Do You Have to Pay Your Student Loans During the Government Shutdown?
By Robert Carnevale |
Borrowers are still on the hook even though Washington’s closed for business. Read More >
Student Loans
Our guides and reviews will help you navigate and pay off your student loans.
What We Can Do for You
Our guides equip you with everything you need. Whether you’re a student taking out your first loan or someone dealing with monthly loan payments, we'll help you make smarter financial choices.
The Facts About Student Loans
More and more people continue to take out loans to pay for their education and many end up struggling to pay their monthly bills. In FY 2015, the student loan default rate reached 10.8 percent. That's why we're working to provide consumers with free, high-quality resources.
By the numbers
Student Loans 101
Our team of analysts is continually writing and researching answers to questions students and parents have when it comes to their loans. Here is a collection of some of the most in-demand resources on the subject.
Resources
Lender Reviews
{"items":["\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/discover-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/discover-student-1\" alt=\"Discover Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/discover-student-loans-review\"\u003EDiscover\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/laurel-road-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/laurelroad-1\" alt=\"Laurel Road Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/laurel-road-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003ELaurel Road\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/sofi-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/sofi-2\" alt=\"SoFi Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/sofi-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003ESoFi\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/earnest-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/earnest-2\" alt=\"Earnest Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/earnest-student-loan-refinancing-review\"\u003EEarnest\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/citizens-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/banking\/citizens-3\" alt=\"Citizens Bank Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/citizens-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003ECitizens Bank\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/suntrust-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/banking\/suntrust-2\" alt=\"SunTrust Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/suntrust-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003ESunTrust\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/pnc-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/personal_loans\/pnc-2\" alt=\"PNC Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/pnc-bank-student-loans-review\"\u003EPNC\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/wells-fargo-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/wellsfargo-2\" alt=\"Wells Fargo Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/wells-fargo-student-loans-review\"\u003EWells Fargo\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/ascent-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/ascentstudentloans-1\" alt=\"Ascent Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/ascent-student-loans-review\"\u003EAscent\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/commonbond-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/commonbond-1\" alt=\"CommonBond Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/commonbond-student-loans-review\"\u003ECommonBond\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/college-ave-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/collegeave-1\" alt=\"College Ave Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/college-ave-student-loans-review\"\u003ECollege Ave\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","\n\u003Cdiv class=\"node-teaser teaser-review block row\" \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"block teaser-review--image\" \u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"block\" href=\"\/student-loans\/sallie-mae-student-loans-review\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/value-penguin\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_190,q_auto,w_190\/v1\/referral_logos\/us\/loans\/salliemae-2\" alt=\"Sallie Mae Image\" \/\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\"h4 teaser-review--label\"\u003E\n \u003Ca class=\"teaser-review--link\" href=\"\/student-loans\/sallie-mae-student-loans-review\"\u003ESallie Mae\u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E"],"offsetPercentage":20}
Student Loan Articles
How Your Student Loans Could Change in 2019
By Robert Carnevale |
A combination of new rules and shifting economic realities could reshape the student loan landscape this year. Read More >
What Is a 529 Plan? Should You Use One?
By Madison Miller |
If you want to start saving up for your children's future education costs, investing in a 529 savings plan is a great way to build your...Read More >
Top 10 Scholarships for Women Returning to School
By Madison Miller |
Going back to school can be expensive, but there are plenty of scholarships and grants available to women who decide that it's time to...Read More >
Student Loan Forgiveness Scams: 5 Ways to Avoid Them
By Madison Miller |
Student loan forgiveness scams are becoming quite common, with various companies looking to make money off students struggling to pay off...Read More >
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Student Loans: What Are the Differences?
By Madison Miller |
Subsidized and unsubsidized loans are both federal loans that students can qualify for by filling out the Free Application for Federal...Read More >
What Is Income-Based Repayment? Should You Apply for IBR?
By Madison Miller |
Income-Based Repayment (IBR) can help you lower your monthly student loan payments and is one of four options for borrowers that want to...Read More >
Finding the Best Grants for College in 2019
By Madison Miller |
College grants essentially offer students free money to afford school costs. However, most grants are need-based and given on a first-come...Read More >
These College Majors Are the Least Likely to Be Saddled with Student Debt
By Daniel Caughill |
Fifty percent of students graduate with student debt, but a recent survey shows some degrees seem to carry little to no debt. Read More >