1 in 5 households now owe student debt, new Pew Research study shows

Forty percent of U.S. households headed by someone younger than age 35 owed student debt in 2010 – double the percentage from 20 years ago, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis that found a record one in five households hobbled by student debt.

“We know the total amount of student debt has been rising, but what this study does is help us get a handle on who owes it,” said Richard Fry, a researcher with the Pew Center.

Outstanding student loans have topped $1 trillion, and rising tuition costs have spurred colleges and students to call for reforms.

“It’s been a hard labor market for everyone, but particularly for 18- to 20-year-olds, who have not been able to find work or find work in their qualified field,” Fry said.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/26/14114556-1-in-5-households-now-owe-student-debt-new-pew-research-study-shows?lite