Education Calculator

Student Loan Calculator — Payoff Plans, Refi, and the Real ROI

Standard payoff, aggressive payoff, or refinance — see your real timeline and total interest. Pick the wrong path and you'll pay $20K–$80K more for the same degree.

Add your full picture and map your payoff plan against YOUR FI Age.Browse all calculators

Key facts

Federal undergrad rate (2025–26)

~6.5%

Federal grad PLUS rate

~9%

PSLF qualifying payments

120 (10 years)

Refi savings range

$5K–$50K

Calculator

Loan balance

Interest rate (APR)

Term

Monthly payment

$340.64

Total interest

$10,877

Total paid

$40,877

Loan term

10 years

Year	Payments	Principal	Interest	Balance
1	$4,088	$2,203	$1,885	$27,797
2	$4,088	$2,350	$1,738	$25,447
3	$4,088	$2,507	$1,580	$22,940
4	$4,088	$2,675	$1,412	$20,264
5	$4,088	$2,855	$1,233	$17,410

Estimates only. Excludes fees, escrow changes, and tax effects. For educational purposes — not financial advice.

Standard repayment vs income-driven

Standard 10-year repayment minimizes total interest. Income-driven plans (SAVE, IBR, PAYE) cap payments at a percentage of discretionary income with eventual forgiveness — best for borrowers in lower-paying public service careers or with very high debt-to-income ratios.

This calculator models standard amortized payoff and refinance scenarios; it doesn't compute income-driven payment amounts or forgiveness. Get your IDR estimate from your loan servicer, then use the payoff and debt-vs-invest tools to weigh the trade-off — a $50K loan on IDR for 20 years can cost $30K+ more in interest.

Should you refinance?

Refinancing federal loans to a private lender locks in a lower rate but kills PSLF eligibility, IDR forgiveness, and federal forbearance. Only refinance if (a) you're sure you'll pay off in 5–10 years, (b) the new rate is 1.5%+ lower, and (c) you have stable income.

Personalized to YOU

Plug this into YOUR PeakWorth™ and see the FI Age impact

A calculator alone tells you the payment. PeakWorth tells you what that payment costs your retirement — and how every change ripples through the next 30 years of your finances.

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Frequently asked questions

Should I pay extra on student loans or invest?

Above 7% rate — pay extra. Below 5% — invest first. In between — get the 401(k) match, then split.

Is PSLF really safe?

Recent reforms made it more reliable. If you work for a qualifying employer, certify employment annually and follow the rules carefully.

How much interest will I really pay?

Use this calculator to see total interest under your current plan vs an aggressive payoff. Most borrowers are stunned by the gap.

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529s, grad school ROI, refi-or-payoff decision tree.

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Built for

PeakWorth for physicians

Late start, high income, six-figure debt — modeled together.

Built for

PeakWorth for new parents

A baby changes the math — childcare, 529s, and your FI Age.

Stop calculating in isolation. Start modeling your real financial life.

PeakWorth includes every loan calculator above — connected to your real income, expenses, and goals. Every number you change updates your live FI Age and lifetime projection.

Run it through PeakWorth Browse decision guides