Academic research also shows that student debt shaped career choices in fields with lower and more variable pay. A 2023 peer‑reviewed analysis found that "student loan debt reduces the probability of arts graduates working in related fields by over 25 percent and working as artists by over 30 percent."

There's still time for older student loan borrowers who are behind on their bills to avoid default, and garnishment of their retirement benefits and wages.

Understand how Trump’s new RAP student loan plan works, its stricter rules, and why advocates warn it could raise your monthly payments.

The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), a student loan borrower advocacy organization, is warning against a new repayment plan that the Trump administration is introducing within the next few months.