Librarian Student Loan Forgiveness: PSLF & More

• Most librarians qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) by working full-time in public libraries, schools, or nonprofit organizations for 10 years.

• Student loan forgiveness options for librarians also include Perkins Loan cancellation, IDR forgiveness, disability discharge, and state-run programs.

• Refinancing federal loans into private loans permanently blocks PSLF and other federal forgiveness paths. Think carefully before choosing this route.

PSLF remains the best student loan forgiveness option for librarians. But it’s not the only one.

If you work at a public library, school, or public college, you’re probably in a PSLF-eligible job. Stick with it for 10 years, make the right kind of payments, and the rest of your federal loans can be forgiven tax-free (for most states).

But PSLF isn’t your only option.

• Still have old Perkins Loans? You might qualify for a separate cancellation program.

• Have a disability? You could get a full discharge. No waiting required.

• Live in a state with its own forgiveness program? Some offer relief specifically for public workers, including librarians.

And if none of those fit, refinancing might lower your monthly payments. Just be careful. If you refinance federal loans into private loans, you lose access to PSLF and other federal protections for good.

Here’s what librarians need to know in 2025 and why now might be the best time to get ahead of your loans.

If you’re a librarian working in public service, Public Service Loan Forgiveness is still the main path to getting your federal student loans forgiven. But you need to meet all the requirements and stay on top of them.

Here’s what qualifies in 2025:

• Employer type matters most. You must work full-time for a government agency or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. That includes public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries at public universities, and state or federal library systems.

• Your job title doesn’t matter. PSLF doesn’t care if you’re a branch manager, cataloger, circulation staffer, or media specialist. What matters is who employs you, not what your title is.

• You need to work full-time. That means at least 30 hours per week—or more, if your employer’s full-time standard is higher.

• You must have Direct Loans. If you still have Perkins or FFEL loans, you’ll need to consolidate them into a Direct Consolidation Loan first.

• You need to be on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. As of April 2025, the SAVE Plan is under legal review and not recommended for PSLF borrowers. Stick with one of the approved IDR plans like IBR, PAYE, or ICR to stay eligible. If your income is low enough, $0 payments under these plans can still count toward forgiveness.

• You need 120 qualifying payments. These must be made under the right employer, with the right loan type, on the right repayment plan.

To keep your progress on track, submit a PSLF Employment Certification Form every year and whenever you change jobs. This form is how your servicer tracks qualifying payments.

In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Education (ED) to revise PSLF rules to exclude organizations involved in what it calls a “substantial illegal purpose.”

Read More: Trump PSLF Order

While this appears aimed at a narrow group of activist nonprofits, it’s smart to double-check your employer’s status using the PSLF Help Tool.

Already working towards PSLF? Check how much you still have to pay (or how much you could save when you switch plans) with our PSLF Calculator.

If you’re a school librarian (NOT a public librarian) and you took out a Federal Perkins Loan before September 30, 2017, you might still qualify for up to 100% loan cancellation over five years.

But there’s a catch: This benefit only applies if you’re a full-time librarian with a master’s degree working in one of these settings:

• An elementary or secondary school that qualifies for Title I assistance

• A public library that serves a community where Title I schools are located

If you work in a general public library without a Title I connection, this program doesn’t apply.

Here’s how the cancellation breaks down:

• 15% canceled after your first year

• 15% after your second

• 20% after your third

• 20% after your fourth

• 30% after your fifth

That adds up to 100% (plus any accrued interest) gone after five years in a qualifying job.

The Perkins Loan program officially ended in 2017, but existing loans can still be canceled if you meet the rules. If you think you qualify, contact your Perkins Loan holder and ask for the cancellation application.

PSLF is still the most reliable path to loan forgiveness for most public service librarians. But if you don’t qualify for PSLF, you still have options.

Here’s what’s worth looking into in 2025:

• Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Forgiveness: If you’ve made payments under an IBR plan for 20 or 25 years (depending on when you took out the loan), the rest of your balance can be forgiven.

• Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge: If you can’t work because of a permanent disability, you could have your entire federal loan balance discharged. You’ll need documentation from a licensed physician, the VA, or the Social Security Administration.

• State or Employer-Based Forgiveness Programs: Some states and employers offer their own forgiveness programs for librarians and educators. To find out what’s available, check with your state’s education department or ask your HR team.

If you’re not sure you qualify for forgiveness (or you already know you don’t), you still have options. But you need to make smart moves now, not guesses.

1. Check your PSLF eligibility. Use the PSLF Help Tool to confirm whether your employer qualifies. You’ll need their EIN (you’ll find it on your W-2 or from HR).

2. Consider IDR, even without PSLF. Income-driven repayment plans lower your monthly payments based on your income. They also offer loan forgiveness after 20 to 25 years, even if you don’t qualify for PSLF.

3. Think twice before refinancing. Refinancing can lower your interest rate, but it turns federal loans into private loans. You’ll lose access to PSLF, IDR plans, forbearance, and future forgiveness options. Only refinance if you already have private loans or if you’re absolutely sure you don’t qualify for any federal forgiveness.

Have private loans? You still have a few options:

• If you’re in default, you might be able to settle, but it can damage your credit and take serious effort. Related: Can You Negotiate Student Loan Settlement

• Bankruptcy is tough, but courts are now more open to discharging private student loans, especially if you can prove long-term financial hardship. Related: Student Loan Bankruptcy Law

Don’t self-disqualify. Use the tools. Talk to your HR team. Make sure you know exactly where you stand before doing anything that can’t be reversed.

Ready to get your loans forgiven? Here’s exactly what to:

1. Confirm your employer qualifies. Use the PSLF Help Tool to check your employer. You’ll need their EIN (it’s on your W-2) or you can get it from HR. If your employer isn’t eligible, PSLF won’t work for you. But other forgiveness options might.

2. Choose the right repayment plan. Stick with an eligible income-driven repayment plan like IBR, PAYE, or ICR. You need to be in one of these to earn qualifying payments.

3. Submit your PSLF form. This form is how your payment count gets tracked. Send it in once a year and any time you switch jobs.

4. Track your progress. Log in to StudentAid.gov to see how many qualifying payments you’ve made. Don’t assume the count is right. Check it yourself. If something’s wrong, contact FSA and get it fixed.

Related: How to Apply For Student Loan Forgiveness

If you’re a librarian with federal student loans, forgiveness is still on the table. But only if you’re in the right program and taking the right steps.

• PSLF is still your best bet if you work full-time at a public or nonprofit library.

• Perkins cancellation may apply if you’re a school librarian with older loans.

• If PSLF doesn’t fit, don’t stop there. TPD discharge, IBR forgiveness, and state-run programs could still give you real relief.

Make sure you’re on a qualifying IDR plan (not SAVE for now), and submit your PSLF Employment Certification Form every year. That one form keeps your progress moving. Without it, your payment count can fall apart.

Not sure what path works for you? Don’t try to figure it out alone.

Book a call with our student loan expert who actually knows this system. Get a plan in place before another year passes you by.

Related reading:

• Student Loan Forgiveness for Nonprofit Workers

• Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers

• Student Loan Forgiveness For Professors

• Does Working for a University Qualify for PSLF?

• School Counselor Student Loan Forgiveness