More than 9 million borrowers with $220 billion in outstanding federal student loans are in default, according to the latest data available.
The amount of student loans in default represents more than 13 percent of the total $1.64 trillion federal portfolio.
In a recent announcement, the Department of Education (the Department) said it has refreshed the nonpayment rate data in its data center which helps schools understand the delinquency and default risks associated with their borrowers.
According to the Department, the current total outstanding federal student loan portfolio includes 42.6 million recipients with federal student loans totaling $1.7 trillion. This is nearly a four percent dollar increase from March 2025.
The Department said schools can view more than 70 quarterly applications, disbursement, and portfolio reports, which include data through March 31, 2026, in the data center.
The data center, launched in 2009, provides information for businesses, institutions, the media, and individuals to increase government transparency.
