Best Student Loans & Refinancing
Private student loans and refinancing can lower your rate — but refinancing federal loans means giving up federal protections like income-driven repayment and forgiveness. We rank by rate and flagship terms while flagging what you would be trading away.
The best student loans & refinancing in 2026 is the Abe Private Student Loan, which tops our ranking with a money8020 score of 84/100. We track 13 student loans & refinancing, 13 with rates checked against the provider and a regulator. All 13 are ranked and compared below.
Should I refinance, and if so, who offers the lowest rate without losing key protections?
Top 3 in this category.
Abe Private Student Loan
An estimated 2.54%–17.02% APR from Abe, sourced from our NerdWallet data partnership.
Ascent Credit-Based Student Loan
An estimated 2.69%–16.56% APR from Ascent, sourced from our NerdWallet data partnership.
Ascent Non-Cosigned Student Loan
An estimated 13.09%–15.26% APR from Ascent, sourced from our NerdWallet data partnership.
All 13, ranked.
Compare the numbers.
Click a column header to sort.
| Product | APR | Annual fee | Score | Tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abe Private Student Loan Abe (Sparrow) | 2.54%–17.02% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Ascent Credit-Based Student Loan Ascent | 2.69%–16.56% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Ascent Non-Cosigned Student Loan Ascent | 13.09%–15.26% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Ascent Parent Loan Ascent | 5.25%–15.51% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Citizens Private Student Loan Citizens Bank | 3.24%–15.49% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| College Ave Graduate Student Loan College Ave | 2.59%–15.99% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Custom Choice Student Loan Cognition Financial | 3.35%–17.17% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Earnest Parent Loan Earnest | 2.79%–16.49% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Funding U Private Student Loan Funding U | 7.95%–12.49% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| MPOWER Private Student Loan MPOWER Financing | 10.24%–15.24% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| RISLA Private Student Loan Rhode Island Student Loan Authority | 2.99%–8.74% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Sallie Mae Graduate Student Loan Sallie Mae | 2.89%–14.99% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| SoFi Undergraduate Student Loan SoFi | 2.98%–15.99% | — | 84 | Strong | View |
Run the numbers
Estimate what this could mean for you.
How to choose the best student loans & refinancing
To choose a private student loan, exhaust federal aid first, then compare APR (fixed vs variable), co-signer requirements, repayment options, and any borrower protections.
- Fixed vs variable APR over the repayment term
- Whether a co-signer is required or lowers the rate
- In-school and grace-period repayment options
- Fees and any rate discounts
- Borrower protections like deferment
Frequently asked questions about student loans & refinancing
Should I refinance my federal student loans?
Only with caution. Refinancing federal loans into a private loan can lower your rate, but you permanently lose access to income-driven repayment, deferment options, and potential forgiveness programs. It usually makes sense only for high earners with stable income and no need for those safety nets.
Fixed or variable rate for student loans?
Fixed rates give you a predictable payment for the life of the loan. Variable rates often start lower but can rise. If you plan to pay the loan off quickly, variable can save money; for a long payoff, fixed is the safer choice.