BLOG  •

This Nurse Paid Off $70K In Student Loans in One Year — Here’s How

Picture of Kathryn Morstad
how to pay off nursing school loans
how to pay off nursing school loans

Before You Read, Lower Your Student Loan Payment

It’s that quick & easy — really. Our free tool checks a network of top refinance lenders and shows you options in one easy chart.
Checking rates takes 2 minutes with no impact on your credit
Federal & private loans are eligible
No maximum loan amount

Before You Read, Lower Your Student Payment

It’s that quick & easy — really. Our free tool checks a network of top refinance lenders and shows you options in one easy chart.

Checking rates takes 2 minutes with no impact on your credit
Federal & private loans are eligible
No maximum loan amount

Paying off $70,000 of student loan debt in just one year sounds too good to be true.

But according to a report on CNBC, one nurse practitioner did just that. Schauren Hinson took charge of her student loans and was able to pay off a significant portion of debt from her graduate nursing program at Duke University in just one year.

What She Was Up Against

Becoming a nurse practitioner requires a graduate degree and commands a starting salary of at least $80,000.

Hinson’s savings were able to cover her first year’s tuition, but she still graduated with student loans totaling $140,000. With high interest rates on her loans (as much as 8.5%), her monthly payments were around $1,800 and practically unmanageable on her salary.

To afford her monthly payments, Hinson signed up for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan on her federal loans, which reduced her payment and lengthened her repayment term. Soon she found that her payments weren’t covering the interest and her balance was continuing to grow. She determined that it would take 20 to 25 years to eliminate the debt once and for all under her IDR plan.

How She Changed the Course of Events

Not content settling for that, Hinson educated herself about refinancing and consolidated her eight loans into one refinanced loan at 3.0%. The new rate reduced her monthly payment and ignited a sense of urgency to repay her student loan debt quickly.

Working three jobs — nurse practitioner, home health, and clinic weekend work — allowed Hinson to make an extra $4K per month. The extra money (along with a few additional efforts) allowed her to pay $70,000 in the first year.

Her advice? “Don’t spend a dime on anything other than basics and put everything else toward your debt so it’s out of your life,” said Hinson.

Introducing
The Aunt Betty Fund

The Aunt Betty Fund is a nonprofit that provides a secure platform for family, friends and donors to help deserving borrowers pay down their student debt.

Family and Friends can easily send payments to reduce the burden of debt — directly to the loan servicer.
Donors can support grant programs helping borrowers who are struggling with their payments
Grants offer those with demonstrated financial need an opportunity to get help with their loans.

How to Pay Off Nursing School Loans Fast

Today, the average student loan debt for graduate-level nurses is around $50,000, with those attending premier schools clocking in at over $100,000. Rather than simply paying the minimum payment for the next ten years, we’re going to look at some strategies and considerations for nurses who are paying off their student loan debt

The 2 Best Companies to Refinance Student Loans

Our Top-Rated Picks for 2024 Offer Low Rates and No Fees

efli-lender
No Maximum Loan Amount

Fixed Rate

5.48% – 8.94% APR 4

Variable Rate

5.28% – 8.99% APR 4
earnest-logo
Precision Pricing — Pick Your Monthly Payment

Fixed Rate

5.19% – 9.74% APR 2

Variable Rate

5.72% – 9.74% APR 2

Nursing Repayment/Forgiveness Programs

There are tons of opportunities for student loan forgiveness for nurses, and that’s largely due to the continuing shortage of nurses graduating today. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of nurse shortages in the U.S. is painfully clear, and both federal and state agencies are trying to find ways to recruit potential candidates through student loan support.

These options often require relocation or a job change, which is a major consideration, and most of these options include working with underserved populations. Here are some of the opportunities for nurse repayment and forgiveness programs:

  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) — This program offers federal loan forgiveness to nurses who work full-time for a designated government or non-profit group while making 120 monthly payments (10 years). At that point, the government will forgive the remaining federal student loan balance.
  • Nurse Corps Loan Repayment — Forgives up to 85% of loans (including interest) for RNs, APRNs, and nursing faculty who have worked for up to three years in a Critical Shortage Facility or at an accredited nursing school.
  • National Health Service Corps – Indian Health Service (IHS) — Nurse practitioners and midwives who work at an IHS facility or tribally-operated health clinic for at least two years are eligible to receive up to $40,000 per year.
  • Army Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program — Active duty and Army Reserve personnel can receive up to $250,000 in student loan forgiveness for nurses, plus signing bonuses (up to $30K), salaries, and housing allowances. The Army also has a scholarship program for nurses.
  • NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce — Up to $75,000 available for nurse practitioners or mental health nurse specialists who work with Medicare, Medicaid, and CHPS members for up to three years.
  • All 50 States have some type of Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program. See the Nursing Journal summary here for more information.

