult, and for college graduates, student loan debt may limit the feasibility of working in the arts even further (White, 2016 ).

This work looks to understand how student loan debt impacts the career choices of college graduates with degrees in the arts. Using National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) data, I present descriptive tables and use logistic regression to empirically test for the impact of student debt on the likelihood arts graduates work in jobs closely related to their fields of study. Student debt is found to decrease the likelihood arts graduates are working in jobs closely related to their major fields by over 25%. Student debt is found to decrease the likelihood of working in an arts occupation by over 30%. Across all majors, owing on student loan debt is found to decrease the likelihood of working in jobs closely related to the major fields of study by just 3%. When asked why arts graduates are not working in closely related jobs, more than 75% report pay as a reason, and pay is reported at an even higher rate for those with student debt. Evidence is presented which also suggests that student loan debt may impact who ultimately works as an artist, as those who are white and have college-educated parents are more likely to work in closely related occupations and less likely to have borrowed student loans to attend college. Student debt relief, tuition caps, and other policies that alleviate the burden of debt on arts graduates could help to mitigate these negative impacts.

Before proceeding, it is important to call attention to the contributions of this work. Smith and Albana ( 2022 ) recently published a work looking at the relationship between student loan debt and education-job match among arts graduates using data from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). While the SNAAP is an invaluable data source for studying the careers of arts graduates, using the SNAAP comes with limitations. Notably, schools must elect to participate in the SNAAP, and as such the sample may not be representative of the broader population of arts graduates in the U.S. A key contribution of this work is in answering these questions using the NSCG, a dataset based on random sampling of U.S. college graduates. Reproducing the findings of studies that use SNAAP data with random samples of the U.S. artist workforce only strengthens the external validity of the conclusions drawn using SNAAP data. A further benefit of the NSCG is that the sample contains and primarily consists of non-arts graduates, allowing for a comparison between the two groups, which presents a second important contribution of this work. Given that models of artistic labor markets, like the work-preference model of Throsby ( 1994 ), hypothesize significant differences between artists and non-artists, empirical analyses that allow for comparisons between artists and non-artists are crucial for our understanding of artistic labor markets.

2 Literature

2.1 artists and arts majors’ careers.

The study of arts labor markets can be particularly interesting as artists are theorized to differ from other workers in many ways, and evidence supports this notion. The traditional approach to thinking about labor supply posits that workers face a tradeoff between labor, which leads to income for consumption, and leisure, free time available for enjoyment when not working. While this is likely an accurate depiction of the labor market for many workers, some workers, like artists, are likely to enjoy the work itself, leading to utility from working beyond that associated with the consumption from income. Throsby ( 1994 ) introduces a work preference model to try to explain the labor market decisions of artists. The model assumes that artists are motivated by the desire to create their art and want to spend as much time engaged in artistic creation as possible, recognizing though that there is some minimum level of income necessary to survive that must be obtained through work in the arts or elsewhere. Superstar (Adler, 1985 ; Rosen, 1981 ) or “winner-take-all” (Frank & Cook, 1995 ) markets may also explain differences in the behavior of artists relative to other workers. In the arts, a small number of superstars emerge that earn very high incomes, while most workers have low incomes. The competition to become a superstar, coupled with overconfidence—the unrealistic belief for many artists that they will be the one that becomes the star—can lead to a large artistic labor supply. An oversupply of artists is an issue that has been discussed by many authors [see Lingo and Tepper ( 2013 ) for further discussion]. The work preference and winner-take-all models would predict several differences between artistic and non-artistic labor markets like lower average earnings and higher rates of multiple jobholding.

As the models predict, empirical research on the labor market for artists finds several differences between the labor market for artists and the market for other workers. These differences tend to be negative or of a precarious nature (Alacovska & Bille, 2021 ; Bridgstock et al., 2015 ). Relative to other professional workers, artists have low average incomes (Throsby, 1986 ; Wassall & Alper, 2018 ) and high levels of unemployment (Alper & Wassall, 2006 ; Menger, 2006 ). Multiple jobholding is also more common among artists (Alper & Wassall, 2000 ; Menger, 2006 ; Throsby and Peteskaya, 2017 ), as is self-employment (Alper & Wassall, 2006 ; Woronkowicz & Noonan, 2019 ) and short-term project-based work (Bridgstock, 2005 ). Artists’ motivations for self-employed work also differ from those of other workers (Feder & Woronkowicz, 2022 ).

