Who is the largest provider of student financial aid?

Asked by: Samson Kovacek  |  Last update: January 20, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (7 votes)

FSA, an office of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At FSA, our more than 1,400 employees help make postsecondary education possible for more than 9.9 million students each year.

Who is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation?

Federal Student Aid, part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, more than 1,400 employees assist more than 10 million students each year.

Who provides the biggest source of financial aid?

What are the main sources of financial aid? Federal Government: The federal government provides financial aid for college. Federal financial aid eligibility is based on the information you report on the FAFSA®.

Who is the biggest student loan servicer?

The biggest loan servicers are MOHELA, Aidvantage and Nelnet. Your loan servicer might have changed during the payment pause. Find out who your loan servicer is by logging in to your student loan account.

Who gives the most financial aid?

Most Generous Colleges and Universities for Financial Aid
  • Harvard University. ...
  • Northwestern University. ...
  • Colby College. ...
  • Wellesley College. ...
  • Columbia University. ...
  • Stanford University. ...
  • Wesleyan University. Average Grant or Scholarship Aid: $59,830. ...
  • Princeton University. Average Grant or Scholarship Aid: $59,790.

3 FAFSA secrets to help you get the most financial aid

21 related questions found

Who gives most aid?

In reality, foreign assistance typically makes up less than 1% of the trillions of dollars in federal spending. Still, the U.S. gives more money in foreign aid in total dollars than any other country in the world, distributing more than $640 billion globally from 2012 through 2022.

Where does the majority of financial aid come from?

The majority of financial aid funding comes from the federal government, which provides essential support through programs like Pell Grants and student loans. Individual colleges also contribute through their own financial aid offerings, but they largely depend on federal funding.

Which is better, MOHELA or Nelnet?

MOHELA. The Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) is the first nonprofit federal student loan servicer to make it onto our list, narrowly squeaking ahead of Nelnet. Here's why. The more complexity a servicer is asked to deal with, the more likely they are to mess up.

Who owns most federal student loans?

Whoever gave you the money for your education (the lender) is usually who owns your student loan. This is either the federal government or a private company. But your loan servicer is who handles the loan repayment—and who dishes out the consequences if you don't pay up.

Who is Sallie Mae loan servicer?

Sallie Mae is not a federal loan servicer.

The Sallie Mae of today, however, is an education solutions company and consumer banking business. The other company became Navient. Importantly, the two companies are independent and not associated with one another.

What's the average FAFSA amount?

Federal Student Aid data shows that approximately 17.8 million FAFSAs were submitted during the 2020-21 application cycle. Over the last decade, the average grant aid per full-time undergraduate student has doubled, going from $5,190 in 2001 to $10,590 in 2021.

Who runs financial aid?

FSA, an office of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At FSA, our more than 1,400 employees help make postsecondary education possible for more than 9.9 million students each year.

What is the maximum pay out of a Pell grant?

The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025). your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

What is the largest source of student financial aid?

The largest federal grant program available to undergraduate students is the Federal Pell Grant program. A student must demonstrate financial need to qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. Some federal loan programs are available to all students, and some are based on financial need.

Who gives out most student loans?

Most lenders that originate student loans are large institutions, such as large banks or the federal government.

What ethnicity gets the most financial aid?

Ninety-two percent of full-time, full-year Black undergraduate students received financial aid, compared to 85 percent of Hispanic students, 77 percent of White students, 68 percent of Asian students, 80 percent of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students, and 83 percent of students or two or more races.

Who are the largest student loan holders?

A large cadre of research now shows that student debt disproportionately burdens Black borrowers. Not only are Black students more likely to borrow, and to need to borrow more, but they struggle much more with paying back their loans.

What is the name of the leading provider of student loans?

The organization referred to in your question is Sallie Mae, officially known as the Student Loan Marketing Association. It was founded in 1972 as a government-sponsored entity with the purpose of facilitating federal student loans.

How much profit does the government make on student loans?

The FCRA accounting method says that federal loans make money for the government, while the fair-value method says they cost taxpayers money. In the most recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), FCRA shows a profit of $135 billion over 10 years, whereas fair-value shows a cost of $88 billion.

Are MOHELA loans being forgiven?

If you work in certain public service jobs and make 120 payments on your Direct Loan(s), you may be eligible to have your loans forgiven. If you are a teacher in a low-income school or educational service agency, you may be eligible for Teacher Loan Forgiveness.

Will my Nelnet student loan be forgiven?

You may be eligible for forgiveness of the remaining balance of your Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying payments on those loans while employed full time by a qualifying public service employer(s).

What is the most popular federal student loan?

The most common types of federal student loans are Direct Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Stafford Loans, Consolidation Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL).

Can I get financial aid if my parents make over 200k?

There is no income that is too high to file a FAFSA. No matter how much you make, you can always submit a FAFSA. Eligibility for need-based financial aid increases as the cost of attendance increases, so even a wealthy student might qualify for financial aid at a higher-cost college.

What state has the best financial aid?

California, Wyoming and New Jersey provide more aid to low-income college students than the largest federal grant program does, new research shows, but most states give far less.

What is the income limit for FAFSA?

There's no official income cutoff to qualify for federal student aid. Yes, your family's annual income influences your aid package, but other factors, such as family size and year in school, also help determine your level of aid. Ultimately, submitting a FAFSA is relatively easy and 100% free.