$10,000 student loan monthly payment
$113.65/month 10-year standard plan
$3,638 total interest over 10 years
Principal $10,000 Interest $3,638. 27¢ of every dollar paid goes to interest.
10-year standard plan at 6.52%, the fixed rate on undergraduate Direct Loans first disbursed July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
New loans from July 1, 2026 default to the Tiered Standard plan: 10 years at $113.65 a month for this balance.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2026-27 rates. An average, not an offer.
By repayment plan
| Plan | Who can use it | Monthly payment | Total interest | Total paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (10 years) | Loans made before July 1, 2026 | $113.65 | $3,638 | $13,638 |
| Tiered Standard (10 years) | Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026 | $113.65 | $3,638 | $13,638 |
| Extended (15 years) | Not eligible: requires more than $30,000 in Direct Loans | $87.22 | $5,700 | $15,700 |
| Extended (20 years) | Not eligible: requires more than $30,000 in Direct Loans | $74.68 | $7,922 | $17,922 |
| Extended (25 years) | Not eligible: requires more than $30,000 in Direct Loans | $67.65 | $10,294 | $20,294 |
Income-driven repayment (the Repayment Assistance Plan for new borrowers) sets payments from 1% to 10% of adjusted gross income instead, so it is not priced here.
By loan type, 10-year standard
| Loan | Rate | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Direct, 2026-27 | 6.52% | $113.65 | $3,638 |
| Graduate Direct Unsubsidized, 2026-27 | 8.07% | $121.70 | $4,604 |
| Direct PLUS (parent, legacy grad), 2026-27 | 9.07% | $127.05 | $5,247 |
| Undergraduate Direct, 2025-26 | 6.39% | $112.99 | $3,559 |
| Graduate Direct Unsubsidized, 2025-26 | 7.94% | $121.01 | $4,521 |
Origination fees of 1.057% (Direct) and 4.228% (PLUS) are deducted from each disbursement and are not in these payments.
Payment and income
The standard payment of $113.65 is 10% of gross income at $13,638 a year.
Amortization schedule
First 12 months
| Month | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $59.32 | $54.33 | $9,940.68 |
| 2 | $59.64 | $54.01 | $9,881.04 |
| 3 | $59.96 | $53.69 | $9,821.08 |
| 4 | $60.29 | $53.36 | $9,760.79 |
| 5 | $60.62 | $53.03 | $9,700.18 |
| 6 | $60.95 | $52.70 | $9,639.23 |
| 7 | $61.28 | $52.37 | $9,577.96 |
| 8 | $61.61 | $52.04 | $9,516.35 |
| 9 | $61.94 | $51.71 | $9,454.40 |
| 10 | $62.28 | $51.37 | $9,392.12 |
| 11 | $62.62 | $51.03 | $9,329.50 |
| 12 | $62.96 | $50.69 | $9,266.54 |
Year by year
| Year | Principal | Interest | Balance at year end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $733 | $630 | $9,267 |
| 2 | $783 | $581 | $8,484 |
| 3 | $835 | $528 | $7,648 |
| 4 | $891 | $472 | $6,757 |
| 5 | $951 | $412 | $5,806 |
| 6 | $1,015 | $349 | $4,790 |