The labor market for college graduates with majors in the arts, both within and outside of the United States, has also received much attention. Several studies have looked to assess whether U.S. college graduates with majors in the arts have gone on to work in the arts. One source for answering such questions is the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP), a survey of U.S. arts graduates. Lindemann et al. ( 2012 ) use this data and find that 57% of those employed recently report working in arts-related occupations. Among arts majors in the SNAAP data not working in the arts, Lena et al. ( 2014 ) report that the most common reasons for not working in the arts are arts jobs not being available, debt, and higher pay elsewhere. Frenette and Dowd ( 2020 ) find that being white and male are predictive of working in the arts, as is having a graduate degree in the arts. The American Community Survey (ACS), which samples a random 1% of the U.S. population yearly, has also been used to identify the share of arts graduates working in the arts. Looking at individual occupations, studies using ACS data have found that less than a quarter of arts graduates are working as artists (BFAMFAPhD, 2014 ; Wassall & Alper, 2018 ). While ACS data suggest that small shares of arts majors go on to work as artists, Paulsen et al. ( 2021 ) find that arts majors put their creative skills to good use playing big roles in entrepreneurship and innovation. Like the labor market for artists, the labor market for arts majors differs from the labor market for college graduates generally, through ways like lower average incomes (Wassall & Alper, 2018 ) and in how they are impacted by recessions (Paulsen, 2021 ). A current gap in the literature on arts majors in the U.S. is in reconciling differences between the high shares that report working in related occupations coming from SNAAP data and the low shares working as artists found using ACS data based on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) definition of who is an artist.

Works on the labor market for artists in Australia and other markets outside of the U.S. can help to inform our understanding of the careers of arts graduates within the U.S. Cunningham (Cunningham, 2014a , b ) and the Australian Research Centre of excellence for creative industries and innovation have developed a model of measuring the creative workforce dubbed the ‘Creative Trident’ that measures creative workers in a more holistic manner than the measure coming from the NEA. In the creative trident model of measuring the creative workforce, three groups of workers are included: workers in creative occupations (artists), workers in occupations in other industries that use creative skills, and non-creatives employed in the creative industries in support occupations (Bridgstock et al., 2015 ). Beyond these groups, others have highlighted jobs educating creatives as common and fruitful careers for creative graduates. For music graduates in Australia and the U.K., Brook et al. ( 2020 ) find that these graduates were more than twice as likely to be working in education than in music. Interestingly, those graduates employed in education had greater levels of career satisfaction than those employed in music. Using a sample of design graduates in the Netherlands, Lavanga et al. ( 2021 ) find that only about one-third spend 100% of working time on degree-related work. Not surprisingly, degree-related income is positively associated with time spent on degree-related work. While certainly not all artists have completed an artistic education, Bille and Jensen ( 2018 ) find that for artists in Denmark, having an artistic education has a positive impact on survival in arts occupations.

Like works on the U.S. cultural workforce, scholars looking at creative workers outside the U.S. similarly find evidence that marginalized groups face barriers to success in the arts. Looking at creative graduates in the U.K., Comunian et al. ( 2011 ) find evidence of an earnings penalty for women. Looking at Britain’s cultural and creative industries, O’Brien et al. ( 2016 ) find that persons from working-class backgrounds are significantly underrepresented. For those working in the cultural and creative industries, they find evidence of earnings penalties for women, non-white workers, and those from working-class backgrounds. Using longitudinal data from Australia, Brook et al. ( 2021 ) find that women working in the cultural and creative industries were far less likely than men to be working in those industries 10 years later.

2.2 Impacts of student loan debt

Student loan debt has the potential to impact several outcomes for college graduates, including career and educational choices. Rothstein and Rouse ( 2011 ) take advantage of a natural experiment, a highly selective university implemented a ‘no loans’ policy, to test for the impact of student debt on career choices. They find that debt increases the likelihood graduates choose high salary jobs and decreases the likelihood they choose low-paid “public interest” jobs. Field ( 2009 ) examines an experiment where the student debt of law students was varied randomly and similarly finds that debt impacts career choices. Krishnan and Wang ( 2019 ) take advantage of natural experiments related to the legal treatment of student loan debt and find that student loan debt hinders entrepreneurship. Feinberg ( 2020 ) looks at data from the NSF’s survey of earned doctorates and finds that student debt is associated with a decreased likelihood of pursuing an academic career for PhDs, with larger effects within STEM fields. Regarding the relationship between student debt and educational choices, studies have identified a negative relationship between student debt and the likelihood of pursuing education beyond a bachelor’s degree (Malcom & Dowd, 2012 ; Zhang, 2013 ).

