Sallie Mae is committed to promoting financial literacy, smart borrowing, and healthy credit. As part of this commitment, we ask the public about their experiences with saving, planning and paying for college and report on them. In an effort to foster data-driven decisionmaking among students, families, and schools, Sallie Mae and our affiliates conduct a number of studies.

Research reports from Sallie Mae

• With Sallie Mae, Gallup has developed an annual mathematically representative picture of how the typical American family pays for college based on in-depth statistical analysis of more than 1,600 parents and students. In addition, How America Pays for College provides critical insight into the attitudes, choices, and concerns of American families when they plan and pay for college.
• Sallie Mae has also teamed up with Gallup to examine How America Saves for College (2009). This new study will help to determine whether American families are saving for college, and if so how. It also measures attitudes and perceptions of parents about intent to enroll, share of payment responsibility and confidence in ability to save for the cost of college.
• The company also conducts a bi-annual survey series of College Students and Credit Cards (2009). Prompted by concern over increasing credit activity among college students who might be better served seeking lower cost financing alternatives.
• The Upromise College Preparedness Report Card is a snapshot of families' education goals and of their attitudes and concerns about applying to and paying for college.

Other resources

The College Board releases statistics every year on Trends in College Pricing 2008 and Trends in Student Aid 2008. In addition, they release a study on how Education Pays 2007 (PDF, 557KB).

The Sallie Mae Fund also offers research studies.