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We want you to be able to make decisions about your student loans with confidence. We offer objective, independent, straightforward guidance on student loans and refinancing lenders. While our site doesn't answer every question or have every lender, we are proud to provide the information and tools you need — free of charge — to make the best decisions for yourself. So how do we make money? We get paid in two ways. First, you can hire us to develop a student loan strategy for you and implement that strategy on your behalf. Second, our partners compensate us. This may influence which refinancing lenders we write about, but it doesn't affect our recommendations or advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services.Colorado residents carry the nation’s 19th largest student loan debt, totaling a significant $28.5 billion. With an average debt of $36,822 per borrower, about 774,000 residents, or roughly 13.32% of the state’s population, are dealing with this financial burden.
Fortunately, various federal and state forgiveness programs are available to Colorado borrowers seeking relief from their student loan debt.
The broad one-time cancellation announced in 2022 never took effect, but Colorado borrowers still have federal forgiveness programs and state-based initiatives available to them.
Ahead, we’ll cover the federal programs and state-specific student loan forgiveness programs tailored to the needs of Colorado borrowers.
Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Colorado Residents
Before exploring Colorado-specific programs, let’s discuss the federal student loan forgiveness programs offered by the U.S. Department of Education to all Americans, including Coloradans. These programs provide relief for federal loans based on factors such as your profession or income.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
The PSLF Program is designed for individuals with Direct Loans working in qualifying public service jobs. To be eligible, borrowers must make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer, such as a government agency, public school, or nonprofit organization.
The One-Time IDR Account Adjustment (Completed)
A one-time IDR account adjustment announced in April 2022 gave borrowers credit toward income-based repayment forgiveness for time spent in repayment, forbearance, and some periods of deferment. Borrowers who crossed 20 or 25 years of credited time had their remaining balances discharged.
The adjustment closed to new consolidations on June 30, 2024, and the Department of Education finished processing it in early 2025. Nothing has replaced it. Consolidating FFEL or Perkins loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan is still what makes them eligible for income-driven plans and for PSLF, and consolidation is free on the Federal Student Aid website, StudentAid.gov.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program
Eligibility criteria include working full-time for five consecutive years in a low-income school or educational service agency and having taken out federal Direct or Stafford Loans after October 1, 1998.
Forgiveness amounts vary, with up to $17,500 for highly qualified math, science, and special education teachers and up to $5,000 for other eligible teachers.
The 2022 Broad Debt Cancellation Plan Is Over
The one-time cancellation of $10,000 to $20,000 announced in August 2022 never took effect — the Supreme Court struck it down in June 2023 — and the pandemic-era payment pause and interest freeze ended that same year. There is nothing left to wait for there. The programs above are the live federal routes, and the 2025 budget law rewrote the repayment system around them: SAVE is gone, the Repayment Assistance Plan took its place for loans made on or after July 1, 2026, and PAYE and ICR close on June 30, 2028.
Unlock Financial Relief with Colorado Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Colorado features several state-specific student loan forgiveness programs tailored to help professionals in healthcare, legal, and rural service sectors. By joining one of these programs, you can contribute to your community while receiving financial aid to pay off your student loans.
Healthcare Professionals
Colorado Health Service Corps
This program grants up to $120,000 in student loan support for doctors and other eligible health professionals like physicians, dentists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners. Your received amount hinges on your position and work hours—full-time or part-time.
Commit to a three-year service in a health professional shortage area to qualify.
Rural Essential Access Provider (REAP) Loan Repayment Program
This program presents $7,500 to $30,000 in loan forgiveness for Colorado medical professionals like doctors, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists.
To qualify, work for a minimum of two years at an approved REAP site, either part-time or full-time.
Some non-REAP sites in rural or frontier areas may also qualify if they deliver primary care services to Medicaid, Medicare, or CHP+ patients.
Program Details: REAP Program
State Dental Loan Repayment Program
Colorado dentists can alleviate their student loans through this program, which provides up to $50,000 for general and pediatric dentists and up to $12,000 for dental hygienists.
Treat at least 80 patients monthly and commit to a two-year service in an underserved community to qualify. Submit your application through the Colorado Health Service Corps portal.
Program Details: Colorado Dental LRAP
Legal Professionals
University of Denver Sturm College of Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program
This initiative provides up to five years of loan assistance to Sturm College of Law alumni employed in public service, earning under $75,000 annually.
You must hold a J.D. law degree and have graduated post-2003. Awards typically range from 15% to 75% of your monthly student loan payments.
Applications open yearly, requiring documents like loan statements, employment verification, recommendation letters, and a personal essay.
Program Details: University of Denver LRAP
Colorado’s Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program Administered by the University of Colorado Boulder’s law school
This program offers up to $6,500 in loan repayment assistance yearly for five years to graduates working in public interest employment and earning below $67,000 annually.
You must clock at least 35 hours per week in a qualifying organization (e.g., nonprofit or government agency) or provide legal aid to underserved communities. Apply annually to maintain the award.
Program Details: Colorado LRAP
Bottom Line
In Colorado, various state-specific student loan forgiveness programs are available to taxpayers and professionals in essential fields such as teaching, dentistry, and public service. These programs offer crucial financial relief and support to those who qualify and are dedicated to serving their communities.
These state-specific programs run on their own rules and were untouched by the 2026 federal changes, so they remain accessible to eligible borrowers in Colorado.
Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in debt cancellation, both in Colorado and at the federal level, and seize the opportunities available. Enhance your understanding of these programs and make informed decisions by subscribing to our newsletter today.
When the problem goes beyond which program to apply for — a forgiveness denial, payments that were never counted, a private loan lawsuit — a student loan lawyer in Colorado is where to turn. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll let you know whether it’s something we can help with.