Beyond educational and career choices, student loan debt has been found to impact several other outcomes for college graduates. Student loan debt has been found to decrease the likelihood of homeownership (Cooper & Wang, 2014 ; Houle & Berger, 2015 ; Mezza et al., 2020 ). College graduates with student loan debt are found to delay marriage (Addo, 2014 ; Gicheva, 2016 ), and debt is associated with moving home to co-reside with parents (Dettling & Hsu, 2018 ). Student loan debt is also found to have a negative impact on psychological well-being, negatively impacting mental health (Walsemann et al., 2015 ) and life satisfaction (Kim & Chatterjee, 2019 ; Korankye & Kalenkoski, 2021 ).

2.3 Student loan debt and the arts

Few studies have looked at the impacts of student loan debt on college graduates with majors in the arts. White ( 2016 ) looks at this issue from a theoretical perspective. In looking at data on net tuition and earnings for U.S. colleges and universities, White ( 2016 ) concludes that it would be difficult for the average college graduate with an arts major to pay back student debt sufficient to cover tuition while working in an arts occupation. As such, student debt may push some arts graduates to work outside of the arts. Interventions to address this problem are posed, such as the implementation of tuition caps by arts schools, financial literacy education for arts students, and education about the broad career possibilities for arts graduates.

Using SNAAP data, a few studies have also looked at student debt in the arts empirically. Lindemann et al. ( 2012 ) use 2010 SNAAP data to assess the careers of arts graduates. Regarding student loan debt, they find a negative association between having student loan debt and the length of time arts graduates spend working as artists, driven by graduates with high levels of debt. When asked why arts graduates were pursuing work outside the arts, about 30% said debt was a reason. Using data from the 2011–2013 SNAAP surveys, Frenette and Dowd ( 2020 ) look at which factors determine whether arts graduates leave the arts. They find that high levels of debt (greater than $50,000) were a significant predictor of leaving the arts. A recent study by Smith and Albana ( 2022 ) also addresses this issue. They examine the relationship between student debt and education-job match among college graduates with bachelor’s degrees in the arts. Using SNAAP data, they present logistic regression results finding that arts graduates with $10,000 or more in student loan debt have significantly lower odds of ever having worked in an arts job following graduation. While the works using SNAAP data find that student loan debt has a negative impact on the likelihood arts graduates work in the arts, a gap in the literature which presents an opportunity to build on this existing knowledge is that no current studies use data from a random sample of arts graduates that can also allow for comparisons to non-arts graduates.

In assessing how student loan debt impacts the career choices of arts majors, I use individual level data from the 2015, 2017, and 2019 iterations of the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG). The NSCG is a cross-sectional biennial survey of college graduates conducted by the National Science Foundation. The three iterations used in this survey were analyzed together and treated as a pooled cross section. Survey respondents answer questions related to their education, work, and demographics. Of most interest for this analysis, the NSCG asks respondents questions about the financing of their college education (National Center for Science & Engineering Statistics NCSES, 2022 ).

As the focus of this analysis is to analyze the relationship between student loan debt and career choices for college graduates with undergraduate degrees in the arts, the sample is restricted to individuals with bachelor’s degrees but no higher. Footnote 1 Though the NSCG oversamples graduates from STEM fields, among the more than 100 undergraduate major fields included in the NSCG are four which are classified as arts majors in this study: dramatic arts; fine arts; music; and other arts majors. Footnote 2 Regarding the use of student loans to finance the respondent’s undergraduate degree, the survey asks how much was borrowed and how much is still owed at the time of the survey. Rather than entering an exact dollar amount, survey respondents select a range for debt owed, starting at $0, then $1–$10,000, and continuing in increments of $10,000 until a top range of $90,000 +. For much of the analysis that follows, I construct binary variables indicating having no loans borrowed and no loans owed, where these variables take on a one if the amount borrowed or owed is $0. In assessing career choices, the primary survey question used asks respondents “To what extent was your work on your principal job related to your highest degree?” Respondents can then select “closely related”, “somewhat related”, or “not related”. For those that select “not related”, a follow-up question asks why. Additionally, I look at the detailed occupations reported by the survey respondents in assessing career choices. Footnote 3

