The numbers involved with student loan debt are big: the country's debt has hit a staggering $1.3 trillion, Americans between the ages of 30 and 39 are the largest holders of student loan debt, and debt levels are growing quicker than average salaries, all according to CNBC.
Sixty-six percent of Ohio's college graduates have student debt, with the average amount coming in at roughly $30,000, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.
But sometimes, it can be hard to grasp the faces behind those figures.
That's why WKYC's digital team partnered with College Now of Greater Cleveland to have people drop by Townhall in Ohio City to help personify a small portion of what student debt looks like in Northeast Ohio.
We asked people to grab a white board, write out how much student debt they currently hold, and tell us a little bit about how their loans make them feel.
The combined debt of the ten local residents who stopped by clocked in at roughly $350,000.
Their stories are in the above photo gallery.