Average Time to Pay Off Student Loans [2026]: Data Analysis

Report Highlights. The average student borrower takes 20 years to pay off their student loan debt.

40.6% of borrowers are on the standard 10 years or less plan with fixed payments.
Some professional graduates take may be unable to fully repay their student loans while keeping payments below 10% of their income.
14% of borrowers see their total student loan debt balance increase in the first five (5) years of their loan.
The average medical school graduate’s salary is not sufficient to make their student loan payments.

Undergraduate Class of 2026 Projected Student Loan Repayment Timelines
(6.52% APR, $40,467 Average Debt†)
Monthly Payment	Ultimate Cost	Time to Zero Debt
$461‡	$55,136	10 yrs, 0 mos
$508	$53,164	8 yrs, 9 mos
$554◊	$51,697	7 yrs, 10 mos

†The average debt is based on the federal student loan debt portfolio and does not necessarily reflect the true average debt for 2026 undergraduates.
‡ 10% of the typical starting gross income value for recent graduates (Bachelor’s).
◊10% of the typical starting net income value for recent graduates (Bachelor’s).

Average Student Loan Repayment Timelines

The amount of time it takes for an individual to repay their student loan debt depends on the initial amount borrowed, the loan’s interest rate, and repayment habits, among other factors.

10 years is the ideal timeline for paying off student loan debt according to financial experts and the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
7.1% of borrowers are on a plan to pay off their federal loans over 10 years or less with graduated payments.
5.2% of borrowers are on a plan to pay their federal loans over more than 10 years with fixed payments and 2.2% are on a plan to pay over more than 10 years with graduated payments.
23.8% of borrowers are still enrolled in the SAVE payment plan, which would have allowed payments based on a percentage of the borrower’s income but is no longer available.
19.6% of borrowers are on an income-based plan that allows for loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years.
In practice, it takes borrowers about 17.5 years to pay off their student loans.
21.1 years was the average length of repayment in a 2013 study of 61,000 respondents.*
45% of student loan borrowers in Texas decrease their balance in the first five years of repayment; 21% increase their balance in that same period.
Most students owe between $20,000 and $40,000 in student loan debt.
52.0% of indebted borrowers owe $20,000 or less in student loans.
31.5% of indebted student borrowers owe $10,000 or less in federal student loans.
15.4% of borrowers owe less than $5,000.
20.5% of borrowers owe between $10,000 and $20,000 in student loans.
18.3% owe $40,000 to $100,000.
8.5% owe $100,000 or more.
2.7% owe in excess of $200,000.

Bachelor’s Degree Student Loan Repayment Timelines

Student loan interest rates for 2024-25 are the highest in a decade. At 6.53%, current students may have a harder time paying off their student loan debts within the recommended 10-year timeline.

6.52% is the 2026-2027 interest rate for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized federal student loans to undergraduate borrowers.
6.39% was the 2025-2026 interest rate for federal student loans to undergraduate borrowers.
$30,520 is the average federal student debt for a borrower who graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
Up to 10% of income should go toward paying off student loan debts according to federal guidelines.
Financial experts recommend no more than 36% of income should go towards paying off debt.
$39,698is the low-end average starting salary for a new graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
$96,613 is the high-end starting salary fora new graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
$63,973 is the median salary for new graduates with bachelor’s degrees.
$80,236 is the median annual salary for a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
3 to 10+ years is the projected student loan debt repayment period for bachelor’s degree holders who graduate in 2026.

Bachelor’s Degree Debt Repayment Scenarios
($30,520 Borrowed, 6.52% APR, 10% of Gross Income)
Monthly Payment	Ultimate Cost	Time to Zero Debt
$331	$42,462	10 yrs, 9 mos
$533	$36,659	5 yrs, 9 mos
$805	$34,268	3 yrs, 7 mos

Associate’s Degree Student Loan Repayment Timelines

Student borrowers with associate’s degrees are significantly less likely to take on student loan debt if they attend public institutions. Private school attendees are actually more likely than their bachelor’s degree-seeking peers to use student loans to pay for school.