Descriptive statistics are presented in Table 1 . In assessing the relationship between student loans and the career choices of arts majors, comparisons are frequently made to the full sample of college graduates, so Table 1 presents dependent and independent variable means for all majors and arts majors separately. Footnote 4 Relative to the full sample of college graduates, arts majors are much less likely to work in jobs closely related to their major fields of study. For all majors this share is just over 50%, while for arts majors it is under 40%. This difference is driven by arts majors being far more likely to work in jobs unrelated to their major fields of study at over 36%. Relative to the full sample of college graduates, arts majors are more likely to have borrowed student loans to finance their undergraduate degrees and are more likely to still owe on their loans. Arts majors are more likely to be female and white and are less likely to be married or have children compared to the full sample of college graduates and are more likely to have college-educated parents.

The most common occupations of arts majors within the sample are presented in Table 2 , broken up into those whose jobs are self-reported as being “closely related”, “somewhat related”, and “not related”. The most common group of occupations for arts majors, at a share of 17.1%, is writers, editors, public relations specialists, artists, entertainers, and broadcasters. As artists are included in this group, this is not surprising. The second most common occupation is web developers, followed by occupations in management, marketing, sales, and teaching. Not surprisingly, the writers, etc., occupational grouping is also the most common occupation among those who self-reported as working in a closely related job at over 30%. Among the other common occupations reported as closely related are many teaching occupations and management occupations. Management occupations being reported closely related would align with the creative trident model of the creative industries (Cunningham 2014a ; b ), and researchers have found education careers to be both common and fulfilling for creative graduates (Brook et al., 2020 ). Surprisingly, the eighth most common group of occupations for those who self-reported as working in a closely related occupation is a group of health-related occupations. Footnote 5 For those who report working in a job not closely related to their major field of study among arts graduates, common occupations include teaching, sales, management, and many service-related occupations. In reconciling some of the prior conflicting evidence on the share of arts majors working in the arts, while about 65% of arts majors self-report working in a closely or somewhat related job to their major field of study, less than 20% work in the occupational grouping that includes artists and entertainers.

4 Empirical methodology

To empirically test for the impact of student loans on the career choices of arts majors, a series of descriptive tables are presented, followed by the estimation of logistic regressions. First, descriptive tables are presented showing the shares of arts majors working in jobs closely related to their field of study based on whether they borrowed or owe on student loans and on the level of student loan debt, comparing arts majors to the full sample of college graduates. Then, for those working in jobs that are not related to their major fields of study, descriptive tables are presented showing the self-reported reasons for working in an unrelated job.

Logistic regressions are then estimated to test for the impact of having borrowed or still owing on student loans on working in jobs closely related to the major fields of study, controlling for observables. These regressions take the form:

where Closely Related , No Loans Borrowed , and No Loans Owed are binary variables and X is a vector of demographic and education-related control variables. Demographic controls include age and age-squared, and binary variables indicating being male, Black, Asian, Hispanic, other race/ethnicity, married, an interaction of male and married, whether the spouse works full-time (if married), having children, mother’s highest degree being bachelor’s or higher, father’s highest degree being bachelor’s or higher, and regional geographic indicators. Footnote 6 Educational controls include years since graduation, and binary variables indicating being a double major, indicators for major field of study, and Carnegie classifications of undergraduate institution graduated from as liberal arts, research, comprehensive, doctoral granting, arts institution, or other. Footnote 7 For the sample of arts majors, similar regressions are also estimated where the dependent variable is a binary variable which takes on a one if the individual’s occupation is in the writers, etc. grouping which includes artists and entertainers.

I hypothesize that student loan debt will have a negative impact on the likelihood that college graduates with majors in the arts will be working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study. For college graduates generally, I hypothesize that there will be little relationship between student loan debt and career choices. Relative to graduates of other fields, arts majors have earnings that are lower and less consistent, and are more likely to hold multiple jobs (Wassall & Alper, 2018 ). While for graduates of many fields the highest paying job may be one that is closely related to the major field, making debt unlikely to impact which job they take, for many arts majors it may be possible to find work outside of the arts that pays better. The work preference model of Throsby ( 1994 ) is useful in understanding how student loans may enter the career decisions of arts graduates. The federal student loan system in the U.S. requires that borrowers make consistent minimum payments monthly based on the amount of debt owed. For those arts graduates with student loan debt, these payments raise the minimum necessary income threshold for survival and require some income consistency. For some share of graduates, this is likely to push them into primary occupations outside the arts that have pay that is higher, more consistent, or both.