When considering any student loan forgiveness program, be sure to understand the tax consequences since many forgiveness amounts are taxed as regular income.

Healthcare Systems Offering Student Loan Support

Like many employers, hospitals and healthcare systems are recognizing the benefit of offering student loan forgiveness for nurses as a great recruitment tool. While not as generous as some of the federal and state programs, you would have a greater say in where you live and the type of nursing you could practice.

As with federal and state forgiveness programs, be sure to research the tax consequences for this type of benefit.

How to Pay Off Nursing School Loans Using Other Tactics

Take Advantage of High Paying Temporary Jobs

If you have time available, consider working temporary jobs. Healthcare systems, clinics, home health agencies, and long-term care facilities are always looking for nurses to cover short staff situations, including vacations, family leaves, and hiring shortages.

There is top dollar to be made and you might even find a better opportunity.

Use Extra Cash to Pay Down Principal

Call it a windfall, call it luck, or call it unexpected, but if you find yourself with extra cash, use it to pay down the principal of your student loan.

Tax refunds, sign-on bonuses, holiday bonuses, lottery winnings, inheritances — wherever it comes from, send it to your lender with instructions that it should be applied to your loan principal.

Student Loan Refinancing

As Hinson found, refinancing can make the most sense for people with large balances on their student loans. Student loans taken out in recent years, both federal and private, can have high interest rates and expensive monthly payments.

Through refinancing, you can take all of your student loans and refinance them into a single package with one lender offering a lower interest rate and flexible terms. There are no application or origination fees when refinancing student loans, so it won’t cost you anything.

While today’s interest rates are under pressure from policy changes being made by the Federal Reserve, interest rates are still relatively low for people with excellent credit and strong income.

Consider this example:

Using Hinson’s figures, if you had loans totaling $140,000 at 8.5% for 10 years, your monthly payment would be about $1,736 and you would pay total interest of over $68K.

If you refinanced that same $140,000 at 3.0% for 10 years, your monthly payment would be $1,351.85 and you would pay about $22K in interest over the life of the loan.

Try Purefy’s Student Loan Payoff Calculator below to see how much money you could save by refinancing your nursing school loans.

See How Much You Can Save

Student Loan Payoff Calculator

View Details

Collapse

Check how long it will take you to pay off your student loans. Quickly see the effects of lower rates, extra payments, and different terms on your repayment plan.

Enter Your Loan Information

Loan Balance
Your remaining student loan debt to be repaid.
Interest Rate
The amount that the lender charges in interest, expressed as a percentage.

%

Current Monthly Payment
The total amount of your monthly student loan bill.
Add Multiple Loans
Extra Monthly Prepayment
This is the extra amount you would like to put toward your loan every month in addition to your regular monthly payment.

Add Multiple Loans

Insert additional loan

Results

Current Payment w/ extra payment Difference
Term 10 years
Payoff Date
Total Interest $16,560

Want to lower your rate to help pay off student loans faster? Check your rate at our top-rated lenders in 2 minutes, with no impact on credit.

Comparing Refinancing Options

If refinancing is an option that works for you, then you will want to compare interest rates and loan terms from a variety of lenders to make sure you get the best deal.

However, there’s no need to visit numerous websites and fill out tons of quote requests. You can accomplish a thorough and comprehensive review using a marketplace quote engine like Purefy’s rate comparison tool.

First, start by completing the required information:

  • Personal demographics like name, address, social security number (don’t worry, your information is handled securely with industry-leading encryption)
  • Income
  • Current student loan information
  • Your nursing degree and the school you graduated from

After a soft credit pull (which does not affect your credit), you’ll receive real offers from multiple lenders. Purefy’s lenders meet or exceed rigorous standards and are some of the best in the industry.

From there, you can evaluate each offer and make your selection. Applying is fast and easy, and after providing a few supporting documents, you’ll be able to finalize the loan. After signing loan documents, your existing loans are paid off and a new loan is created with one payment and due date each month. Some of Purefy’s lenders also offer autopay discounts, so you could shave another 0.25% off of your interest rate by setting up automatic payments.

Final thoughts

If you are a nurse practitioner or nursing professional with student loan debt, Hinson’s experience can be inspiration to tackle your pile of nursing school loans. Your options can include student loan forgiveness for nurses, refinancing, or a combination of things we’ve suggested.

Try Purefy’s rate comparison tool to see if you can save money by refinancing your student loans. Stop paying more than you should for your education.

Interested in Student Loan Refinancing? Compare rates from top-rated lenders and see how much you could save.

