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The State of Educator Student Debt

Almost half of all current educators have had to take on student debt to enter the profession. This reality keeps too many talented young people out of the profession and pushes out those who do enter it. Fixing the student debt crisis makes our public schools stronger.

Student Loan Forgiveness is Possible

As a result of a series of limited and permanent fixes to the PSLF program beginning in 2021, the Department of Education has forgiven over 1 million educators and public service workers, totaling $78 billion in student loan forgiveness through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

  • Alabama

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.2 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    15,230
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Alaska

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $127.1 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    1,820
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Arizona

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.2 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    16,390
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Arkansas

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $631.3 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    8,940
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • California

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $6.7 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    86,810
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Colorado

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.3 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    18,780
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Connecticut

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $827.4 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    11,840
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Delaware

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $240.6 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,220
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Florida

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $4.6 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    55,330
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Georgia

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $3.8 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    41,610
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Hawaii

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $228.9 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,090
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Idaho

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $341.8 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,240
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Illinois

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $2.8 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    39,150
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Indiana

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.2 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    18,490
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Iowa

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $572.8 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    10,290
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Kansas

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $606.9 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    9,540
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Kentucky

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $821.2 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    12,620
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Louisiana

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $998.7 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    12,380
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Maine

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $341.5 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,140
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Maryland

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $2.4 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    30,150
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Massachusetts

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    22,210
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Michigan

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $2.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    35,400
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Minnesota

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.4 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    21,910
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Mississippi

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $885.3 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    10,050
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Missouri

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    21,720
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Montana

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $230.1 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,720
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Nebraska

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $395.9 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    6,370
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Nevada

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $432.4 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,740
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • New Hampshire

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $313.2 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    4,830
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • New Jersey

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.8 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    25,400
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • New Mexico

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $374.5 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,450
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • New York

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $5.3 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    76,130
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • North Carolina

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $2.1 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    28,550
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • North Dakota

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $111.3 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    1,840
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Ohio

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $3.1 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    44,240
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Oklahoma

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $600.2 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    9,180
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Oregon

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.1 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    16,820
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Pennsylvania

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $3.2 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    44,150
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Rhode Island

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $217.9 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,190
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • South Carolina

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    18,020
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • South Dakota

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $191.5 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,260
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Tennessee

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    18,410
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Texas

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $4.7 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    65,580
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Utah

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $411.7 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,790
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Vermont

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $229.8 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    3,250
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Virginia

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $2.3 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    32,160
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Washington

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.5 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    22,010
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Washington, D.C.

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $510.5 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,510
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • West Virginia

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $347.4 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    5,790
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Wisconsin

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $1.2 billion
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    18,980
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

  • Wyoming

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness by the numbers

    $85.5 million
    Amount of Student Debt Forgiven
    1,420
    Borrowers with Student Debt Forgiven

NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR HOW BIG OUR BANK ACCOUNTS, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN WITHOUT LIMITS.

The July 2021 “Student Loan Debt Among Educators: A National Crisis” report presents the results of a 2020 NEA survey of educators working in pre-K–12 and higher education institutions. This research shows how student debt affects educators—financially and emotionally—and includes specific data for educators of different ages and races.

Read the full report

WHERE DO BORROWERS WHO BENEFIT FROM PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS WORK?

Most of them work in education! A new report from the Department of Education’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) Working Papers Series found that 43% of borrowers who received PSLF forgiveness work in education—28% of whom work in K-12 education. Among those working in the government sector, the U.S. Army and Air Force employers are among the largest single employers for borrowers who have received forgiveness through PSLF.

Read the full report

STUDENT LOAN DEBT AMONG EDUCATORS: BY THE NUMBERS

28% of educators 18-35 with unpaid student loan debt say it affect their ability to buy a home, go back to school or start a family
1 OF 4
Over 25% of educators over the age of 61 still haven't paid off their student loans, with 30% carrying more than $45k in debt.
2 OF 4
4 in 10 educators with unpaid student loan debt say paying off their loans affected their physical, mental & emotional well-being.
3 OF 4
Black educators take out more loans—often at less favorable rates—and end up earning less than their white peers, causing many to leave or avoid the profession altogether.
4 OF 4

STUDENT LOAN DATA BASED ON EDUCATOR GROUP

While student loans play a significant role in the financial lives of many educators, they have disproportionate impacts on certain types of education employees. Click on the links below to dive deeper into the impact of the crisis on specific educator groups.

Pre-K–12 Teachers and Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP)

A majority (83%) of pre-K–12 teachers and SISP with student loans reported that this debt has had at least one negative financial or emotional impact.
Learn More
ESp Day

Pre-K–12 Educator Support Professionals (ESPs)

Almost one-third (29%) of pre-K–12 ESPs took out student loans to help pay for their own education.
Learn more
women faculty pay gap

Higher Education Faculty

Almost half (46%) of the 48 percent of higher education faculty who borrowed for college still have a balance, which means that 22 percent of all higher education faculty are currently saddled with student loan debt.
Learn more
A teacher looks over papers at her desk in an empty classroom

Higher Education ESPs

More than half of higher education ESPs with unpaid loans had difficulty building up emergency savings or saving for retirement because of their student loans.
Learn More
Cancel student debt sign outside U.S. White House

Navigate your student debt

NEA’s student debt experts have created tools designed to help educators through the complicated student debt system.

Downloads

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The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
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