Not including broken bones that I used student loans for, I think I was about 40-45k. But when I consolidated I got a nice 4% interest rate, and a 1.5% reduction for direct withdrawal, I get/got? another 1% reduction with my first 40 or so payments on time. So all said and done I will have a 1.5 % interest rate. I was lucky it was just a good time with interest rates to consolidate.