June 3, 2025 (Salt Lake City) – States and the federal government share a vital economic relationship. This data summary, the twelfth in a series on state and federal economic linkages from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, presents the Utah-federal government nexus for federal student aid in Utah.

“Federal aid supports college access for thousands of Utah students, helping them gain skills and degrees that boost earnings and strengthen Utah’s economy,” said Andrea Brandley. “That investment creates a multiplier effect that benefits individuals, families, and communities statewide.”

Key findings from the summary include the following:

Size – Students at Utah’s postsecondary institutions received about 350,000 federal student aid awards totaling $1.6 billion in the 2022-23 school year. This includes nearly $1.1 billion in federal student loans, $527 million in Pell Grants, and $19 million in campus-based federal aid programs, including Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) and the Federal Work-Study Program.

Composition – Over 96,000 undergraduates at Utah institutions (26.1%) received Pell Grants in the 2022-23 school year, averaging nearly $5,000 per student. About 86,000 undergraduate students (24.1%) took out federal loans with an average award of $6,000. More than 300,000 Utahns currently hold student loan debt, totaling $10.9 billion. Utah carries less student loan debt than most states, ranking third lowest in student loan debt per adult resident (~$4,000) and fifth lowest in the share of adults with student loan debt (12.5%).

Location – Utah ranked 49th in the nation for FAFSA completion, with 37.3% of 2024 high school seniors completing the form compared to 54.4% nationwide. FAFSA completion rates vary across Utah, from 31.2% in Tooele School District to 66.7% in Rich School District.

Institutional Data –Federal student aid participation varies across Utah colleges. Among public degree-granting institutions, Pell Grant rates range from 16% to 26%, and loan rates from 6% to 22%. Technical colleges report low Pell use and no student loan participation. Private colleges enroll the largest share of aid recipients with about a third of students receiving Pell Grants and nearly half of students taking out student loans, except BYU, where only 12% of students borrow. Average aid amounts also vary, with Pell Grants ranging from $3,800 to $8,400 and loans from $3,600 to $8,200.

The complete data summary is available online.

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