| 7 | $1,083 | $280 | $3,707 |
| 8 | $1,156 | $208 | $2,551 |
| 9 | $1,234 | $130 | $1,317 |
| 10 | $1,317 | $47 | $0 |
| Total | $10,000 | $3,638 | $0 |
Full schedule, all 120 payments
| Month | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59.32 | 54.33 | 9,940.68 |
| 2 | 59.64 | 54.01 | 9,881.04 |
| 3 | 59.96 | 53.69 | 9,821.08 |
| 4 | 60.29 | 53.36 | 9,760.79 |
| 5 | 60.62 | 53.03 | 9,700.18 |
| 6 | 60.95 | 52.70 | 9,639.23 |
| 7 | 61.28 | 52.37 | 9,577.96 |
| 8 | 61.61 | 52.04 | 9,516.35 |
| 9 | 61.94 | 51.71 | 9,454.40 |
| 10 | 62.28 | 51.37 | 9,392.12 |
| 11 | 62.62 | 51.03 | 9,329.50 |
| 12 | 62.96 | 50.69 | 9,266.54 |
| 13 | 63.30 | 50.35 | 9,203.24 |
| 14 | 63.65 | 50.00 | 9,139.59 |
| 15 | 63.99 | 49.66 | 9,075.60 |
| 16 | 64.34 | 49.31 | 9,011.26 |
| 17 | 64.69 | 48.96 | 8,946.58 |
| 18 | 65.04 | 48.61 | 8,881.54 |
| 19 | 65.39 | 48.26 | 8,816.14 |
| 20 | 65.75 | 47.90 | 8,750.39 |
| 21 | 66.11 | 47.54 | 8,684.29 |
| 22 | 66.47 | 47.18 | 8,617.82 |
| 23 | 66.83 | 46.82 | 8,551.00 |
| 24 | 67.19 | 46.46 | 8,483.81 |
| 25 | 67.55 | 46.10 | 8,416.25 |
| 26 | 67.92 | 45.73 | 8,348.33 |
| 27 | 68.29 | 45.36 | 8,280.04 |
| 28 | 68.66 | 44.99 | 8,211.38 |
| 29 | 69.03 | 44.62 | 8,142.34 |
| 30 | 69.41 | 44.24 | 8,072.93 |
| 31 | 69.79 | 43.86 | 8,003.15 |
| 32 | 70.17 | 43.48 | 7,932.98 |
| 33 | 70.55 | 43.10 | 7,862.43 |
| 34 | 70.93 | 42.72 | 7,791.50 |
| 35 | 71.32 | 42.33 | 7,720.19 |
| 36 | 71.70 | 41.95 | 7,648.49 |
| 37 | 72.09 | 41.56 | 7,576.39 |
| 38 | 72.48 | 41.17 | 7,503.91 |
| 39 | 72.88 | 40.77 | 7,431.03 |
| 40 | 73.27 | 40.38 | 7,357.75 |
| 41 | 73.67 | 39.98 | 7,284.08 |
| 42 | 74.07 | 39.58 | 7,210.01 |
| 43 | 74.48 | 39.17 | 7,135.53 |
| 44 | 74.88 | 38.77 | 7,060.65 |
| 45 | 75.29 | 38.36 | 6,985.37 |
| 46 | 75.70 | 37.95 | 6,909.67 |
| 47 | 76.11 | 37.54 | 6,833.56 |
| 48 | 76.52 | 37.13 | 6,757.04 |
| 49 | 76.94 | 36.71 | 6,680.11 |
| 50 | 77.35 | 36.30 | 6,602.75 |
| 51 | 77.77 | 35.87 | 6,524.98 |
| 52 | 78.20 | 35.45 | 6,446.78 |
| 53 | 78.62 | 35.03 | 6,368.16 |
| 54 | 79.05 | 34.60 | 6,289.11 |
| 55 | 79.48 | 34.17 | 6,209.63 |
| 56 | 79.91 | 33.74 | 6,129.72 |
| 57 | 80.34 | 33.30 | 6,049.37 |
| 58 | 80.78 | 32.87 | 5,968.59 |
| 59 | 81.22 | 32.43 | 5,887.37 |
| 60 | 81.66 | 31.99 | 5,805.71 |
| 61 | 82.11 | 31.54 | 5,723.60 |
| 62 | 82.55 | 31.10 | 5,641.05 |
| 63 | 83.00 | 30.65 | 5,558.05 |
| 64 | 83.45 | 30.20 | 5,474.60 |
| 65 | 83.90 | 29.75 | 5,390.70 |
| 66 | 84.36 | 29.29 | 5,306.34 |
| 67 | 84.82 | 28.83 | 5,221.52 |
| 68 | 85.28 | 28.37 | 5,136.24 |
| 69 | 85.74 | 27.91 | 5,050.50 |
| 70 | 86.21 | 27.44 | 4,964.29 |
| 71 | 86.68 | 26.97 | 4,877.61 |
| 72 | 87.15 | 26.50 | 4,790.46 |
| 73 | 87.62 | 26.03 | 4,702.84 |
| 74 | 88.10 | 25.55 | 4,614.74 |
| 75 | 88.58 | 25.07 | 4,526.17 |
| 76 | 89.06 | 24.59 | 4,437.11 |
