As the U.S. Supreme Court mulls the constitutionality of President Joe Biden’s broad student loan forgiveness plan, lawmakers in many states are looking to expand their own student debt repayment programs.
Every state but North Dakota has at least one loan forgiveness plan. The catch is that most of the 129 state plans are tailored to just a single industry or profession — such as doctors, teachers, police officers or farmers. Or the plans are targeted to people who agree to work in places with a dire need for their services.
Maine, for example, awards forgivable loans to high school, college or graduate students who are state residents and intend to become teachers — but recipients must repay the money, with interest, if they end up working out of state. California has a loan repayment program for physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners and other health care providers who agree to practice in areas with a shortage of those professionals.
