10 Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Health Care Workers

A career in health care can be rewarding, but it comes with a hefty price tag. In 2023, 70% of medical school graduates had student loan debt, owing a median of $200,000 per student (not including undergrad debt), according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Fortunately, there are a variety of programs that offer loan repayment assistance and student loan forgiveness for health care workers. 

Let’s take a closer look at 10 popular student debt relief programs for health care professionals, their eligibility requirements, and who can benefit most from each.

1. Public Service Loan Forgiveness 

If you’re a health care professional employed by a not-for-profit organization or federal, state, local, or tribal government, you may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on your federal Direct Loans (or federal loans consolidated into a Direct Loan) after making 120 full monthly payments under the 10-year Standard Repayment plan or an income-driven plan.

It takes at least 10 years to become eligible for PSLF. You’ll need to submit a PSLF form to see if you qualify, and the Department of Education recommends doing so annually or whenever you change employers to make sure you’re on track for forgiveness. You must work at a qualifying employer when you apply for PSLF. 

• Best for: Health care professionals working full-time for a government or not-for-profit organization
• Forgiveness potential: Your remaining student loan balance
• Eligible loans: Federal Direct Loans or federal student loans that have been consolidated into a Direct Loan

2. National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program 

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) is geared toward licensed primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health professionals working in communities that lack access to health care. 

The NHSC offers loan repayment in exchange for at least two years of service in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). The program provides up to $50,000 in forgiveness for full-time service and $25,000 for half-time service.

Many NHSC-approved employers are also PSLF-approved, so you can potentially get additional loan forgiveness if the LRP doesn’t repay your loans in full.

• Best for: Primary care, dental, and behavioral and mental health providers in communities with limited access to care
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $50,000 for full-time service; up to $25,000 for half-time service 
• Eligible loans: Private and federal student loans (except parent PLUS loans) 

3. Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program 

Licensed registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nursing faculty can get up to 85% of their outstanding nursing education debt repaid under the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program. 

To qualify, you must work at least 32 hours a week in an eligible facility in a health professional shortage area, or at an accredited nursing school. The program will repay up to 60% of your nursing education loans for two years of service, and offers an additional 25% repayment benefit for an optional third year. 

• Best for: Registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty working in a critical shortage area
• Forgiveness potential: Up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt
• Eligible loans: Federal and private student loans (except parent PLUS loans)

4. National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will repay up to $50,000 in education debt per year for biomedical or biobehavioral research professionals employed by the NIH or working for an outside employer on relevant NIH research. To qualify, you must have a doctoral degree, and your total federal student loan debt must equal at least 20% of your base salary.

• Best for: Full-time and temporary NIH research employees 
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $50,000 per year
• Eligible loans: Federal student loans 

5. Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program

The Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program awards up to $100,000 in undergraduate or graduate student loan repayment assistance to eligible pediatric health professionals who agree to a three-year, full-time commitment to provide care in a shortage or underserved area.

• Best for: Pediatric medical and surgical specialists; mental and behavioral health practitioners working with children and adolescents 
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $100,000
• Eligible loans: Federal and private 

6. Faculty Loan Repayment Program

If you’re a health profession faculty member from a disadvantaged background (based on environmental and economic factors), you may qualify for the Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP). This benefit will repay up to $40,000 in student loan debt in exchange for a two-year service commitment at an eligible health profession school located in a U.S. state or territory.

Since this loan repayment benefit is taxable, you may also receive additional funding to offset the tax burden.

• Best for: Health profession school faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $40,000 (plus additional funding to offset taxes)
• Eligible loans: Federal and private student loans (except parent PLUS loans)

7. Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program

Eligible doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals who treat substance abuse patients or support those in recovery can receive forgiveness of up to $250,000 in student loan debt. In exchange, you must agree to work full-time for six years at a program-approved facility in an area with high overdose rates or a shortage of mental health care professionals. When you apply, you’ll also need to verify that you work full-time at a program-approved substance abuse disorder facility.

• Best for: Health care professionals treating patients with substance use disorders
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $250,000
• Eligible loans: Federal and private student loans

Related: Average Medical School Debt in 2023

8. Perkins Loan cancellation

The Perkins Loan program was discontinued in 2017, however, more than 1 million borrowers still owe on these low-interest, government-subsidized loans. You may be eligible for up to 100% loan cancellation in return for five years of qualifying service as a full-time nurse or medical technician. 

Perkins Loans are disbursed through your school — contact the financial aid office for a cancellation application.

• Best for: Nurses and medical technicians with Perkins Loans
• Forgiveness potential: Up to 100% loan cancellation 
• Eligible loans: Federal Perkins Loans

9. Income-driven repayment forgiveness 

Income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness is a student loan forgiveness program worth considering if you don’t qualify for any of the above programs. There are four IDR plans, and they each adjust your monthly payments based on your family size and income:

• Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE, which replaced REPAYE)
• Pay as You Earn (PAYE)
• Income-Based Repayment (IBR)
• Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR)

Depending on the plan, your remaining loan balance can be forgiven after making student loan payments for 10 to 25 years. 

An IDR plan may make sense if your student loan debt is more than your annual income. Unlike other loan forgiveness programs, you can work full- or part-time for any employer. If you don’t have a job, you can even adjust your payments to $0 and they’ll count toward your forgiveness credit. 

• Best for: Borrowers on income-driven repayment plans 
• Forgiveness potential: Your remaining loan balance 
• Eligible loans: Federal Direct Loans

10. Indian Health Service Loan Repayment

You can qualify to have up to $25,000 of your eligible health profession student loans repaid per year by serving Alaska Native and American Indian communities. You must sign on for two years; afterward, you can extend your contract annually until your student debt is paid off.

• Best for: Health care providers interested in serving the American Indian and Alaska Native communities
• Forgiveness potential: Up to $50,000
• Eligible loans: Federal and private student loans 

Bonus: State-sponsored forgiveness

Your state may offer student loan forgiveness for health care workers. Keep in mind, many state programs require you to work in underserved or rural communities.

Here are some examples of state-specific programs:

• Massachusetts: State-licensed doctors, dentists, nurses, and other health care professionals can get up to $50,000 in loan repayment assistance in return for a two-year commitment to work in a high-need area.
• Ohio: The Physician Loan Repayment Program provides eligible health care professionals working in shortage areas with up to $25,000 in loan repayment assistance for two years, and up to $35,000 each year for an optional third and fourth year. 
• Rhode Island: Awards granted through the state’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program vary by profession. Eligible health care professionals must agree to work in an underserved area for a minimum of two years.
• Georgia: The state offers loan repayment programs for health care professionals who agree to practice full-time in rural counties with populations of 50,000 or less. 

If you don’t qualify for any of the programs listed above, you might find relief through refinancing. Refinancing your loans could potentially provide you with a lower interest rate, especially if you have excellent credit (or a cosigner with strong credit). 

However, try to avoid refinancing your federal student loans, since doing so would mean losing access to important protections and benefits.