Mark Cuban, the billionaire "Shark Tank" star and proud Indiana University grad, has a blunt message for anyone eyeing a U.S. college education in 2026: Don't go into debt for it.
Appearing on Logan Paul's podcast, Cuban didn't mince words. "If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Don't take out a ton of loans and screw up your future," he said. His advice? Skip the pricey four-year schools and head to community college instead.
"Accounting class is accounting class whether it's at a community college or at Harvard," Cuban argued. "The delta between the most basic four-year school and the best public universities is really small."
Cuban's warning comes as college costs continue to soar, with many students and families wrestling with the burden of student loans. The message resonates particularly in the world of college sports, where $50 million rosters are becoming a reality, and financial pressures are mounting on athletic programs.
Despite his cautionary stance on debt, Cuban has been a generous benefactor to Indiana University, where he earned his business degree in 1981. He has poured significant money into the Hoosiers' football and basketball programs, helping fuel their recent success. Indiana won the College Football Playoff national championship last season, a feat that Cuban called "unreal."
"I've literally had centenarians tell me how unimaginable this has been," Cuban said via email. "Players on the '68 Rose Bowl team tell me the same thing. It's just all unreal."
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti acknowledged Cuban's impact. "It takes a village. It takes money. But it's not all about money. We've got a lot of alums, a lot of rich alums. Mark Cuban is a very visible guy. We kind of hit it off right off the bat. He's got instant recognition, which only helps."
But Cuban's financial philosophy remains consistent: He wouldn't attend Indiana today if it meant taking out loans. "I tell people go to community college," he reiterated. The message is clear—invest in your education wisely, not at the cost of your future financial freedom.
Cuban's advice also touches on broader trends in college sports, where programs are navigating tougher schedules and escalating costs. As the landscape shifts, his warning serves as a reminder that the value of a degree—and the debt that comes with it—should always be weighed carefully.
