Person with a calculator and credit cards deals with financial issues.

Special Report Student Loan Debt Among Educators

From pre-K to Ph.D., our right to learn, grow, and thrive should be based on how big we dream and how hard we work. However, for too long, the student debt system has been designed to profit off the backs of students and educators. Together we can make sure everybody who wants to learn and grow can do so—without a lifetime of student debt.

No matter who we are or how big our bank accounts, we should be able to learn without limits.

From national advocacy to individual support, NEA is working to ensure that education is affordable and accessible to all. As part of this work, we conducted research analyzing the state of educator student loan debt and the ways we can work together to make a more just system for all.

The July 2021 “Student Loan Debt Among Educators: A National Crisis” report presents the results of a 2020 NEA survey of educators working in pre-K–12 and higher education institutions regarding student loan debt. In line with research on student loan debt within the general population, we find that student loans play a significant role in the financial lives of many educators and have disproportionate impacts on specific subgroups. Click here to read the full report.

STUDENT LOAN DEBT AMONG EDUCATORS: BY THE NUMBERS

4 in 10 educators with unpaid student loan debt say paying off their loans affected their physical, mental & emotional well-being.

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Over 25% of educators over the age of 61 still haven't paid off their student loans, with 30% carrying more than $45k in debt.

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28% of educators 18-35 with unpaid student loan debt say it affect their ability to buy a home, go back to school or start a family

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Black educators take out more loans—often at less favorable rates—and end up earning less than their white peers, causing many to leave or avoid the profession altogether.

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EXPERT BRIEFING

On July 29, 2021, NEA experts joined a special briefing to delve into the report, explore recent student debt news, and share resources to take action on a national, local, and personal level.

NEA members share their student debt stories

"My student debt from my doctorate [in education leadership] is still in the six figures. With NEA's help, I've started the process for federal loan forgiveness."

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"The total amount of debt for both [undergrad and graduate degrees from in-state, public colleges] is almost $200,000. I want to buy a house, but my student loans are the size of a mortgage."

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"Over the years, I've tried several times to get [debt] forgiveness. but I've been denied every time... I taught special education for 18 years and I still owe $20,000—and I'm a year into my retirement."

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Battling Student Debt as an Educator | School Me

James Stewart, a high school science teacher in Maryland with more than two decades of teaching experience, joined our SchoolMe podcast to discuss his student debt journey and hopes for change in the way Americans pay for higher education.

Our report found that no segment of educators is immune from the burden of student loan debt—not young educators, not older and more experienced educators, and certainly not educators of color.

With this crisis, however, comes the opportunity for transformation.

TAKE ACTION

Urge Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to take immediate action to cancel both the student loan debt of public service workers with at least 10 years of service and $50,000 in student debt for all other federal loans. Send Secretary Cardona a letter today.

While student loans play a significant role in the financial lives of many educators, they have disproportionate impacts on specific subgroups. Click on the links below to dive deeper into the impact of the crisis on specific educator groups.