Shares of individuals working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study by major and student debt are presented in Table 3 . The first column presents the share working in a closely related job for all majors, the second column presents the share for all arts majors (both those with a single major and those with a double major), and the last column presents the share for single arts majors only. Among all majors, about 50% are working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study, and this does not vary much based on student loan status. However, among those have debt they still owe, those with more than $50,000 owed are about 4% points less likely to be working in a job closely related to their major field. Student loans have more sizeable impacts on the likelihood arts majors are working in closely related jobs. While over 39% of arts majors that do not owe student debt are working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study, that number is under 35% for those who do, a 12% difference [(39.4–34.6)/39.4]. Among arts majors that owe on student debt, those with $50,000 or more owed are about 17% [(31.7–38.3)/38.3] less likely to be working in closely related jobs than those with less than $50,000. These differences are even larger when double majors are excluded. For single majors in the arts, owing on student loan debt is associated with about a 17% difference in the likelihood of working in a closely related job, and the difference among those with debt between those with more than $50,000 and those with $50,000 or less is over 20%.

Table 4 is like Table 3 , but with separate columns for each of the four individual arts major fields. There are notable differences in the shares working in closely related occupations by arts major field, with dramatic arts majors being the least likely to work in closely related jobs. There are also considerable differences in the effect of owing on student loans on the likelihood of working in closely related jobs by arts major field. For dramatic arts majors, those who still owe on their student loans are more than 40% less likely to be working in closely related jobs than those who do not have outstanding student loan balances. For fine arts majors, this difference is only about 6%. While the data cannot tell us with certainty why this difference across arts majors occurs, within the context of the Throsby ( 1994 ) model, the effect may be especially large for dramatic arts majors as their incomes are likely to be among the most variable of the arts fields.

For those college graduates working in jobs self-reported as not related to their major fields of study, the NSCG asks why they are not. Respondents can choose one or more options among the following: career change; working conditions; family; location; jobs not available; pay; and other reasons. Table 5 presents the share of respondents selecting each of these reasons for all majors, arts majors, single arts majors, and single arts majors with loans owed. For college graduates in all majors not working in jobs related to their major fields, the most selected reason why is pay, followed by working conditions, and then by location. While these are also the most common reasons for arts majors, arts majors are much more likely to report pay as a reason for not working in related jobs. While 66.3% of all majors report pay as a reason to not be working in jobs related to their majors, 74.5% of arts majors do. For single arts majors, this is slightly higher at 75%. For single arts majors with loans owed, this share is even higher at 78.6%. Collectively, the importance of pay as a reason for not working in a job related to their major fields for arts majors supports the hypothesis that student loan debt impacts the career choices of college graduates with majors in the arts.

Table 6 presents reasons for not working in jobs related to their major field for arts majors separately by individual major field. For each of the four arts majors, pay is again the most selected reason for working in jobs not related to the major fields. There is some heterogeneity across majors, with dramatic arts the highest at 86.1% and other arts majors the lowest at 74.4%. Dramatic arts having the highest share of respondents reporting pay as a reason for not working in jobs related to the major field is consistent with the results of Table 4 showing that dramatic arts majors are most affected by having student loan debt.

Logistic regression results testing for the impact of student loans on the career choices of arts majors are presented in Table 7 . The first two columns present logistic regression results for all majors, where the dependent variable is a binary variable which takes on a 1 if the individual is working in a job closely related to their major field of study. The first regression includes both single and double majors, while the second regression includes only single majors. In either case, controlling for demographic and educational characteristics, having no loans borrowed has a small negative impact on working in closely related jobs, while having no loans owed has a small positive impact. The third and fourth regressions are restricted to arts majors, where the third regression includes both single and double majors and the fourth regression is restricted to only single majors. For arts majors, having no loans borrowed has an insignificant impact on working in closely related jobs. Having no loans owed has a large, positive, and significant impact on the likelihood of working in closely related jobs, with a larger effect for single majors. As the share of arts majors overall working in closely related jobs is around 37%, having no loans owed increases the likelihood of working in a closely related job by over 25% (10.7% points) relative to the mean for all arts majors and almost 35% (13.8% points) for single arts majors. The final two columns of Table 7 present logistic regression results for arts majors where the dependent variable is a binary variable that takes on a 1 if the individual is working in the writers, etc. occupational category which includes artists and entertainers. Here having no loans borrowed is found to have an insignificant impact on working in an arts occupation, while having no loans owed increases the likelihood by a large, significant margin (about 30% relative to the mean). These results provide further support for the hypothesis that student loans have an impact on the career choices of arts majors but little impact on the careers choices of college graduates generally.

