Top 30 Professions with the Highest Student Loan Payment

Young professionals take on huge amounts of student loan debt to pursue their education and career dreams. Unfortunately, six-figure student debt doesn’t necessarily yield six-figure income.

For high-paying medical, dental and law professions, the financial investment usually pays off with time. But in many cases, public servants carry large debt loads that don’t reflect their limited salaries considering many government and nonprofit employers now expect a master’s degree.

Below is a list of the top 30 professions with the highest student loan payments based on a Standard 10-Year Repayment plan.

Professions with the highest monthly payments

This list of professions with the highest student loan payments is based on Student Loan Planner client data. Therefore, our findings might not be representative of each profession as a whole considering many borrowers who work with us often have higher student debt balances than their peers.

We used our free student loan repayment calculator to determine estimated monthly student loan payments using a 5.28% interest rate. This is the current federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan rate for graduates and professional students in the 2021-2022 academic year.

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Note that these calculations are based on a Standard 10-Year Repayment Plan. Therefore, the actual monthly payments of borrowers in each profession are likely much lower than listed due to the availability of income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, refinancing offers and loan forgiveness programs.

However, this data shows how much each profession would need to budget in order to pay off their student debt in 10 years.

30. Teacher

Standard monthly payment: $1,087

Average student debt: $101,205

Student debt reaching $100,000 or more might seem high for the teaching profession. But many teachers return to school to pursue a master’s degree — often resulting in six-figure student debt.

If it weren’t for IDR plans and loan forgiveness programs, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Teacher Loan Forgiveness, many teachers wouldn’t be able to realistically afford their monthly payment considering the average is over $1,000 per month.

29. Manager

Standard monthly payment: $1,284

Average student debt: $119,521

Management can come with some nice perks, but it doesn’t always come with a hefty salary.

Glassdoor data shows the average manager salary is $80,343. But depending on what industry you work in, your salary could be much higher or lower. If the latter, a $1,284 monthly payment would eat away at a large chunk of your finances over 10 years.

28. Speech-language pathologist

Standard monthly payment: $1,312

Average student debt: $122,109

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) determined the 2020 median pay for speech-language pathologists was $80,480.

Fortunately, if you work for an education agency or nonprofit healthcare organization, you can take advantage of PSLF to help eliminate part of your speech-language pathologist student loans.

27. Social worker

Standard monthly payment: $1,334

Average student debt: $124,149

The median annual wage for social workers is only $51,760, according to BLS data. Yet, the standard monthly student loan payment could be over $1,300 without access to affordable IDR plans and loan forgiveness programs for social workers.

26. Engineer

Standard monthly payment: $1,393

Average student debt: $129,652

BLS data shows the median annual wage for engineers is $103,380. However, salaries vary greatly depending on engineering occupation and location.

PSLF is an option for engineers who work in the public sector. However, if you work for a private employer, you’ll likely be better off exploring engineer refinancing or pursuing long-term IDR forgiveness.

25. Nurse

Standard monthly payment: $1,459

Average student debt: $135,811

There are a variety of career paths for nurses to expand their knowledge and experience. But many also require racking up more student loan debt.

Fortunately, nurses have many loan forgiveness programs that can help alleviate their student debt burden and avoid an average monthly payment of almost $1,500.

24. Counselor

Standard monthly payment:  $1,500

Average student debt: $139,603

Counselors work in many specialties and within a variety of settings, such as schools, rehab facilities and mental health practices. Although they do work that is absolutely needed, their salary doesn’t make it easy to pay off six-figure student loan debt — especially when you’re looking at a $1,500 average monthly payment.

23. Therapist

Standard monthly payment: $1,850

Average student debt: $172,199

Therapists have a similar dilemma as counselors: Their good work and education credentials aren’t financially rewarded as a profession. For example, the average marriage and family therapist salary is $51,340, according to BLS data.

An average $1,850 monthly student loan payment just isn’t in the budget for most therapists.

22. College professor

Standard monthly payment: $1,915

Average student debt: $178,254

Where would any of us be without our college professors? If you happen to be one yourself, you probably realize that a career in academia isn’t nearly as lucrative as the private sector.

But as a college professor, you can take advantage of PSLF and other loan forgiveness programs to avoid a large monthly student loan payment.