| 77 | 89.54 | 24.11 | 4,347.57 |
| 78 | 90.03 | 23.62 | 4,257.54 |
| 79 | 90.52 | 23.13 | 4,167.02 |
| 80 | 91.01 | 22.64 | 4,076.01 |
| 81 | 91.50 | 22.15 | 3,984.51 |
| 82 | 92.00 | 21.65 | 3,892.51 |
| 83 | 92.50 | 21.15 | 3,800.01 |
| 84 | 93.00 | 20.65 | 3,707.01 |
| 85 | 93.51 | 20.14 | 3,613.50 |
| 86 | 94.02 | 19.63 | 3,519.48 |
| 87 | 94.53 | 19.12 | 3,424.95 |
| 88 | 95.04 | 18.61 | 3,329.91 |
| 89 | 95.56 | 18.09 | 3,234.36 |
| 90 | 96.08 | 17.57 | 3,138.28 |
| 91 | 96.60 | 17.05 | 3,041.68 |
| 92 | 97.12 | 16.53 | 2,944.56 |
| 93 | 97.65 | 16.00 | 2,846.91 |
| 94 | 98.18 | 15.47 | 2,748.72 |
| 95 | 98.72 | 14.93 | 2,650.01 |
| 96 | 99.25 | 14.40 | 2,550.76 |
| 97 | 99.79 | 13.86 | 2,450.97 |
| 98 | 100.33 | 13.32 | 2,350.63 |
| 99 | 100.88 | 12.77 | 2,249.76 |
| 100 | 101.43 | 12.22 | 2,148.33 |
| 101 | 101.98 | 11.67 | 2,046.35 |
| 102 | 102.53 | 11.12 | 1,943.82 |
| 103 | 103.09 | 10.56 | 1,840.73 |
| 104 | 103.65 | 10.00 | 1,737.09 |
| 105 | 104.21 | 9.44 | 1,632.87 |
| 106 | 104.78 | 8.87 | 1,528.10 |
| 107 | 105.35 | 8.30 | 1,422.75 |
| 108 | 105.92 | 7.73 | 1,316.83 |
| 109 | 106.49 | 7.15 | 1,210.33 |
| 110 | 107.07 | 6.58 | 1,103.26 |
| 111 | 107.66 | 5.99 | 995.61 |
| 112 | 108.24 | 5.41 | 887.36 |
| 113 | 108.83 | 4.82 | 778.54 |
| 114 | 109.42 | 4.23 | 669.12 |
| 115 | 110.01 | 3.64 | 559.10 |
| 116 | 110.61 | 3.04 | 448.49 |
| 117 | 111.21 | 2.44 | 337.28 |
| 118 | 111.82 | 1.83 | 225.46 |
| 119 | 112.42 | 1.23 | 113.04 |
| 120 | 113.04 | 0.61 | 0.00 |
Questions
What is the monthly payment on a $10,000 student loan?
$113.65 a month on the 10-year standard plan at the 6.52% undergraduate rate, with $3,638 in interest. At the 8.07% graduate rate it is $121.70.
How long does it take to pay off $10,000 in student loans?
10 years on the standard plan. New loans disbursed from July 1, 2026 use the Tiered Standard plan, which sets 10 years for this balance ($113.65 a month, $3,638 in interest).
Can I stretch a $10,000 student loan to 25 years?
Not on the Extended plan, which needs more than $30,000 in Direct Loans. Income-driven repayment (RAP) can lower the payment based on income.
What salary do I need for a $10,000 student loan?
The standard payment of $113.65 is 10% of gross income at $13,638 a year. If that is too much, income-driven repayment ties the payment to income instead.
Are private student loan rates the same?
No. Private lenders price on credit; published ranges in September 2026 ran from about 2.99% to 17.99% APR. Federal rates are fixed by law and the same for every borrower.
Sources
- Federal Direct Loan rates, 2026-27. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, loans first disbursed from July 1, 2026; retrieved September 26, 2026.
Numbers on this page last changed September 26, 2026. How they are calculated: methodology.