5.1 Demographic characteristics and student debt in the arts

Institutional contexts related to student loan debt in the U.S. have made this issue rise to prominence in recent years. Between 2007 and 2020, student loan debt more than doubled as a share of GDP (Hansen, 2022 ). One factor driving this increase in debt is increases in college tuition. Adjusting for inflation, tuition rates rose 180% between 1980 and 2020 in the U.S. (McGurran, 2022 ). During the post-great recession period the U.S. has also seen significant drops in state funding for higher education (Mitchell at al., 2019 ). In light of these contexts, it is likely the case that student loan debt has been a challenge affecting more recent graduates the most. Within the sample of arts graduates, nearly 70% of those who graduated within 10 years of completing the NSCG took out student loans to pay for their undergraduate degrees. That number is less than 50% for those who completed the survey more than 20 years after finishing their undergraduate degree. Appendix Table 9 tests for the possibility that student loans had differential impacts on different cohorts of arts graduates. Given the institutional context of increasing student debt over time, it is not surprising to see that the impact of student loan debt on career choices is large and statistically significant for recent arts graduates, but smaller and insignificant for more distant graduates.

As not all college graduates are equally affected by student loan debt, the finding of an impact of student loan debt on the career choices of college graduates with majors in the arts has potential distributional impacts on who ends up working as artists. Table 8 presents demographic characteristics for single arts majors working in closely related and unrelated occupations to their major fields of study, and for those who did and did not borrow student loans to attend college. Those working in closely related jobs are more likely to be male, white, and have highly educated parents. Those who borrowed are more likely to be Black or Hispanic and are less likely to have college-educated parents. These results suggest that student loan debt may also have an impact on who ultimately becomes artists, potentially in such a way that the college graduates who go on to work in the arts are less diverse than arts graduates overall. These findings are largely in-line with the literature on inequities in the arts, notably O’Brien et al. ( 2016 ) which finds that those from working-class backgrounds in Britain are less likely to be working in the cultural and creative industries.

6 Conclusions

This paper assesses the impact of student loan debt on the career choices of college graduates with majors in the arts. As average earnings for many arts occupations are notably lower than earnings for college graduates overall, the career choices of arts majors have the potential to be strongly impacted relative to college graduates with majors in other fields. Using National Survey of College Graduates data, this paper presents descriptive tables and regression results testing for the impact of student debt on the likelihood arts graduates work in jobs closely related to their fields of study, and in jobs in the arts, with comparisons made to graduates of non-arts fields. This study finds that owing on student loan debt decreases the likelihood arts graduates are working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study by over 25% and decreases the likelihood of working in an arts occupation by over 30%, with impacts driven most prominently by recent graduates. For all college graduates, owing on student loan debt decreases the likelihood of working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study by less than 3%. College graduates with majors in the arts are more likely to report pay as a reason for not working in closely related jobs than graduates of other majors, and those with debt owed are even more likely to report pay as a reason. Heterogeneity in the impact of debt across arts major fields is also found. Taken collectively, student debt is found to have a differential negative impact on the likelihood arts majors are working in jobs closely related to their major fields of study.

While the evidence presented supports the hypothesis that student loan debt decreases the likelihood arts majors are working in jobs related to their major fields, it is not fair to assume that working outside the arts is always an unwanted outcome. The NSCG questionnaire does not directly ask respondents whether they want to be working in jobs related to their major fields of study. Some presented evidence would suggest that arts majors working in unrelated jobs would like to be working in the arts, such as pay being the most selected reason for working in an unrelated job for arts majors, selected at a higher share than for other majors. Additionally, there’s little reason to believe that those who have debt, and those from less advantaged backgrounds, would be more likely to not want to work in the arts. However, researchers have highlighted rewarding roles for arts graduates in education occupations (Brook et al., 2020 ). A growing body of work has looked at the role arts majors play in entrepreneurship and innovation. Recent special issues in the journals Small Business Economics and Journal of Cultural Economics have focused on the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in the arts (Noonan, 2021 ; Woronkowicz, 2021 ). Entrepreneurship education in arts programs is on the rise (Essig & Guevara, 2016 ; White, 2013 ), and arts majors play a significant role in jobs and industries that are entrepreneurial and innovative (Paulsen et al., 2021 ). As such, it is possible that some share of arts majors enters or leaves college intending to work outside the arts in education or in entrepreneurial or innovation intensive roles that take advantage of the arts skillset.