31% of Associate’s degree graduates from public institutions use student loans, borrowing an inflation adjusted average of $17,920.
91% of graduates from private, for-profit schools take on federal student loan debt, borrowing an inflation-adjusted average of $28,990
77% of graduates from private, nonprofit schools use federal student loans, borrowing an inflation-adjusted average of $31,010.
$40,728 is the median annual salary for new graduates with an associate’s degree.
$57,148 is the median salary for an associate’s degree holder.
5 to 10+ years is the projected student loan debt repayment period for associate’s degree holders who graduate in 2026.

Associate’s Degree Debt Repayment Scenarios
(6.52% APR, $339 Monthly Payment)
Amount Borrowed	Ultimate Cost	Time to Zero Debt
$17,920	$21,182	5 yrs, 3 mos
$28,990	$39,090	9 yrs, 8 mos
$31,010	$42,992	10 yrs, 7 mos

Graduate Student Loan Debt Repayment Timelines

Graduate and professional students, on average, borrow more for school than undergraduate students. Their income rates tend to be higher, as well.

8.07% is the 2026-2027 interest rate for Direct Unsubsidized federal student loans to graduate or professional borrowers.
9.07% is the 2026-2027 interest rate for Direct PLUS loans, which go to graduate or professional borrowers as well as parents of undergraduates borrowing on their behalf.
Borrowers who graduated with a master’s degree from a public institution had an average total student debt of $68,240, adjusted to 2022-23 dollars.
Master’s degree holders who attended a private, for-profit institutions graduated with an average total debt of $79,910, adjusted for inflation.
$73,130 to $247,500 is the inflation-adjusted range of average debt for doctoral degree holders.
$193,350 is the average debt, adjusted to 2022-23 dollars, for professional degree holders who attended private, for-profit institutions.
$95,680 is the median salary for a master’s degree holder.
$122,876 and $118,456 are the median respective salaries for people with professional and doctoral degrees.

Master’s Graduate Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
($797 Monthly Payment)
Amount Borrowed	APR %	Time to Zero Debt
$68,240	8.07%	10 yrs, 8 mos
$68,240	9.07%	11 yrs, 7 mos
$79,910	8.07%	14 yrs, 0 mos
$79,910	9.07%	15 yrs, 9 mos
$90,000	8.07%	17 yrs, 9 mos
$90,000	9.07%	21 yrs, 4 mos

Research Doctoral Graduate Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
($987 Monthly Payment)
Amount Borrowed	APR %	Time to Zero Debt
$73,130	8.07%	8 yrs, 7 mos
$73,130	9.07%	9 yrs, 2 mos
$83,320	8.07%	10 yrs, 6 mos
$83,320	9.07%	11 yrs, 3 mos
$144,150	8.07%	50 yrs, 1 mos
$144,150	9.07%	N/A*

*The monthly payment does not cover the loan’s principal interest, rendering repayment impossible.

Postgraduate Student Loan Debt Repayment Timelines

When indebted students return to school, they may not be required to make payments on any outstanding student loan debts. This does not mean, however, that these debts stop collecting interest. Students seeking postgraduate work may take out additional loans on top of existing student loan debt.

Professional Graduate Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
($1,024 Monthly Payment)
Amount Borrowed	APR %	Time to Zero Debt
$208,310	8.07%	N/A
$208,310	9.07%	N/A

Alternative Professional Graduate Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
($208,310 Borrowed)
Amount Borrowed	APR %	Time to Zero Debt
$2,048	8.07%	14 yrs, 4 mos
$2,048	9.07%	16 yrs, 3 mos
$3,072	8.07%	7 yrs, 7 mos
$3,072	9.07%	8 yrs, 0 mos