21. Nurse practitioner

Standard monthly payment: $1,963

Average student debt: $182,736

Nurse practitioners generally make a nice six-figure salary, making it easier to pay down nursing school loans over time. Plus, you’ll have access to forgiveness programs for nurse practitioners that can ease some of your student loan burden.

20. Architect

Standard monthly payment: $1,984

Average student debt: $184,707

The average architect salary is $82,499, according to ZipRecruiter. So, a student loan payment just shy of $2,000 over the next 10 years won’t necessarily fit every architect’s budget.

If you happen to work in the public sector, PSLF will be your friend. Otherwise, you can treat your architect student loans as a tax on your discretionary income by enrolling in an IDR plan.

19. Physical therapist

Standard monthly payment: $2,039

Average student debt: $189,805

Physical therapists juggle a large student debt load considering the median PT salary is $91,010, according to BLS data.

If you plan to own your own practice or work for a private clinic, you won’t be eligible for PSLF. But you’ll have options to enroll in an IDR plan or look into refinancing options for physical therapists to avoid an average $2,000 monthly payment.

18. Physician assistant

Standard monthly payment: $2,107

Average student debt: $196,127

Physician assistants can choose to pay back their six-figure PA school debt by maximizing forgiveness programs or through aggressive repayment. If you choose the latter, you can expect to make $2,000+ monthly payments if you have the average PA student debt or more.

17. Occupational therapist

Standard monthly payment: $2,147

Average student debt: $199,847

The average salary for occupational therapists is $87,480, according to BLS data. But salaries vary greatly within the OT field, depending on what industry you work in and where you live.

Your job choice can affect which repayment strategies will be most effective for your OT school debt. In some cases, you might have access to the PSLF program if you work for a public or nonprofit agency. Otherwise, you’ll need to pursue IDR forgiveness or plan to refinance and make large student loan payments for up to 10 years.

16. Lawyer

Standard monthly payment: $2,507

Average student debt: $233,339

Lawyer salaries have a huge range. Your salary and student loan repayment strategy will depend on your practice area and the size of your law firm.

For example, if you’re a public defender, PSLF can eventually wipe away a large chunk of your student debt. But if you work for Big Law, you’ll need to either refinance your law school loans or enroll in an IDR plan to help lower your monthly payment from the average $2,500 monthly payment.

15. Pharmacist

Standard monthly payment: $2,510

Average student debt: $233,655

Pharmacists often graduate with more student loans than anticipated. They’re also entering a more competitive job market for the profession overall.

Putting $2,500 or more toward your student loans each month might be doable. But many young pharmacists are also starting families and pursuing other financial goals, like buying their first home.

14. Acupuncturist

Standard monthly payment: $2,518

Average student debt: $234,338

Student loan debt for acupuncturists is on the rise as states require more schooling, licensing and regulations surrounding the profession.

It takes time to build up an acupuncture business, and many acupuncturists earn less than $75,000 annually. So, a $2,500 monthly payment simply isn’t realistic for new graduates.

13. Nurse anesthetist

Standard monthly payment: $2,550

Average student debt: $237,305

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) earn an average of $189,190, according to BLS data. This allows CRNAs to choose which repayment strategy (e.g. refinancing versus PSLF or IDR forgiveness) fits their needs best because the student debt generally makes sense for the profession.

12. Chiropractor

Standard monthly payment: $2,702

Average student debt: $251,524

Most chiropractors can’t afford to commit to $2,700 monthly payments on a $70,000 average chiropractor salary. Therefore, an IDR plan is typically the most advantageous repayment strategy for chiropractors.

11. Psychologist

Standard monthly payment: $2,810

Average student debt: $261,505

The average student loan debt for psychologists is over a quarter-million dollars. But BLS data shows the median annual wage for psychologists is only $82,180.

PSLF and IDR forgiveness might be an option for psychologists who can’t afford a $2,800 monthly payment for 10 years straight. But you might also have access to repayment assistance programs like the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program or National Institutes of Health Repayment Programs.

10. Optometrist

Standard monthly payment: $2,887

Average student debt: $268,691

The pay ceiling for optometrists seems to be in a downward trend, which could make paying back optometry school loans difficult for new graduates.

9. Veterinarian

Standard monthly payment: $3,037

Average student debt: $282,633

Veterinarian student loans are high enough to owe a lot each month (e.g $3,000+ on a standard plan), yet the pay isn’t high enough to make a dent in your balance.