There are several policies that could be implemented at program, university, and government levels that could help to alleviate the burden of student debt on arts graduates. Given that arts graduates who ultimately go on to work in closely related occupations are more likely to be white, male, and have college education parents, policies that alleviate the debt burden for arts graduates could help to make the arts more equitable by making careers in the arts more financially viable for those from marginalized populations. As suggested by White ( 2016 ), universities or arts programs could take actions like capping tuition, expanding aid, and helping students see broader possibilities for putting their arts training to work. Beyond actions that colleges and universities can take, several government policies could alleviate the burden of debt for arts graduates, such as student debt forgiveness, increases in grant and scholarship financial aid support, and reduced or lower cost public colleges and universities. Such policies could be designed to affect all college graduates, or potentially targeted toward graduates of the arts or other lowering earning fields. Given that the Biden administration has implemented a plan for student loan forgiveness, this opens the door to future empirical analyses testing for policy’s impact on the careers of arts graduates. As pay is reported as the most common reason arts graduates are not working in the arts, it is possible that low pay in the arts is the true problem, rather than student loan debt. If the problem is pay, programs that guarantee income, like the intermittence de spectacle program in France, could help to alleviate the burden of debt on artists (Beardsley & Kheriji-Watts, 2021 ). Though situated in the North American context, the findings and policy recommendations of this work can have implications beyond the labor market for arts majors in the U.S. as social policy in other countries also impacts artists.

The findings of this study are limited in several ways. As the NSCG has a focus on STEM fields, the full breadth of arts majors available in surveys like the ACS and SNAAP were not given as options, which limited the ability to look at the impact of student debt on individual art majors. The NSCG also does not make available the respondent’s institution of higher education. To speak with stronger causal language about the impact of student debt on the career choices of arts majors, researchers would benefit from the availability of more detailed covariates or panel data. There are many additional possibilities for future research on this topic, such as looking at the intersection of student debt and economic conditions at graduation on career choices of arts majors.

Availability of data and material

All data used in this study come from publicly available sources.

Code availability

Not Applicable.

Those with an advanced degree may or may not have that degree in the arts, which is likely to impact whether they work in a related occupation. While an analysis of graduates with advanced degree in the arts would also be valuable, the share of arts graduates with advanced degrees in the NSCG is of much smaller sample size, limiting the possibility for a fruitful analysis of those graduates.

The ACS and SNAAP include more detailed art major categories than the four given in the NSCG.

When asked to report about their principal job, multiple jobholders are asked to report the job for which they work the most hours. The survey does not report information on other jobs the employee may hold.

The full sample consists of 109,719 observations, with 37,100 from 2015, 33,963 from 2017, and 38,65 from 2019. Among arts majors, there were 2,413 observations in total, with 780 from 2015, 771 from 2017, and 862 from 2019.

While the survey does not give researchers the specific job title for workers within this group of occupations, it is possibly the case that arts graduates who report these occupations as closely related may work as art or music therapists.

These indicators are binary variables corresponding to the U.S. region of the respondent, where respondents are grouped into multistate regions like New England region, Middle Atlantic region, etc.

The name of the institution attended is not made available to researchers.

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Student Loan Debt Thesis Statement

Student loan debt has become a major issue in recent years, as the cost of university education has risen and more students have been forced to take out loans to cover their costs. The average student loan debt in the United States is now over $37,000, and the total amount of outstanding student loan debt is estimated to be over $1 trillion. This has led to a number of problems for both individuals and the economy as a whole.

Individuals with high levels of student loan debt often find it difficult to make ends meet, as they are struggling to repay their loans while also covering other living expenses. This can lead to financial difficulties and even default on their loans, which can damage their credit score and make it difficult to get access to other forms of credit. Student loan debt can also lead to stress and anxiety, as borrowers worry about how they will ever be able to repay their loans.

