Skip to content
Best of

6 Best Pharmacy School Loan Refinance Options

Refinancing pharmacy school loans can be a money-saving strategy for pharmacists who work in the private sector.

Last updated on May 5, 2025
Cecilia Clark
Written by 
Assistant Assigning Editor
Kim Lowe
Edited by 
Head of Content, Personal & Student Loans
Fact Checked
Cecilia Clark
Written by 
Assistant Assigning Editor
Kim Lowe
Edited by 
Head of Content, Personal & Student Loans
Fact Checked

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Why trust NerdWallet
NerdWallet's student loans content, including articles, reviews and recommendations, is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in consumer lending. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, MSN, ABC News, MarketWatch and many other national and regional media outlets. They also have appeared on NerdWallet's “Smart Money” podcast, as well as local TV and radio.

Best Pharmacy School Loan Refinance Options

Lender
NerdWallet Rating
Min. credit score
Fixed APR
Variable APR
Learn more
LendKey Student Loan Refinance

LendKey Student Loan Refinance

See Offers
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
4.5
/5
Best for Low income refinancing

680

4.89-9.04%

5.54-9.12%

See Offers
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
SoFi Medical Professional Refinancing

SoFi Medical Professional Refinancing

See Offers
on SoFi®'s website
on SoFi®'s website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
4.5
/5
Best for Extra benefits

None

4.49-9.99%

5.99-9.99%

See Offers
on SoFi®'s website
on SoFi®'s website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

See Offers
on Earnest's website
on Earnest's website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
5.0
/5
Best for Customized repayment schedules

650

4.45-10.49%

5.88-10.49%

See Offers
on Earnest's website
on Earnest's website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
LendKey Student Loan Refinance
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
LendKey Student Loan Refinance

LendKey Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

680

Fixed APR

4.89-9.04%

Variable APR

5.54-9.12%

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who prefer to work with a community bank or credit union, rather than a big bank.
    Pros
    • Forbearance of 18 months for 15- and 20-year loan terms is longer than many lenders.
    • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
    Cons
    • Loans aren't available in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Rhode Island or West Virginia.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 751.
    • Loan amounts: $5,000 to $300,000, depending on the higest degree earned.
    • Must have a degree: Yes, at least an associate degree.
    Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years
    DisclaimerSee LendKey's full terms and conditions at https://www.lendkey.com/disclaimers
SoFi Medical Professional Refinancing

SoFi Medical Professional Refinancing

Min. credit score

None

Fixed APR

4.49-9.99%

Variable APR

5.99-9.99%

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who want plenty of benefits with their refinanced student loan.
    Pros
    • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
    • Dedicated Student Loan Debt Specialist available for borrowers.
    Cons
    • No co-signer release available.
    • Loan size minimum is higher than most lenders.
    Qualifications
      Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
    Earnest Student Loan Refinance

    Earnest Student Loan Refinance

    Min. credit score

    650

    Fixed APR

    4.45-10.49%

    Variable APR

    5.88-10.49%

    • Key factsBest for borrowers who want to customize their repayment schedule to pay off debt fast.
      Pros
      • Customizable payments and loan terms.
      • Option to skip one payment every 12 months.
      • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
      Cons
      • Loans aren't available in Nevada.
      Qualifications
      • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 760.
      • Loan amounts: $5,000 to $500,000.
      • Must have a degree: No, but must be within six months of graduation and have income or a job.
      Available Term Lengths5 to 20 years
      DisclaimerActual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.70% APR to 10.74% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.13% APR to 10.74% 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. 
    ELFI Student Loan Refinance
    COMPARE RATES
    on Credible’s website
    on Credible’s website
    ELFI Student Loan Refinance

    ELFI Student Loan Refinance

    Min. credit score

    680

    Fixed APR

    4.88-8.44%

    Variable APR

    4.86-8.24%

    • Key factsBest for borrowers who value good customer service.
      Pros
      • You are assigned a student loan advisor.
      • You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.
      Cons
      • Payment postponement isn’t available for borrowers who return to school.
      • The minimum amount to refinance is more than many lenders require.
      • No co-signer release available.
      Qualifications
      • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 774.
      • Loan amounts: $10,000 up to your total outstanding loan balance.
      • Must have a degree: Yes, at least a bachelor’s degree.
      Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years
      DisclaimerSubject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. https://www.elfi.com/terms/
    Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

    Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

    Min. credit score

    670

    Fixed APR

    5.95-9.99%

    Variable APR

    N/A

    • Key factsBest for borrowers who didn’t graduate.
      Pros
      • You can refinance without a degree.
      • Forbearance of 24 months is twice as long as most lenders.
      • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
      Cons
      • Loans aren’t available in Alaska, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Jersey, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island, Washington, Washington D.C.
      • You cannot postpone repayment if you re-enroll in school.
      Qualifications
      • Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
      • Minimum income: Does not disclose.
      • Loan amounts: Minimum $7,500. Maximum depends on creditworthiness and debt-to-income ratio.
      Available Term Lengths10, 15 or 20 years
    RISLA Student Loan Refinance
    COMPARE RATES
    on Credible’s website
    on Credible’s website
    RISLA Student Loan Refinance

    RISLA Student Loan Refinance

    Min. credit score

    680

    Fixed APR

    6.34-8.29%

    Variable APR

    N/A

    • Key factsBest for borrowers who want payment flexibility should they run into financial trouble.
      Pros
      • Income-based repayment plan available, with forgiveness after 25 years.
      • Co-signer release available after 24 months.
      Cons
      • Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.
      Qualifications
      • Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 748.
      • Loan amounts: $7,500 to $250,000, depending on the highest degree earned.
      • Must have a degree: No.
      Available Term Lengths5, 10 or 15 years

    Can you refinance pharmacy school loans?

    You can refinance federal and private pharmacy school loans, but only with a private lender. When you refinance, a private lender will pay off your existing debt and issue you a new loan — ideally with a lower interest rate.

    Reducing your interest rate can make a five-figure difference when you have six-figure pharmacy school debt. For instance, refinancing $158,00 — the average pharmacist student loan debt among the class of 2023, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy — from a 8% APR to a 6% APR would save around $245 a month and more than $15,000 total, assuming a 10-year loan term.

    Should you refinance pharmacy school loans?

    Refinancing is one strategy for repaying pharmacy school loans. You should consider this option in the following instances:

    • You’re employed full time. Unlike doctors and dentists, pharmacists don’t have the option to refinance pharmacy student loans during a one-year or two-year post-graduate residency.

    • You have strong credit. You'll need a score at least in the high 600s to qualify. But generally, the higher your score, the lower the rate you'll get.

    • You have private student loans. There's little downside to refinancing private student loans you took out for pharmacy school. If you can qualify for a lower interest rate, you can start saving money immediately.

    • You have federal loans but work in the private sector. If you don't work for a nonprofit or in the public sector, you may not need to hang onto federal student loan benefits like Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-driven payment plans.

    Refinance lenders will also look at your debt-to-income ratio, or your total monthly financial obligations compared to your income. The required debt-to-income ratio for student loan refinancing varies by lender but is generally 50% or less.

    Your debt-to-income ratio could be too high. But lenders still may be willing to work with you if you have steady employment and an otherwise strong financial situation. If not, you may need to pay down some debt or increase your income before applying to refinance.

    STUDENT LOAN REFINANCE RATINGS METHODOLOGY

    Our survey of more than 19 banks, credit unions and online lenders offering student loans and student loan refinancing includes the top 10 lenders by market share and the top 10 lenders by online search volume, as well as lenders that serve specialty or nontraditional markets.

    We consider 41 features and data points for each financial institution. Depending on the category, these include the availability of biweekly payments through autopay, minimum credit score and income requirement disclosures, availability to borrowers in all states, extended grace periods and in-house customer service.

    The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.

    Last updated on May 5, 2025

    To recap our selections...

    NerdWallet's Best Pharmacy School Loan Refinance Options

    NerdWallet Pixel