Student Loan Consolidation and Debt Payoff Calculator
Consolidate or pay them off separately?
Consolidation loan rate
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New federal payment
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Paying separately with avalanche
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Least interest
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Only federal student loans can go into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Mark at least one loan as federal to see the consolidation plans.
Four ways to repay
Required payments only, or a fixed monthly budget that puts everything left over on the highest-rate loan (avalanche).
| Plan | Monthly payment | Debt-free in | Total interest | Total paid |
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2026 consolidation rules
The new rate is the weighted average of your federal rates rounded up to the next 1/8%, so consolidating never lowers your rate. A consolidation loan made on or after July 1, 2026 can be repaid only under the Tiered Standard plan (shown here, with a 10- to 25-year term set by the balance) or the income-based Repayment Assistance Plan, which is not estimated here, and your other Direct Loans move to those plans too. Private loans cannot be consolidated with federal ones.
When each loan is paid off
Paying separately with avalanche, and after consolidating with the same monthly budget.
| Loan | Type | Balance | Rate | Separate (avalanche) | Consolidated, same budget |
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Balance left at the end of each year
What you still owe in total under each plan.
| Year | Keep, required | Keep, avalanche | Consolidate, required | Consolidate, same budget |
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Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial, tax or legal advice.
Enter your federal and private student loans to compare a federal Direct Consolidation Loan with paying them off separately, highest rate first: new rate and payment, debt-free date and total interest. If you want to see how the figures change, the student loan calculator gives you an instant result you can adjust as you go.