By Rachel Puryear

If you are carrying a large student debt load and having trouble paying it off, you are certainly not alone. If you work in certain professions (mostly health care and teaching), however, and are willing to relocate to certain areas, you could get varying levels of assistance towards repayment of your student loans.

• California State Loan Repayment Program: If you are a health care professional willing to work in an underserved area for a few years, the State of California will award you up to $110,000.00 towards your student loans. You must work for two to four years in designated geographical areas, and for an approved employer. Find out more about criteria and eligibility for the program here. Also note: the next application cycle begins on July 15, 2021!

• Michigan State Loan Repayment Program: If you are a health care professional wanting to serve an underserved area but have your sights set on the Great Lakes more than the Golden State, the State of Michigan will award you up to $200,000.00. You must work for two to eight years in designated areas, or for nonprofits. See here for more about criteria and eligibility.
• St. Clair County, Michigan’s Come Home Award: If you earned a degree in science, math, technology, engineering, or arts and are willing to move to St. Clair County in Michigan (you cannot already live there), you can get up to $15,000.00 in assistance. Find out more here.
• Hamilton, Ohio’s Talent Attraction Program Scholarship: The City of Hamilton, Ohio also offers student loan repayment assistance to those who in the last seven (7) years earned a degree in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math; and who move to designated areas within the City. Award recipients receive $300.00 a month, up to $10,000.00. Find about more about it here.
• North Dakota’s Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program: If you are a veterinarian, you might be interested in North Dakota’s program offering up to $80,000.00 for food animal veterinarians. Program participants must work for four years in designated underserved areas. Find out more here.
• Teach for Texas Loan Repayment Assistance Program: If you are a teacher and willing to serve designated areas of Texas, and teach designated subjects; the State of Texas will award you up to $2,500.00 per year, for up to five (5) years. Find out more about it here.
• The City of Niagara Falls, New York’s Downtown Housing Incentive Program: If you are a recent college graduate and are willing to live in certain neighborhoods in Niagara Falls, you could get up to $6,984.00 over two years. Find out more here.
• Kansas Rural Opportunity Zone Program: Rural counties in Kansas (which includes most counties in the State) offer up to $15,000.00 in student loan repayment assistance for relocating there; for those with a degree and an active student loan balance. Find out more here.
• Maryland SmartBuy 3.0 Program: If you owe no more than $30,000.00 in student loans and have great credit, and are ready to purchase a home in the State of Maryland; this program can provide student loan repayment of 15% of the home’s purchase price, up to $30,000.00 – plus $5,000.00 towards your down payment. Find out more here.

See also: Tips to save with Public Service Loan Forgiveness, here.

Here’s to you and your loved ones thriving and prospering, dear readers. Thank you for reading, following, and sharing.

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