Medical School Graduate Average Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
(8.07% APR, $232,100 Average Debt)
Salary	% of Income	Time to Zero Debt
$57,100	10%	N/A
$57,100	20%	N/A
$57,100	30%	N/A
$239,200	10%	19 yrs, 1 mo
$239,200	20%	6 yrs, 3 mos
$239,200	30%	3 yrs, 10 mos
$336,640	10%	10 yrs, 2 mos
$336,640	20%	4 yrs, 1 mo
$336,640	30%	2 yrs, 7 mos

Medical School Graduate Average Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
(9.07% APR; $232,100 Average Debt)
Salary	% of Income	Time to Zero Debt
$57,100	10%	N/A
$57,100	20%	N/A
$57,100	30%	N/A
$239,200	10%	23 yrs, 6 mos
$239,200	20%	6 yrs, 6 mos
$239,200	30%	3 yrs, 11 mos
$336,640	10%	10 yrs, 11 mos
$336,640	20%	4 yrs, 2 mos
$336,640	30%	2 yrs, 8 mos

Repayment of Medical and Law School Debt Timelines

The average law school debt is more than four times higher than the average undergraduate student debt. Medical degrees offer a better chance of qualifying for student loan forgiveness if the indebted graduate meets the set of rigid standards to apply.

Top-earning doctors can have their student loans paid off in a minimum of 2 years and 7 months.
First-year residents do not earn enough to pay their student loan’s principal interest, even when 30% of their income is used to make monthly payments.
$232,100 is the average student loan debt for a medical school graduate.
$57,100 is a first-year resident’s annual salary.
$239,200 is a general physician’s salary.
$336,640 is an anesthesiologist’s salary.
$164,110 is the average student loan debt for a law school graduate.
$89,250 is the median starting salary for a law school graduate.
$185,840 is an average salary for an experienced attorney.
$221,370 is an average salary for a senior attorney.

Law School Graduate Average Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
(8.07% APR, $164,110 Average Debt)
Salary	% of Income	Time to Zero Debt
$89,250	10%	N/A
$89,250	20%	16 yrs, 10 mos
$89,250	30%	8 yrs, 6 mos
$185,840	10%	15 yrs, 6 mos
$185,840	20%	5 yrs, 6 mos
$185,840	30%	3 yrs, 5 mos
$221,370	10%	11 yrs, 5 mos
$221,370	20%	4 yrs, 6 mos
$221,370	30%	2 yrs, 10 mos

Law School Graduate Average Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
(9.07% APR, $164,110 Average Debt)
Salary	% of Income	Time to Zero Debt
$89,250	10%	N/A
$89,250	20%	19 yrs, 11 mos
$89,250	30%	9 yrs, 0 mos
$185,840	10%	17 yrs, 11 mos
$185,840	20%	5 yrs, 8 mos
$185,840	30%	3 yrs, 6 mos
$221,370	10%	12 yrs, 5 mos
$221,370	20%	4 yrs, 7 mos
$221,370	30%	2 yrs, 10 mos

Private Student Loan Debt Repayment Timelines

Private student loans, for the most part, come from academic institutions as well as banks and credit unions. The total amount of private student loan debt is difficult to track because little of the related data is a matter of public record.

1.99% is the lowest known private student loan interest rate.
23.07% is the high-end interest rate for private student loans.
$25,520 is the average non-federal student loan debt for all completers who attended public institutions.
$34,470 is the average non-federal student loan debt for all completers who attended private non-profit institutions.
$38,480 is the average non-federal student loan debt for all completers who attended private for-profit institutions.

Private Student Loan Repayment Scenarios
($80,236 Income, $669 Monthly Payment)
Amount Borrowed	APR %	Time to Zero Debt
$21,210	1.99%	2 yrs, 9 mos
$21,210	23.07%	4 yrs, 2 mos
$28,640	1.99%	3 yrs, 9 mos
$28,640	23.07%	7 yrs, 7 mos
$31,980	1.99%	4 yrs, 2 mos
$31,980	23.07%	11 yrs, 0 mos

Average Time to Repay Student Loans