Student Loans

Student Loan Debt: Your Complete Resource

Federal student loans are changing faster than they have in decades. New repayment plans, new borrowing limits, and shifting forgiveness rules mean the right move for your loans may look different than it did a year ago. Whether you have federal loans, private loans, or both, we’ll help you lower your payments, find forgiveness, and build a plan to become debt free.

$1.87T

Total Student Loan Debt

42.8M

Federal Borrowers

$39,547

Average Federal Balance

$20,281

Median Federal Balance

Data as of March 31, 2026. See our full student loan debt statistics.

Where Are You Right Now?

Jump to what you need

Before You BorrowPaying For CollegeLower the cost, maximize aid, and borrow only what you need. In RepaymentNavigating RepaymentPick the right plan, including the new RAP plan, and lower your payment. Seeking ReliefStudent Loan ForgivenessPSLF, teacher forgiveness, state programs, and more. Behind On PaymentsDefault And CollectionsGet current, stop garnishment, and rebuild from default. Lowering Your RateRefinancingSee if refinancing private or federal loans makes sense. Learning The LingoTerms And DefinitionsEvery student loan term explained, from A to Z.

Run Your Numbers Student Loan Calculator RAP Calculator Discretionary Income Calculator

Student Loan Debt By The Numbers

Our most-cited data

$523Average Monthly Payment

$296Median Monthly Payment

The median is well below the average because income-driven plans tie many borrowers’ payments to their income. See the full repayment data.

Average Student Loan Debt By StateWhat borrowers owe in every state, and where balances are growing fastest. Average Student Loan Debt By Graduating ClassHow much each graduating class has borrowed, and the long-term trend. What Is The Average Monthly Student Loan Payment?What the typical borrower pays each month, and what you can expect on each plan.

Need To Find Your Loans?Complete List Of Federal Student Loan Servicers Student Loan Debt Collectors And How To Contact Them Full List Of Student Loan Lenders

Paying For College

Before you borrow

The best way to lower your student loan debt is to borrow less in the first place. That means lowering your cost of attendance, getting every dollar of free aid you qualify for, and borrowing smart when you do need loans. College is an investment of time and money, and it only pays off if your future earnings outweigh what you spend.

Major ChangesFor loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, Grad PLUS loans are closed to new borrowers and Parent PLUS loans have new annual and lifetime caps. Many families will need to plan for a bigger gap between aid and cost.

Saving For College

Financial Aid

Borrowing

Graduate And Professional School

Navigating Repayment

Pick the right plan

Navigating repayment means finding the plan that fits both your income and your goal, whether that’s maximizing forgiveness or paying your loans off as fast as possible. The federal options changed on July 1, 2026, when the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) launched. New loans can only use RAP or a standard plan, and older plans like SAVE, PAYE, and ICR are being phased out.

Student loan repayment plans infographic comparing Standard, Extended, Graduated, and IBR plans for older loans with the new Standard plan and the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) — Federal student loan repayment plans compared. Click to enlarge.

A Good Rule Of Thumb

If you qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness or another broad forgiveness program, keep your payment as low as possible.
If you owe more than your annual salary, a lower income-driven payment usually makes sense, even without PSLF.
If you owe less than your salary and don’t qualify for forgiveness, pay your loans off as fast as you can.

Best Student Loan Repayment PlansEvery federal plan compared, updated for the latest law changes. How The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) WorksPayments, eligibility, and forgiveness under the newest federal plan. RAP Vs. IBR: Which Plan Is Better?How the two remaining income-driven options compare for existing borrowers. 5 Legal Ways To Lower Your Student Loan PaymentSwitch plans, recertify, consolidate, or refinance to cut your bill.

Student Loan Forgiveness

Find every program you qualify for

We estimate that about half of all borrowers qualify for some type of full or partial student loan forgiveness. Most programs are based on your repayment plan or your job, but some state programs reward things like working in a rural area or buying a home in the state. The most popular program, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, requires 10 years of qualifying payments while working for a qualifying employer.

Full List Of Student Loan Forgiveness ProgramsEvery way to qualify, from public service to disability discharge. How To Qualify For Public Service Loan ForgivenessWhich loans, plans, and employers count toward PSLF. PSLF Strategy For BorrowersHow the employer rule, RAP, and Parent PLUS changes affect your plan. Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By StatePrograms in 45+ states for health care, teaching, law, and more.

Behind On Payments Or In Default

There’s a way back

More than 9 million federal borrowers are in default, and defaulted federal loans can be collected through wage garnishment and tax refund offsets without a court order. If you’re behind, act before your loans default. If you’re already in default, rehabilitation or consolidation can get you back to good standing.

How To Get Out Of Student Loan DefaultRehabilitation, consolidation, and payoff options, step by step. Online Portal For Borrowers In DefaultWhat the new Education Department and Treasury portal does. Strategic Default On Student LoansWhy skipping payments on purpose always backfires. Student Loan Statute Of Limitations By StateWhen private lenders can no longer sue to collect.

Student Loan Refinancing

Lower your rate

Refinancing replaces your existing loans, federal or private, with a new private loan. Consolidation replaces federal loans with a new federal loan, and it’s free. Refinancing can make sense if you already have private loans and can get a lower rate. It can also make sense for federal loans if you’ll pay them off quickly and won’t qualify for forgiveness, which is why many doctors refinance. Once you refinance federal loans, you lose access to federal repayment plans and forgiveness for good.

Best Student Loan Refinance LendersRates, perks, and requirements from the top refinance lenders. Student Loan Refinancing BonusesCurrent promotional offers that can sweeten a refinance. Best Medical School Student Loan RefinancingWhy many physicians refinance, and where to compare. Student Loan ConsolidationHow a free federal consolidation differs from refinancing.

Compare Student Loan Lenders

Our lender reviews, A to Z

We review as many student loan lenders as we can find. Shopping around is the best way to get a low rate. Start with our full list of student loan lenders, or read our individual reviews:

Read More Student Loan Content

We’ve published hundreds of articles on student loans, from repayment and forgiveness to private lenders and taxes.

Browse The Student Loan Archive

Student Loan Terms And Definitions

134 terms, A to Z

Learn what these student loan terms mean, from A to Z.

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