Among the concerns for some of those worried about their finances amid a federal government shutdown, continued increasing inflation, high interest rates and an unsteady jobs market, is the burden of student loan repayment.

In West Virginia, that burden is especially heavy. According to WalletHub, the Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website, West Virginia carries the eighth most student debt in the country. The Mountain State is 25th for average student debt, but third for the proportion of students with debt and fourth for student debt as a percentage of income. Meanwhile, the state is 15th for the unemployment rate of those age 25-34, 11th for the availability of student jobs, 23rd for the availability of paid internships and 32nd for grant growth.

One bright spot is that at least West Virginia is tied for 44th for having a low average median monthly student loan payment, at $158.

Outstanding college loan balances in the U.S. totaled more than $1.66 trillion during the first quarter of this year, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

In our Tri-State Area, Ohio and Pennsylvania fare little better. The Buckeye State has the 10th most student debt, while the Keystone State has the third most.

Ohio is 17th in average student debt and proportion of students with debt, and eighth in student debt as a percentage of income.

The state is 26th for the unemployment rate of those age 25-34, 18th for availability of student jobs, 27th in availability of paid internships and 22nd in grant growth.

Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is third in average student debt, fifth in proportion of students with debt and sixth in student debt as a percentage of income. The state is 31st for the unemployment rate of those age 25-34, 39th for the availability of student jobs, 33rd in availability of paid internships and 16th in grant growth.

Mississippi has the most overall student debt, while Hawaii has the least.

“College keeps getting progressively more expensive, and so does borrowing money to attend. Federal student loan interest rates recently hit a 12-year high, but they’re expected to ease slightly for the upcoming academic year, so it’s still important to plan carefully when borrowing,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “In addition to attending college in a less expensive state and pursuing other avenues of funding like financial aid and grants, students should also carefully calculate how much they can afford to borrow before taking out a loan.”

Therein lies the problem. Many students and their families did think they were carefully planning how much they could afford to take out for student loans before they signed on the dotted line. Then the world turned upside down.

Students who were graduating from four-year programs in spring 2020 are likely 26 or 27 years old now. It doesn’t take much compassion and empathy to understand why they are looking for all the support they can get as they try to make their way.

But if adjustments or forgiveness are off the table, policy makers must look for other ways to support these young people in repaying what they truly owe rather than becoming overwhelmed and going into default. That would have significant long-term effects on them and the federal government’s coffers.

No one wants that. Certainly, those trying to repay their debts do not. Rather than point fingers, it is time now to put our heads together and figure out how we can fix this in a way that works for all of us.