Student Loans and Entrepreneurship: Current Landscape and Policy Considerations

Nearly 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. has outstanding student loan debt. Among those between the ages of 18 and 29, 1 in 3 reported having student loan debt. Meanwhile, the share of new entrepreneurs aged 20-34 declined from 34% to 27% between 1996 and 2019.

In this forum we will discuss recent research on the relationship between student loan debt and entrepreneurship, and what this might mean for policies and programs.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:

Sandy Baum - Urban Institute

Seth Frotman - Student Borrower Protection Center

Ashley Harrington - Center for Responsible Lending

Karthik Krishnan - Northeastern University

Awesta Sarkash - Small Business Majority

Marshall Steinbaum - University of Utah

Jennifer Kelly Ventura - Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Frederick F. Wherry - Princeton University

AGENDA:

PANEL 1: What do we know about student loan debt and entrepreneurship?

PANEL 2: Policy and program considerations for supporting entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs with student loans.