Student Loan Repayment Comparison
Balance: $37,000 · Rate: 6.87% · Income: $55,000 · Family: 1 · Plan: Standard · Custom: $500/mo
Student Loan Repayment Calculator
Compare your Standard 10-year plan against Income-Based Repayment — then model what a small payment increase does to your timeline and total interest paid.
SAVE plan update: A federal appeals court ended the SAVE repayment plan in March 2026. It is no longer available. About 7.5 million borrowers are being moved to other repayment options. This calculator uses IBR, currently the most favorable income-driven plan available. If you were on SAVE, contact your loan servicer to find out your next steps.
Your numbers
Federal avg: ~$37,000
2024–25 federal avg: 6.87%
IBR threshold: $23,475 ($15,650 poverty line × 1.5)
You may qualify for a lower IBR payment.
Based on your income and family size, your IBR payment ($263/mo) is $164/mo less than your Standard payment. Contact your servicer to apply. Eligibility is determined by your loan servicer — this is an estimate.
Custom payment — model a small increase
Based on your Standard payment of $427/mo, we suggest rounding up to $500/mo, a meaningful increase that makes a real dent. Override with any amount.
Standard 10-year fixed $427/mo | IBR 20-year plan $263/mo | Custom from Standard $500/mo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payoff Timeline | 10 yr | 20 yr then forgiven | 8 yr 1 mo |
| Total Interest | $14,255 | $36,958 +$22,703 vs. Std | $11,264 $2,991 saved |
| Total Paid | $51,255 | $63,050 | $48,264 |
| Forgiven Amount (may be taxable) | — | $10,908 | — |
| vs. Standard | baseline | +10 yr longer | 1 yr 11 mo faster |
Estimates only. IBR calculations use 2025 federal poverty guidelines and assume income stays constant. Actual IBR eligibility and payment amounts are determined by your loan servicer. Forgiven amounts under IBR may be treated as taxable income. This calculator does not account for interest subsidies, loan type differences, or future income changes.
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