5 Lenders to Refinance Student Loans With Low Income
To reduce student loan payments, consider refinancing if you have a low income and private student loans.
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Lenders often require a minimum income to refinance your student loans. You'll likely need to earn at least $24,000.
But getting approval for student loan refinancing with a lower income can be difficult — there’s usually a big difference between the minimum income required and the actual average income of those approved. Still, you can refinance with the right lenders.
Before deciding to refinance, think twice if you have federal student loans. If you have private student loans, however, refinancing may be the best way to lower your payments.
Here are our picks of lenders to refinance student loans with low income, as well as tips to decide if this option is for you.
Lenders to Refinance Student Loans With Low Income
Lender | NerdWallet Rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5.0 /5 | 660 | 5.24-10.99% | 4.99-10.89% | Check rateon Laurel Road's website on Laurel Road's website | |
 Education Loan Finance Student Loan Refinance Check rateon Education Loan Finance's website on Education Loan Finance's website | 4.5 /5 | 680 | 5.08-8.04% | 5.03-8.74% | Check rateon Education Loan Finance's website on Education Loan Finance's website |
Our pick for
No minimum income requirement
Laurel Road Student Loan Refinance
660
5.24-10.99%
4.99-10.89%
Laurel Road has no minimum income requirement and allows you to refinance a parent PLUS loan in your name.
- You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.
- Refinancing available for medical and dental residents.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- Payment postponement isn’t available if borrowers return to school.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $5,000 up to your total outstanding loan balance.
- Must have a bachelor's degree. For parent PLUS loans, the child does not need to have graduated to refinance.
Our pick for
Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with a co-signer
Education Loan Finance Student Loan Refinance
680
5.08-8.04%
5.03-8.74%
- You are assigned a student loan advisor.
- You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.
- 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.
- 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.
College Ave Student Loan Refinance
Mid-600s
5.99-11.99%
5.99-11.99%
- You can choose any loan term between 5 and 15 years.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- No co-signer release available.
- Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Mid-700s.
- Loan amounts: $5,000 to $300,000, depending on the highest degree earned.
- Must have a degree: Yes, an associate degree or higher.
Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance
Does not disclose
4.95-7.74%
N/A
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Our pick for
Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with no co-signer
Navy Federal Student Loan Refinance
Does not disclose
N/A
N/A
- Forbearance of 18 months is longer than many lenders offer.
- Greater-than-minimum payments allowed via autopay.
- Available only to existing Navy Federal Credit Union customers
- Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.
- You can’t see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Did not disclose.
- $7,500 minimum to $125,000 for undergraduates, or $175,000 for graduate students.
- Must have a degree: Yes, at least an associate degree.
How to refinance student loans with low income
Having a low income doesn’t mean you can’t refinance student loans, but it may be harder to qualify. Take the following steps to help prevent your salary from holding you back:
Make sure you meet the lender’s income requirements. Not all lenders share their income requirements publicly, but those that do often set their minimum income threshold at more than $24,000. You may need to earn more than that number based on different factors, though. For example, PenFed requires a higher income if you want to refinance more than $150,000.
Have good credit. You’ll typically need a FICO score in at least the high 600s to qualify for refinancing. But getting your scores into the mid-700s or above may improve your odds and help you get a lower interest rate. Plus, a higher score can show lenders you do a good job managing money and expenses at your current income level.
Manage your debt-to-income ratio. If your income is low, your biggest hurdle to refinancing may be your debt-to-income ratio. DTI compares your monthly debts — student loans, car payments, rent, etc. — to your monthly income. This helps lenders understand whether you'll have enough cash on hand to afford your loan payments. Most lenders want a DTI below 50%.
Even if you can’t increase your income, you can take steps to make yourself a better candidate for student loan refinancing. For example, you can build credit faster by making payments on time and minding credit limits, or you could improve your DTI by paying off your credit cards (but leaving the accounts open) before you apply.
If low income still prevents you from being approved, consider refinancing with a co-signer. That person will be equally responsible for your loan. You won’t want them to be on the hook forever, though, so be sure to review potential lenders’ co-signer release policies.
Other repayment options if you have low income
Some private lenders may let you pay less or pause repayment temporarily. But refinancing is the best way to lock in a smaller payment that doesn’t cost you more long-term. Be sure to compare offers from multiple refinance lenders to get the best interest rate — and lowest bill.
Federal student loans have more repayment options if you don’t make a lot of money — particularly income-driven repayment plans. These plans tie payments to a fixed percentage of your discretionary income, usually 10%, and are the best option if you have federal student loans and a low income. Payments can be as low as $0, though you'll likely pay more overall.
Refinancing federal student loans costs you access to income-driven plans, as well as other repayment benefits like loan forgiveness programs. Even if you’re positive your earnings will grow — for example, you’re a medical resident — you may want to wait until your income actually increases to refinance federal loans.
STUDENT LOAN REFINANCE RATINGS METHODOLOGY
Our survey of more than 29 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.
Read more about our ratings methodologies for student loan refinance and our editorial guidelines.
Last updated on March 1, 2023
NerdWallet's Lenders to Refinance Student Loans With Low Income
- Laurel Road Student Loan Refinance: Best for No minimum income requirement
- Education Loan Finance Student Loan Refinance: Best for Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with a co-signer
- College Ave Student Loan Refinance: Best for Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with a co-signer
- Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance: Best for Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with a co-signer
- Navy Federal Student Loan Refinance: Best for Annual incomes of less than $30,000 with no co-signer
Frequently asked questions
- What income is required to refinance student loans?
Minimum income requirements vary by lender, and many don’t share this information publicly. Those that do usually require an income of at least $24,000 to refinance student loans.
- What is the average income of borrowers who refinance student loans?
Borrowers whom lenders approve for student loan refinancing often have an average income that’s at least six figures. You can refinance if you earn less, but it may be harder to qualify.
- How do I pay off student loans with low income?
Enroll in an income-driven repayment plan if you have low income and federal loans. Private loan borrowers typically don’t have that option, but refinancing may make payments more affordable.
- Do any private lenders offer income-based repayment?
The majority of private lenders don’t offer plans that base student loan payments on your income. RISLA and iHELP are exceptions, as both offer income-driven repayment for refinanced loans.