Checking your rates takes 2 minutes and has no impact on credit. 

You Might Also Like
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily

Recommends

Student Loan Refinance

Today’s Rates Starting From 4.49% APR1

Take the guesswork out of shopping for a student loan refinance. Compare real prequalified offers from multiple top rated lenders in 2 minutes with no impact on your credit score.
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
efli-lender
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
college ave student loans
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
ascent student loans

Before you go, let’s make sure is offering you the best rate.

It takes two minutes and has no impact on your credit score.

1

Answer a few questions with our easy & secure form.

2

Purefy checks for your prequalified rates from top lenders.

3

Pick your best rate and finish the application online in minutes.

Ascent Rate Disclosure

Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentStudentLoans.com/Ts&Cs.

Rates are effective as of 12/1/2023 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized back account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: www.AscentStudentLoans.com/Rates.

1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Click here for details.

SoFi Rate Disclosure

3 SoFi Rate Disclosure:

Fixed rates range from 4.49% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates from 5.09% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates on 5-, 7-, and 10-year terms are capped at 8.95% APR; 15- and 20-year terms are capped at 9.95% APR. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

ISL Rate Disclosure

Earnest Rate Disclosure

2 Earnest Rate Disclosure:


Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 5.44% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.97% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.

Advertiser Disclosure:

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENT OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS OFFER.

Earnest Rate Disclosure

Rates displayed include the 0.25% Auto Pay discount. You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment from a checking or savings account. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.

Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.67% APR to 16.15% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.64% APR to 16.45% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan origination loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. Although the rate will vary after you are approved, it will never exceed 36% (the maximum allowable for this loan). Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.

Nine-month grace period is not available for borrowers who choose our Principal and Interest Repayment plan while in school.

Earnest clients may skip one payment every 12 months. Your first request to skip a payment can be made once you’ve made at least 6 months of consecutive on-time payments, and your loan is in good standing. The interest accrued during the skipped month will result in an increase in your remaining minimum payment. The final payoff date on your loan will be extended by the length of the skipped payment periods. Please be aware that a skipped payment does count toward the forbearance limits. Please note that skipping a payment is not guaranteed and is at Earnest’s discretion. Your monthly payment and total loan cost may increase as a result of postponing your payment and extending your term.

Loan Eligibility criteria: Eligible students must: 1) For college Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors, attend, or be enrolled to attend, a Title IV school full-time. For college Seniors and Graduate students, attend, or be enrolled to attend, a Title IV school at least half-time; and 2) be pursuing a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree. Earnest private student loans are subject to credit qualification, completion of a loan application, verification of application information, self-certification of loan amount, and school certification.

Responsible borrowing tip: Explore all scholarship, grant and federal options before applying for a private loan.

Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.

Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 535 Mission St., Suite 1663 San Francisco, CA 94105, NMLS #1204917, with support From Navient Solutions, LLC (NMLS #212430). One American Bank and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.

Advertiser Disclosure:

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENT OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS OFFER.

ELFI Rate Disclosure

4 ELFI Rate Disclosure:

Education Loan Finance is a nationwide student loan debt consolidation and refinance program offered by Tennessee based SouthEast Bank. ELFI is designed to assist borrowers through consolidating and refinancing loans into one single loan that effectively lowers your cost of education debt and/or makes repayment very simple. Subject to credit approval. See Terms & Conditions. Interest rates current as of 10/13/2023. The interest rate and monthly payment for a variable rate loan may increase after closing, but will never exceed 9.95% APR. Interest rates may be different from the rates shown above and will be based on the term of your loan, your financial history, and other factors, including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history. For example, a 10-year loan with a fixed rate of 6% would have 120 payments of $11.00 per $1,000 borrowed. Rates are subject to change.

ELFI Rate Disclosure

Education Loan Finance is a nationwide student loan provider offered by Tennessee based SouthEast Bank. ELFI is designed to assist students financially with receiving their education. Subject to credit approval. See Terms & Conditions. Interest rates current as of 12/11/2023. Variable interest rates may increase after closing but will never exceed 18.00%. Interest rates may also differ from the rates shown above. The term of your loan, financial history, and other factors, including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history can affect the interest rate. For example, a 10-year loan with a fixed rate of 7% would have 120 payments of $11.61 per $1,000 borrowed. Rates are subject to change.

College Ave Rate Disclosure

College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
Rates shown include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
Minimum loan amount $1,000, as certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 1/1/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.

Compare Student Loan Refinance Rates From Top-Rated Lenders

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
No impact on credit — get results in 2 minutes.
the best rates

Want To Find Out When Student Loan Refinance Rates Drop?

Join our email list to get instantly notified when rates change.

I am a(Required)