Student loan payment comparator

Type a balance, an interest rate, your adjusted gross income, and the number of dependents. The page estimates RAP, Tiered Standard, and a 10-year Standard payment. Nothing is sent to a server and nothing is saved in the browser.

Estimates stay in this browser

Enter your figures

Use dollars and the annual interest rate on the loan, such as 6.53 for 6.53%. Parent PLUS loans are not eligible for RAP. IBR is not calculated; use the official Loan Simulator for that plan.

Loan balance

One combined balance, in dollars.

Annual interest rate (%)

Type 6 for 6%. The 1% auto pay reduction is not applied for you.

Adjusted gross income

AGI from your federal return, not discretionary income.

Dependents you claim

A whole number. Each one reduces the monthly RAP estimate by $50, down to the $10 floor.

Disbursement

Every loan in this balance was disbursed before July 1, 2026 At least one loan was disbursed on or after July 1, 2026

Parent PLUS

This balance is not Parent PLUS This balance is Parent PLUS, which is not eligible for RAP

Show the estimate Use a made-up example Clear

The example fills $40,000 at 6%, AGI of $48,000, one dependent, and a disbursement on or after July 1, 2026. Those are the made-up figures from the RAP guide, not a typical borrower.

What this estimate leaves out

• Annual recertification. The 30-year sketch holds AGI and the rate constant. That is an illustration, not a forecast.
• Daily interest. Federal loans usually accrue interest every day. This page uses balance times the annual rate, divided by 12, rounded to the cent.
• Tax on a balance discharged on or after January 1, 2026. Federal Student Aid says that amount is taxed as income. This tool does not estimate the tax.
• PSLF payment counts, buy-back, or employment rules.
• Married-filing proration. The fact sheet says RAP prorates married borrowers. The exact split is not in this calculator.
• A separate bill for each loan. Servicers do not always apply a $50 Tiered Standard minimum the way a single combined balance does.

Official calculator

Use the Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator for a result tied to your loans. Read how the RAP payment works and the principal match examples before you treat a low payment as the cheaper path. A longer term can mean more interest.