Majoring in Money - An approach to college financing

Oct 15, 2026

Majoring in Money presents findings on how college students and other young adults manage their finances, including their self-perceptions of financial ability and current credit standing. It highlights knowledge and practice of credit behaviors, the resources used and the desire to learn more about money management. The study also compares completers and non-completers by income and frames financial literacy through a structured quiz, connecting the results to practical guidance for paying for higher education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages62

Reading Time2 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

About this study

Discussion of findings

Introduction

Money management outcomes

Self-perceptions of ability to manage finances and of current credit standing

Knowledge and practice of positive or negative credit behaviors

Resources used and interest in learning more about managing money

A comparison of completers and non-completers by income

Financial literacy put to the test

The quiz questions

Sallie Mae 2019 Majoring in Money How college students and other young adults manage their finances Conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs About Sallie Mae® Sallie Mae’s purpose is to create opportunities, open doors, and provide access to what’s next. We’re here to provide the know-how and responsible financing to help our customers make those new possibilities a reality. Our mission is firmly grounded in helping families achieve the dream of a higher education. There is no single way to achieve this task, so we provide tools, resources, and financing to produce our country’s future engineers, doctors, nurses, teachers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and others, by offering • A range of FDIC-insured savings products, including SmartyPig® accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit.* • A variety of free online tips, tools, and resources that help families plan for college, including Scholarship Search, which offers free access to 5 million scholarships worth up to $24 billion, and the College Planning CalculatorSM. • Competitive and responsible private student loans for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the Sallie Mae Parent Loan. • Free online budgeting tools and information about how to manage student loan payments and other types of credit, such as Understanding Credit, a handbook published by Sallie Mae and FICO® . When it comes to paying for college, we recommend following a 1-2-3 approach: 1. Start with money you won’t have to pay back. Supplement your college savings and income by maximizing college scholarships, grants, and work-study. 2. Explore federal student loans. Apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . 3. Consider a responsible private student loan. Fill the gap between your available resources and the cost of college. For more information on how Sallie Mae helps make college happen, [visit](visit SallieMae.com. Join)[ SallieMae.com](visit SallieMae.com. Join)[. Join](visit SallieMae.com. Join) the conversation on social media with \#MajoringInMoney. Sallie Mae 300 Continental Drive Newark DE 19713 About Ipsos Ipsos is a global independent market research company ranking third worldwide among research firms. We make our changing world easier and faster to navigate, and we inspire clients to make smarter decisions. We deliver research with security, speed, simplicity, and substance. We believe it’s time to change the game—it’s time for Game Changers! Our commitment to driving the industry with innovative, bestin-class research techniques that are meaningful in today’s connected society is our primary goal. Focusing on six research specializations, our broad range of industry experts offer intimate understanding of brands, consumers, and markets. Whether testing advertising and media, bringing concepts to market, measuring customer loyalty, or surveying public opinion, Ipsos is committed to working with clients to identify the right solutions to their specific challenges. It is this belief that enables us to ask and probe, to subject our hypotheses to rigorous analyses, and, finally, to deliver reliable data and the most effective recommendations in the shortest time possible. Ipsos is committed to building an organization dedicated toa single endeavor: providing our clients with the best service, using qualitative or quantitative methods, at local, regional, and international levels. Ipsos Public Affairs 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington DC 20006 Access a related infographic and additional information about [this study at](this study at SallieMae.com/MajoringInMoney)[ SallieMae.com/MajoringInMoney](this study at SallieMae.com/MajoringInMoney). * Deposit products are offered by Sallie Mae Bank, member FDIC. © 2019 Sallie Mae Bank. All rights reserved. Sallie Mae, the Sallie Mae logo, and other Sallie Mae names are service marks or registered service marks of Sallie Mae Bank or its subs

FAQs

What financial areas does the study focus on for college students and young adults?

It examines money management outcomes, self-perceptions of financial ability, and current credit standing, along with knowledge and practice of positive or negative credit behaviors.

How does the study describe the resources people use to learn about managing money?

It includes findings on the resources used and participants’ interest in learning more about managing money, linking those insights to financial literacy results.

What does the “financial literacy put to the test” section include?

It uses quiz questions to test financial literacy and connects the outcomes to behaviors and learning needs identified earlier in the report.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn Holloway