The number of Wisconsinites many months behind on student loan bills has risen by nearly 50% since last fall, according to an article by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Roughly 34,000 Wisconsinites entered student loan default since September 2025. Of the roughly 709,100 people in Wisconsin who hold student loans, 1 in 7 is currently in default.
The figures are taken from federal data analyzed by the Associated Press, which found that more than 108,000 people in Wisconsin haven’t made payments on their loans in more than 360 days.
Nationally, the number of students in student loan default has surged by millions since a four-year pandemic reprieve ended in 2024.
Advocates say it’s poised to worsen after the Trump administration ended existing relief options.
Borrowers are placed in default after missing payments for nine months, and default status means the entire balance becomes due at once and the loan is sent to collections.
That can send the borrower’s credit score plummeting, making it harder to borrow, rent or find work.
