Find Student Loan Repayment Programs in Your State
Many states will pay down your student loans if you work in a shortage area, especially in health care and teaching. Find your state's programs, plus the federal options that work everywhere. 70 programs, each checked against its official source.
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Programs by profession
Nurses · Doctors & PAs · Teachers · Lawyers · Mental health · Pharmacists · Dental · Veterinarians · Rural · Public service
Federal programs
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Any field Public service
- Award
- Remaining Direct Loan balance forgiven
- Who it's for
- Borrowers working full time for a government or qualifying nonprofit employer.
- Service required
- 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Teacher Loan Forgiveness
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Teachers
- Award
- Up to $17,500
- Who it's for
- Full-time teachers in low-income schools or educational service agencies.
- Service required
- Five complete and consecutive academic years of qualifying teaching.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and income-driven repayment
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Any field
- Award
- Payment based on income; remaining balance forgiven after the plan's repayment period
- Who it's for
- Most federal Direct Loan borrowers.
- Service required
- Monthly payments based on income and family size.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
NHSC Loan Repayment Program
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Health care Physicians & PAs Dental Mental & behavioral health
- Award
- Up to $75,000
- Who it's for
- Licensed primary care, dental and behavioral health clinicians.
- Service required
- Two years at an approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Health care Nurses
- Who it's for
- Registered nurses, advanced practice RNs and nurse faculty.
- Service required
- Two years at a critical shortage facility or eligible nursing school, with an option for a third year.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Any field Physicians & PAs
- Award
- Eligible federal loans discharged
- Who it's for
- Borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled.
- Service required
- Documentation from the VA, SSA, or a physician.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
NIH Loan Repayment Programs
National Institutes of Health
Health care Researchers Nurses Physicians & PAs Dental Mental & behavioral health Pharmacists Veterinarians
- Award
- Up to $50,000 a year
- Who it's for
- Researchers with a doctoral-level degree doing qualifying biomedical or behavioral research, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and veterinarians in research.
- Service required
- Two-year (or longer) contract to do qualifying research.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program
Indian Health Service (HHS)
Health care Rural service Nurses Physicians & PAs Dental Mental & behavioral health Pharmacists
- Award
- Up to $50,000
- Who it's for
- Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, behavioral health and other health clinicians serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
- Service required
- Initial two-year service commitment at an eligible Indian health program site.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Health care Nurses Physicians & PAs Mental & behavioral health Pharmacists
- Who it's for
- Licensed clinicians, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, counselors and other behavioral health professionals, providing substance use disorder treatment.
- Service required
- Service at an NHSC-approved substance use disorder treatment facility.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Faculty Loan Repayment Program
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Health care Nurses Dental Mental & behavioral health Pharmacists
- Who it's for
- Health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds, including medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and behavioral health faculty.
- Service required
- Two years as faculty at an eligible health professions school.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Veterinarians Rural service
- Award
- Up to $40,000 a year
- Who it's for
- Veterinarians willing to practice in a USDA-designated veterinary shortage area.
- Service required
- Three-year service commitment in a designated veterinary shortage area.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Lawyers Public service Dental
- Who it's for
- Full-time state and local prosecutors and state, local and federal public defenders.
- Service required
- At least three years of continued service; administered by a governor-designated agency in each state.
Up to $10,000 a year and $60,000 lifetime per the FY 2026 federal funding notice. Apply through your state's designated agency.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Perkins Loan Cancellation
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Teachers Public service Any field Nurses
- Award
- Up to 100% of a Perkins Loan
- Who it's for
- Perkins borrowers in qualifying jobs such as teachers, nurses, law enforcement, firefighters and others.
- Service required
- Qualifying full-time service; cancellation builds year by year.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Closed School Discharge
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Any field
- Award
- Eligible federal loans discharged
- Who it's for
- Borrowers whose school closed while they were enrolled or soon after they withdrew.
- Service required
- No service required; apply with your servicer.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Any field Dental
- Award
- Eligible federal loans discharged
- Who it's for
- Borrowers whose school misled them or broke certain laws.
- Service required
- No service required; apply to Federal Student Aid.
Last checked Oct 21, 2026 · Official source ↗
New for 2026: what the July 1, 2026 repayment changes mean for you.
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