Over 1 Million Public Service Workers Received Student Loan Debt Cancellation

Over 1 Million Public Service Workers Received Student Loan Debt Cancellation

Oct 18, 2024

Yesterday, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that over 1 million public service workers, including social workers, received student loan debt cancellation through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program during their administration.

The Administration announced $4.5 billion in student loan debt cancellation for over 60,000 borrowers. Before they took office only 7,000 individuals had their student loans forgiven through PSLF.

In 2007, Congress enacted bipartisan legislation creating PSLF to recognize the critical role public servants play in our communities and support them in their service. Under PSLF, people who dedicate at least 10 years of their careers to giving back to their communities - like social workers, teachers, firefighters, law enforcement officials, nurses, and servicemembers - can get relief on their student loans.

Student loan debt relief through PSLF is achievable.

NASW coalition partners at the Student Borrower Protection Center released new analysis quantifying the economic toll of Project 2025 on millions of student loan borrowers working in public service fields across the country.

According to the analysis, if proponents of Project 2025 are successful in eliminating PSLF, more than 3.6 million social workers, educators, nurses, servicemembers, first responders, and other public service workers currently in the pipeline for relief will be denied relief and saddled with $250 billion in additional student loan debt.

NASW will continue to advocate independently and in coalition for student loan debt relief for social workers.