The announcement was made on Wednesday, August 24, that a student loan forgiveness plan is in the works within the federal government.

President Joe Biden announced that anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 will be forgiven for those who make below $125,000 per year. Since most of the country is pulling in well below that benchmark at their 9 to 5s, you can imagine most people's excitement after that announcement.

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Multiple sources report that, on average, most students are graduating with somewhere around $20-$30,000 worth of student loan debt. Considering the fact that average starting salaries haven't increased to coincide with the cost of living increases very much over the last 20+ years, it can take people well into their 30s, if not 40s, to crawl out of that hole.

So, just how much is the loan forgiveness plan going to help out people with college debt here in the Garden State? Considering New Jersey comes in as the 11th worst state for student loan debt in the country, it's safe to say most NJ residents are pretty excited about the news.

A new survey ranked all the states within the U.S. based on how much student loan debt residents are currently paying off. Honestly, since college is so expensive on the east coast, I thought New Jersey would fair much worse than it did. Still, with the student work opportunities that exist here at the places of study within the Garden State, at least students are able to make a bit of money to offset the cost. Most students, however, work jobs outside of their college or university to help pay bills while getting their education.

You can check out the metrics and see why Jersey's pretty high on the list for significant student loan debt HERE.

Sources: CNN.comWalletHub

The 20 Most Expensive Colleges In New Jersey By In State Total Cost

New Jersey high school graduation rates

The lists below show 4-year graduation rates for New Jersey public schools for the 2020-21 school year. The statewide graduation rate fell slightly, from 91% in 2019-20 to 90.6%.

The lists, which are sorted by county and include a separate list for charter schools, also include a second graduation rate, which excludes students whose special education IEPs allow them to qualify for diplomas despite not meeting typical coursework and attendance requirements.

Columns with an asterisk or 'N' indicate there was no data or it was suppressed to protect student privacy.

NJ school holidays with the biggest buzz

Just which days NJ schools have off remains a reflection of its community. Some New Jersey towns now have populations that celebrate religious holidays not previously taken as a district-wide day, such as Diwali or Eid. Other days off are not religious in nature, but are still stirring up controversy or buzz around the state. The following have been making the most news, heading into the 2022-2023 school year.

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