Best repayment option: standard repayment. On the standard student loan repayment plan, you make equal monthly payments for 10 years. If you can afford the standard plan, you'll pay less in interest and pay off your loans faster than you would on other federal repayment plans.
The best method to repaying loans quickly is the avalanche method. You would place your loans on a income driven repayment plan (whichever is the lowest monthly payment) and you would pay your minimum monthly payment across all your loans.
Under the Standard Repayment Plan, you'll make fixed monthly payments of at least $50 for a period of up to 10 years for all loan types except Direct Consolidation Loans and FFEL Consolidation Loans.
Paying off student loans early can benefit you financially, but it should typically come second to building your emergency fund and retirement savings. People with private student loans or without other debt tend to benefit more from paying off student loans early.
You will need enough income to cover a higher monthly payment, which could delay saving for other goals. Furthermore, paying too much toward your student loan could cause you to fall short on essential bills like rent or a car loan. Defaulting on any loan could result in long-term effects on your credit score.
Data Summary. The average federal student loan payment is about $302 for bachelor's and $208 for associate degree-completers. The average monthly repayment for master's degree-holders is about $688.
Let's say you have $200,000 in student loans at 6% interest on a 10-year repayment term. Your monthly payments would be $2,220. If you can manage an additional $200 a month, you could save a total of $7,796 while trimming a year off your repayment plan.
How student loans affect your credit score. Student loans are a type of installment loan, similar to a car loan, personal loan, or mortgage. They are part of your credit report, and can impact your payment history, length of your credit history and credit mix. Paying on time could help your score.
Stick to the standard repayment plan
It splits up your total debt (plus interest) into 120 monthly installments spread over 10 years. The federal government also offers income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, which can lower your monthly payment based on your income.
The average federal student loan debt is $37,853 per borrower. Outstanding private student loan debt totals $128.8 billion. The average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor's degree.
If you qualify for subsidized loans, use them first. They are your cheapest option, since the government pays the interest while you're in school.
Tuition payment plans
Tuition installment plans can be an alternative to student loans if you can afford to pay tuition over fixed payments. Payment plans generally vary by college or university, but in addition to breaking up the payments, schools do not generally charge interest.
Plan out your repayment
Let's assume you owe $30,000, and your blended average interest rate is 6%. If you pay $333 a month, you'll be done in 10 years. But you can do better than that. According to our student loan calculator, you'd need to pay $913 per month to put those loans out of your life in three years.
A $30,000 private student loan can cost approximately $159.51 per month to $737.38 per month, depending on your interest rate and the term you choose. But, you may be able to cut your cost by comparing your options, improving your credit score or getting a cosigner.
There's a general rule that you shouldn't borrow more in student loans than you expect to make in your first year out of college. A bachelor's degree recipient's average student loan debt in 2021 was $29,100. In theory, a graduate with a salary above this could handle a 10-year standard repayment plan.
Student loan debt totals $1.77 trillion and is held by about 42.8 million Americans. Roughly two-thirds of student loan borrowers pay up to $300 a month. The average federal student loan debt held as of the fourth quarter of 2024 is $38,375.
If you make your monthly payments on time, student loan debt won't necessarily harm your credit score. On the other hand, if you are late on payments (considered "delinquent"), in default (late on payments for 270+ days) or see your debt go to collections, this can cause your credit score to drop.
Neglecting Other Financial Priorities
Clearing student loan balances early shouldn't always be your top financial priority. For instance, if you're carrying credit card debt or other loans with high interest rates, it makes sense to pay off that debt before prepaying your student loans.
Although there is no strict definition for high-interest debt, many experts classify it as anything above the average interest rates for mortgages and student loans. These typically range between 2% and 7%, meaning that interest rates of 8% and above are considered high.