articleThe Brief Mississippi has the most student loan debt in the U.S. this year. The nation’s student loan debt is currently more than $1 trillion. Right now, the nation’s student loan debt exceeds $1 trillion , with the average federal student loan debt balance at more than $39,000, according to the Education Data Initiative. States with the most student loan debtWhy you should care:WalletHub also ranked states focusing on two categories: "student loan indebtedness" and grant and student work opportunities." Moreover, about 64% of students in Pennsylvania have student loan debt, the fourth-highest percentage in the nation.