See How North Dakota Beats New England On Student Debt

North Dakota among states with lowest student loan payments

North Dakotans carry some of the lightest monthly student loan payment burdens in the nation, according to a new WalletHub analysis released this week.

The report ranked North Dakota 44th in the country for median student loan payments, tying with West Virginia and Kentucky. Borrowers in the state pay a median of $158 per month—well below the national highs in New England states such as Vermont, where borrowers pay $248 per month on average, and Massachusetts, where the median is $241.

Regionally, North Dakota also fares better than its neighbors. South Dakota, ranked 16th, reported a median payment of $208, while Minnesota stood at $196 and Montana at $178. Nebraska matched Montana at $178. Those figures place North Dakota at the bottom of the Upper Midwest in terms of monthly repayment costs, easing some financial pressure compared to nearby states.

Nationally, the contrast is striking. Borrowers in Mississippi, ranked 50th, pay the lowest median monthly amount at $142, while those in Vermont face the steepest payments at $248, a stark difference of $106.

According to WalletHub, more than 42 million Americans owe a collective $1.67 trillion in student loan debt, averaging over $39,000 per borrower. With federal repayment requirements resuming after a pandemic moratorium, the ability to keep monthly payments low can significantly affect how quickly borrowers reduce their debt.

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Analysts note that even relatively small monthly differences can translate into longer payoff timelines, particularly with federal undergraduate loan interest rates set at 6.39%. WalletHub estimates a borrower would need to pay about $288 per month to eliminate $39,000 in debt within 20 years—nearly double the typical North Dakota payment

.