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United StatesEconomy3 days ago

US Student Loan Defaults Rise to 9.2 Million Amid Crackdown

The number of U.S. student loan borrowers in default increased to 9.16 million in April 2026, following the end of a four-year collection pause implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents a rise from 7.7 million in December 2025 and 6 million in August 2025. Approximately 20% of the 43 million Americans with federal student debt are more than a year behind on payments, while around 3 million are at least 90 days delinquent.

June 18, 2026 at 4:34 PM UTC

Updated on June 18, 2026 at 5:17 PM UTC

The number of student loan borrowers in default soared to a record 9.16 million in April after the government ended a four-year pause on collections that was instituted during the Covid pandemic, according to the latest data from the US Department of Education.

The figure, announced by the department on Thursday, is an increase from 7.7 million people in default in December and 6 million reported for August last year. That means about 20% of the 43 million Americans with federal student debt are more than a year behind on their payments. In addition, about 3 million people are at least 90 days behind on payments.

Read the full article at Bloomberg News →
Source document: U.S. Department of Education

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Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center3 days ago
US Student Loan Defaults Rise to 9.2 Million Amid Crackdown

The number of U.S. student loan borrowers in default increased to 9.16 million in April 2026, following the end of a four-year collection pause implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents a rise from 7.7 million in December 2025 and 6 million in August 2025. Approximately 20% of the 43 million Americans with federal student debt are more than a year behind on payments, while around 3 million are at least 90 days delinquent.

Bias read (Center): The article presents factual data without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports figures provided by the U.S. Department of Education and does not take a stance on policy implications or assign blame.

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