7 Jobs That Can Get Student Loan Forgiveness

If you have student loan debt, you may qualify for a forgiveness or repayment assistance program that could alleviate some of your financial burden. While many public service and nonprofit jobs are often eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness,¹ there are numerous other forgiveness programs specifically tailored to certain careers. Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, veterinarian, teacher, lawyer, member of the military, or volunteer, let’s explore possible career-based student loan forgiveness options that could offer a path to student loan debt relief.

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

Healthcare providers could have a number of student loan forgiveness options available to them through different government programs at the federal and state level. Offered through the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program helps healthcare providers – such as physicians, dentists, behavioral health professionals, and nurses – who work in underserved areas repay their medical school loans.

As an incentive to bring advanced training and skills to areas that lack adequate healthcare access, participants receive financial assistance to reduce their student debt. This program aims to improve healthcare access for vulnerable populations across the United States. Use the list below to learn about even more student loan forgiveness opportunities through HRSA:

• National Health Service Corps Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program
• National Health Service Corps Rural Community Loan Repayment Program
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP)
• National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program

Student loan forgiveness programs for nurses

Depending on factors such as specialty, employment type, and geography, nurses could have a number of student loan forgiveness options available to them. Read on to learn about the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program, a popular HRSA program, and for a more in-depth look at student loan forgiveness programs for nurses, visit our resource How Nurses Can Get Student Loan Forgiveness.

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is available to qualifying registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse faculty in underserved communities. The program offers up to 85% of their student loan balance paid off in three years.

Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)

In addition to healthcare providers, professionals who work in veterinary medicine in rural or underserved areas could qualify for student loan forgiveness. The VMLRP program, offered through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides student loan repayment assistance to veterinarians who work in certain areas with shortages of veterinary professionals. This program could be a beneficial option for veterinarians committed to addressing the needs of underserved communities.

Student loan forgiveness programs for teachers

Borrowers in teaching careers also have a number of options for student loan debt relief. The Teacher Loan Forgiveness, for example, is a federal program that aims to alleviate financial strain on educators who work in schools. Under this program, eligible teachers could receive up to $17,500 in student loan forgiveness for federal student loans. To qualify, teachers must work full-time in low-income schools or educational service agencies for five consecutive years. Learn more about how to qualify for this program here.

Student loan forgiveness programs for lawyers

Forgiveness options are available to legal professionals who work in both public and private sectors. A good place for lawyers to start learning about loan repayment assistant programs (LRAPs) available to them is on the American Bar Association’s website. Some notable LRAPs specifically for lawyers include:

Military student loan forgiveness programs

For military professionals seeking student loan debt relief, there are several potential paths available exclusively to servicemembers. Some notable military programs include:

Volunteer student loan forgiveness

If you work as a volunteer at a nonprofit organization, you may have forgiveness opportunities and LRAPs available to you. Start by checking with your organization’s benefits administrator. Additionally, compensated volunteer and nonprofit work through organizations such as AmeriCorps and Peace Corps qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – more on that in the next section.

Other federal forgiveness programs

Beyond job-specific LRAPs and forgiveness opportunities offered by various government and other organizations, the federal government offers programs such as PSLF, Income Driven Repayment (IDR), and Perkins Loan Cancellation to provide relief to federal student loan borrowers.

Explore your student loan forgiveness options

For help understanding which student loan forgiveness path(s) make sense for your career path and financial circumstances, schedule a call with one of our student loan specialists and visit our interactive resource collections:

• How to Get Student Loan Forgiveness
• Return of Student Loan Payments: What You Need to Know
• Comparing Student Loan Repayment Options