The high level of student loan debt in the United States has also had a range of macroeconomic impacts. For example, it is thought to be one of the reasons why young people are delaying buying homes, as they simply cannot afford to take on additional debt. This has knock-on effects for the housing market and the economy as a whole. Student loan debt is also thought to be one of the reasons why many graduates are choosing to work in lower-paid jobs, as they need to earn enough money to make their loan repayments. This can have an impact on productivity and economic growth.

The student loan debt crisis is a complex issue with no easy solutions. However, there are a number of things that can be done to try and alleviate the problem. For example, universities could work to reduce the cost of attendance, so that fewer students need to take out loans in the first place. Alternatively, government policy could focus on making it easier for borrowers to repay their loans, for example by introducing income-based repayment plans.

Going to college is often advised as the next step in education after high school, but is it really that simple? The most significant issue for students today is money. Nowadays, receiving a scholarship would be the greatest method to go through college without accumulating student loan debt later on. Even though financial aid is available for those seeking higher education, not all of them will qualify for financial assistance.

The answer to this money issue is to have a scholarship. According to Student Debt Relief, “In 2019, the average student loan debt was $30,063.88” ( Student Debt Relief). This amount of debt can be a tremendous amount for someone just starting out in college or even after they have graduated. The number of students with debt is also increasing every year.

Student Debt Relief states that “67% of bachelor’s degree recipients from public and nonprofit colleges had student loan debt in 2018” ( Student Debt Relief). This percentage has increased over the years, which means more and more students are struggling with finding ways to pay off their loans. Scholarships can help with this problem because they do not have to be paid back.

There are many scholarships available for students, but they can be hard to find. Scholarships.com is a website that “maintains the largest database of private and external scholarships on the Internet” ( Scholarships.com). This website can help connect students with different scholarship opportunities. Another way to find scholarships is by talking to your guidance counselor at school. They will have information on local scholarships that may be available to you. There are also many websites and books that list different scholarships that may be a fit for you.

It is important to start looking for scholarships as early as possible so you do not miss any deadlines. It is also important to read all of the instructions carefully and make sure you are eligible for the scholarship before you apply. Once you have found a scholarship or multiple scholarships that you are eligible for, the next step is to fill out the application.

The application process can be time-consuming, but it is important to take your time and fill it out correctly. Make sure you answer all of the questions truthfully and completely. Some scholarships may require an essay, so make sure you follow all of the instructions and format your essay correctly.

After you have submitted your application, all you can do is wait to see if you have been awarded the scholarship. If you are not awarded the scholarship, do not be discouraged. There are many other scholarships available, and you can always reapply for the same scholarship next year.

Receiving a scholarship can take a load off of your shoulders financially, and it can also help you focus more on your studies. If you are struggling to find ways to pay for college, look into scholarships as soon as possible. There are many different scholarships available, so you are sure to find one that is a fit for you.

Do not let the burden of student loan debt hold you back from getting a college education. Scholarships can help you achieve your dreams of going to college without the worry of how you will pay for it.

It puts them in a bind since they will not be able to meet the requirements. As a result, they must take out student loans to cover their education costs. It is the start of a long road that leads to student loan debt difficulties because they have no other option but to borrow money through Sallie Mae. Today, the most popular loan provider is Sallie Mae, which was formed as a private firm in 1972 and became publicly listed in 2004.

Student loan debt has been on the rise in America over the past few decades. In 1987, outstanding student loan debt was around $40 billion. By 2006, it had increased to nearly $200 billion. Student loan debt is now the second-largest type of consumer debt in the United States, after mortgage debt. The average student loan borrower owes more than $28,000. More than 40 million Americans have student loan debt.

Student loan debt affects not just borrowers, but also their families and the economy as a whole. Student loan debtors are less likely to buy homes and cars, and they are also more likely to default on their loans. This can have a ripple effect on the economy, as fewer people buying homes means fewer construction jobs and fewer people buying cars means fewer jobs in the auto industry.

The problem of student loan debt is compounded by the fact that many graduates are unable to find jobs that pay enough to allow them to make their loan payments. In fact, nearly half of all recent college graduates are unemployed or underemployed. And of those who are employed, many are working in jobs that do not require a college degree.

The combination of high unemployment and low-paying jobs has led to an increase in student loan defaults. In 2009, more than 6 percent of student loan borrowers defaulted on their loans. This is the highest default rate since 1998.

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Developing Strong Thesis Statements

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The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.