Agree with the numbers in the other response. About $35k NZD if you include the allowance you have to pay back. Some people take that, others don't. Mostly people pay it off as they earn over a period of about 10 years.

I always have a hard time understanding these stories of American kids racking up 100s of thousands in debts. Just doesn't seem like a workable system.

Interesting to learn that the average is far lower than the sensationalism makes it out to be.