About the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Calculator
This Teacher Loan Forgiveness calculator estimates how much of your federal student loans the Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) program would cancel and compares it with Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Under federal rules, a full-time teacher who completes five consecutive complete academic years at a qualifying low-income school can have up to $5,000 forgiven, or up to $17,500 as a highly qualified secondary-school math or science teacher or a highly qualified special education teacher.
Because the same years of teaching cannot count toward both TLF and PSLF, choosing TLF can delay PSLF by five years. The calculator projects three paths using your monthly payment and interest rate: take TLF and repay the rest over 10 years; skip TLF and pursue PSLF, which forgives the remaining balance after 120 qualifying payments; or take TLF first and then start PSLF. It shows the total you would pay and the amount forgiven on each path.
Only Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, FFEL subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans and, in some cases, the eligible part of a consolidation loan qualify; PLUS loans (parent or graduate) do not. You must also be a "new borrower" with no outstanding Direct or FFEL balance on October 1, 1998, or on the date you got a loan after that. Check your school in the Teacher Cancellation Low Income directory before relying on the estimate. Program rules reflect the Direct Loan regulations (34 CFR 685.217 and 685.219) as in effect in 2026.
With the default inputs, the teacher loan forgiveness amount is $5,000.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the teacher loan forgiveness calculator
- 1Confirm your school is listed as low-income in the Teacher Cancellation Low Income directory.
- 2Enter the balance of your eligible Direct or FFEL loans and their interest rate.
- 3Choose your teaching area to set the $5,000 or $17,500 maximum.
- 4Enter the monthly payment on your current repayment plan.
- 5Compare the total paid on each path and the amount forgiven before choosing TLF or PSLF.
Formula and method
The calculator applies your monthly payment for 60 months (the five academic years of qualifying teaching). Federal loans charge simple interest, so each month’s interest accrues separately and each payment covers accrued interest before principal. Teacher Loan Forgiveness then cancels the lesser of the remaining balance and your maximum: $17,500 for highly qualified secondary math or science teachers and highly qualified special education teachers, $5,000 for other eligible teachers.
Path one repays the rest over a standard 10-year schedule. Path two skips TLF and makes 120 qualifying payments for PSLF, after which the remaining balance is forgiven. Path three takes TLF after year five and then makes 120 new qualifying payments for PSLF, because the five TLF years cannot also count for PSLF. The lowest total paid wins. Unpaid interest is assumed to accrue without capitalizing; some income-driven plans subsidize or waive unpaid interest, in which case a low payment will not grow the balance as shown. Real payments on income-driven plans change with income, so treat results as estimates.
- TLF
- Teacher Loan Forgiveness amount
- PSLF
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness after 120 qualifying monthly payments
Worked examples
$35,000 balance, elementary teacher paying $250 a month
Five years of $250 payments at 6% bring $35,000 down to about $29,767; TLF cancels $5,000. Repaying the rest over 10 years means about $47,996 paid in total, and TLF followed by PSLF means $45,000. PSLF alone forgives about $22,709 after 120 payments of $250 — only $30,000 paid, the cheapest path.
Math teacher with $20,000 and a $350 payment
At $350 a month the balance falls to about $2,206 after five years, which TLF cancels completely, so you pay $21,000 in total. Without TLF the loan would be paid off after about 67 payments — before reaching 120 — so PSLF forgives nothing and you would pay about $2,200 more.
Special education teacher with a low payment
A $200 payment does not cover the $325 monthly interest, so the balance grows to $67,500 after five years. TLF would cut it by $17,500, but PSLF forgives about $75,000 after 10 years with only $24,000 paid — far better.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Teacher Loan Forgiveness?+
Up to $17,500 for highly qualified full-time secondary-school math or science teachers and highly qualified special education teachers, and up to $5,000 for other eligible full-time teachers, after five consecutive complete academic years at a qualifying low-income school.
Can I get Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF?+
Yes, but not for the same period of service. Years used for TLF cannot count toward the 120 qualifying payments for PSLF, so taking TLF effectively restarts your PSLF clock for those five years.
Which loans qualify for Teacher Loan Forgiveness?+
Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, FFEL subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and eligible portions of Direct or FFEL consolidation loans. PLUS loans (Parent or Grad PLUS) and Perkins loans do not qualify; Perkins has its own cancellation program.
Which schools count for Teacher Loan Forgiveness?+
An elementary or secondary school (or educational service agency) that qualifies for Title I funds and has more than 30% of its enrollment eligible for Title I services. Qualifying schools are listed in the Teacher Cancellation Low Income (TCLI) directory on studentaid.gov.
Is TLF or PSLF better for teachers?+
PSLF usually forgives more when you have a large balance and an income-driven payment that leaves a big balance after 10 years. TLF is often better when your balance is small or your payment would pay off the loan before 10 years, especially at the $17,500 level.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.