Finding the right student loan can make a difference when managing college costs and repayment. At LendEDU, we’ve analyzed 725 data points from 25 lenders, focusing on interest rates, repayment plans, and customer experience to help you find the best fit.
Whether you’re borrowing for school or refinancing, our in-depth reviews of top student loan companies provide the clarity you need to make informed decisions.
Our highest-rated lenders
Private student loans
Best Overall
Best for Cosigners
Best for Large Loans
Best Member Benefits
Best for Comparison Shopping
Best Student Loan Advisors
Show more
Refinance loans
Best for Comparison Shopping
Best Online Lender
Best for Personalized Support
Best for No Fees
More about our highest-rated student loan companies
College Ave
Private Student Loans
Student loans for undergraduates, graduates, parents, and career training
No minimum enrollment requirements
Quick 3-minute online application
Covers up to 100% of your cost of attendance
Choose your repayment terms, including in-school repayment or deferred
Multi-Year Peace of Mind® lets you get better approval odds for future loans
Can apply for an additional 6-month grace period
Can’t prequalify with a soft credit check
Cosigner release isn’t available until at least halfway through repayment
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.13 % – 17.99 %Variable Rates (APR) 4.13 % – 17.99 %Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of certified costs Repayment terms 5, 8, 10, or 15 years
Refinance Student Loans
You choose your repayment term
Check your rate without affecting your credit score
Cosigner release isn’t available until at least halfway through repayment
Fixed Rates (APR) 6.99 % – 13.99 %Variable Rates (APR) 6.99 % – 13.99 %Loan amounts $5,000 – $300,000 Repayment terms 5 – 20 years
Sallie Mae
Private Student Loans
Student loans for undergraduates, graduates, and career training
Lower interest rates when you choose an in-school repayment plan
Cosigner release after 12 on-time principal and interest payments
No prepayment penalties or origination fees
No minimum enrollment requirements
Doesn’t offer a soft credit check to check your eligibility
The shortest repayment term is 10 years
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.13 % – 17.99 %Variable Rates (APR) 4.13 % – 17.99 %Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of certified costs Repayment terms 10 – 15 years
Earnest
Private Student Loans
Loans for undergraduates, graduates, parents, and more
Choose an in-school repayment plan or defer payments
No fees, including late payment or origination fees
9-month grace period is longer than other lenders
Skip one payment per year without penalty
Check your eligibility in two minutes without impacting your credit score
Doesn’t allow for cosigners to be released
Must be enrolled at least half-time
Not available in Nevada
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.13% – 17.99% Variable Rates (APR) 4.13% – 17.99% Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of certified costs Repayment terms 5, 7, 10, 12, or 15 years
Refinance Student Loans
Consolidate federal and private student loans
Choose between biweekly and monthly payments
Adjust your payment date if needed
Make extra or early payments with no fees
Skip one payment per year without penalty
Cosigners must reside in the same state as the borrower
Not available in Nevada
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.35% – 9.99% Variable Rates (APR) 5.88% – 9.99% Loan amounts $5,000 – $500,000 Repayment terms 5 – 20 years Min. credit score 665
SoFi
Private Student Loans
Student loans for undergraduates, graduates, and parents
Cover the costs of fall, spring, and summer terms
No origination, application, or prepayment fees
Check your rate without impacting your credit score
Max repayment term capped at 15 years
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.13% – 17.99% w/ autopayVariable Rates (APR) 4.13% – 17.99% w/ autopayLoan amounts $1,000 – 100% of school-certified costs Repayment terms 5, 7, 10, or 15 years
Refinance Student Loans
Refinance your entire outstanding student loan balance
Choose between five different repayment terms
No origination, application, or prepayment fees
Check your rate without impacting your credit score
Cosigners can’t be released from the loan
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.49% – 9.99% w/ autopayVariable Rates (APR) 5.99% – 9.99% w/ autopayLoan amounts $5,000 – total outstanding balance Repayment terms 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years
Credible
Private Student Loans
Compare multiple lenders with one application in 3 minutes
Student loans for undergraduate and graduate degrees
Checking your prequalified rates doesn’t affect your credit score1
No fees to see your results
Only shows rates from its partner lenders
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.07% – 16.70% Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of certified costs Repayment terms 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, or 20 years
Refinance Student Loans
Compare multiple lenders with one application in 2 minutes
Student loans for undergraduate and graduate degrees are eligible
Checking your prequalified rates doesn’t affect your credit score
No fees to see your results
Only shows rates from its partner lenders
Fixed Rates (APR) 5.28% – 12.41% Variable Rates (APR) 4.31% – 12.05% Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of outstanding balance Repayment terms 5, 7, 10, or 15 years
ELFI
Best Student Loan Advisors
Private Student Loans
Student loans for undergraduates, graduates, and parents
Choose between in-school repayment and deferred payments
Speak with a dedicated student loan advisor
Check your rates without impacting your credit score
Must be enrolled at least half-time
Doesn’t disclose how long it’ll take before a cosigner can be released
Fixed Rates (APR) 2.99% – 14.22% Variable Rates (APR) 5.00% – 14.22% Loan amounts $1,000 – 100% of certified costs Repayment terms 5 – 15 years Min. credit score 680
Refinance Student Loans
Refinancing solutions for students and parents
Speak with a dedicated student loan advisor
Check your rate without affecting your credit score
Must have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher
High minimum loan amount compared to other lenders
Cosigners can’t be released from the loan
Fixed Rates (APR) 4.88 %+Variable Rates (APR) 4.86 %+Loan amounts $10,000 – 100% of outstanding balance Repayment terms 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years Min. credit score 680
Here’s our full list of student loan companies:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
B
C
E
Earnest (private student loans and refinancing)EdFinancial (federal loan servicer)Edly (private student loans with income-based repayment)EdvestinU (private student loans and refinancing)ELFI (private student loans and refinancing)
F
H
I
L
Laurel Road (student loan refinancing)LendKey (private student loan and refinancing marketplace)
M
N
O
P
PenFed (student loan refinancing only available via Sparrow )PNC (private student loans and refinancing)Prodigy Finance (private loans for international graduate students studying abroad)Purefy (private student loans and refinancing)
R
RISLA (private student loans and refinancing)
S
Sallie Mae (private student loans)SELF Refi (student loan refinancing; not accepting new applications until early 2025)SoFi (private student loans and refinancing)Sparrow (private student loan marketplace)Splash Financial (private student loan refinancing)
U
Y
Yrefy (private student loan refinance)
Additional resources
To learn more about student loans and best practices, check out the following resources:
About our contributors
Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of growth at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware.
Written by Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®