Household balance sheet data suggest that the lower wealth accumulation among homeowners with outstanding student loan debt is likely due to greater expenses for these households rather than to lower income. However, we cannot yet conclude that student debt causes lower homeownership rates and wealth for relatively young households. A more structural approach and better data are needed to assess whether there is a causal link. More broadly, additional research is needed to better understand why student loan liabilities are associated with worse economic outcomes for individuals and households.

This policy brief advances the growing literature on how student loan debt affects individuals' other economic decisions. Specifically, it examines the impact of student loan liabilities on individuals' homeownership status and wealth accumulation. The analysis employs a rich set of financial and demographic control variables that are not available in many of the existing studies that use credit bureau data. Overall, student debt lowers the likelihood of homeownership for a group of students who attended college during the 1990s. There is also a fairly strong negative correlation between student loan debt and wealth (excluding student loan debt) for a group of households with at least some college experience.