Minnesota has a student loan debt problem, like many states across the country. A new report shows that Minnesota ranks fifth in the nation for student debt and fourth in the nation for its percentage of students struggling with college loans.

Last year, 77 percent of Minnesota college students graduated with some amount of debt.

Students are coming out of college with this astronomical amount of debt, and it’s pushing them back in terms of buying a home, getting married, starting a family,” said 22-year-old Bemidji State graduate Kari Cooper.

According to the Star Tribune, Kari graduated with $48,000 in student debt.

We clearly have a lot more work to do to make sure that college is affordable for all Minnesota students, as we know that a quality education is the key to success in today’s economy. Minnesotans who want to go to college should not have to commit to a 25-year debt obligation in order to do so.