Additionally, unlike your human medicine counterparts, veterinarians are treated poorly under student loan rules with extremely limited access to loan forgiveness programs.

8. Podiatrist

Standard monthly payment: $3,037

Average student debt: $282,714

Podiatry school debt can be intimidating considering it’s one of the more expensive medical schools out there. But a podiatrist salary can make the student debt worth it, especially if you’re able to leverage IDR and loan forgiveness programs to avoid a $3,000+ monthly payment.

7. Physician

Standard monthly payment: $3,570

Average student debt: $332,299

It’s common for physicians to graduate with several hundred thousand dollars worth of student loan debt. A $3,500 student loan payment isn't ideal, but physician salaries make it possible to refinance and pay off the debt aggressively.

Alternatively, many physicians can capture a huge savings by enrolling in an IDR plan during residency when your salary is much lower. Plus, physicians have the option to optimize PSLF throughout their repayment journey.

6. Dentist

Standard monthly payment: $4,320

Average student debt: $402,121

Dental school debt reaching up to half-a-million dollars or more is almost impossible to pay off in 10 years on a general dentist salary. But depending on your dental specialty and career goals (e.g. owning a practice), there are a lot of opportunities to save money with various dental school repayment strategies.

Top 5 highest student loan payments by profession: $5,000+ per month

We’re now breaking into the top five professions with a whopping $5,000 to $6,700 monthly payment on a 10-year repayment plan.

5. Pediatric Dentist

Standard monthly payment: $5,117

Average student debt: $476,306

The average pediatric dentist salary is $241,574, according to ZipRecruiter. This is roughly half of the average student debt for the profession based on our findings.

If you’re comfortable with a $5,000+ monthly payment, refinancing will help pay your loans down faster while saving interest. But IDR forgiveness might be a more beneficial strategy depending on your situation.

4. Endodontist

Standard monthly payment: $6,025

Average student debt: $560,736

Endodontist salaries of clients we’ve worked with are usually in the mid-$200,000. But borrowers working in more rural areas tend to earn quite a bit more due to demand for services with limited alternatives.

A $6,000 monthly payment for 10 years can be a shock to your budget, especially during residency when your endodontist income is much lower. Therefore, the right debt repayment for your dental school loans will depend on your location and career goals.

3. Oral surgeon

Standard monthly payment: $6,291

Average student debt: $585,571

Oral surgeons out-earn other dental specialties, with private practice oral surgeons earning $300,000 or more.

Although refinancing might be appealing on an oral surgeon salary, many borrowers can benefit from lower IDR payments while in residency. Once you reach your full earning potential, your payments will continue to be capped at 10% to 20% of your discretionary income (depending on plan) until you reach forgiveness.

2. Periodontist

Standard monthly payment: $6,422

Average student debt: $597,746

Periodontics is one of the highest paid dental specialties. But it also comes with one of the highest student loan payments considering the average student debt is well over half-a-million dollars.

1. Orthodontist

Standard monthly payment: $6,643

Average student debt: $618,282

Orthodontists take on a massive amount of student loan debt in hopes of securing a generous salary. This profession landed as #1 on our list and will likely remain at the top as the average orthodontic student loan debt will soon be seven-figures due to outrageous dental school costs.

Where you live and work will dramatically influence your salary (e.g. choose an in-demand area). But opening or buying your own dental practice can increase your earning potential and strategically lower your student loan payment in more ways than one.

Bottom line: IDR plans and loan forgiveness programs are needed

If you attended an expensive program or lived in an area with a high cost of living, then your student debt balance could be much higher than what’s listed. Alternatively, if you strategically chose an affordable program or received grants, scholarships or generous family contributions for your education, your student loans might be a lot less.

Every profession on our top 30 list of highest student loan payments has a monthly payment of $1,000 or more under a Standard 10-Year Repayment Plan.

For many borrowers, it’s simply not financially feasible to pay off their student loans within a 10-year timeframe.

Even if you want to knock them out within the standard repayment window, you might benefit more from taking advantage of available IDR plans and loan forgiveness programs. Our team of student experts provides custom repayment plans that allow you to focus on personal and financial goals while managing your student debt.

However, if paying them off within 10 years is your goal, use refinancing to your advantage by frequently checking for better interest rates and cash-back bonuses.