Physician & dentist student loan debt statistics (2026)
Key findings
- Average medical-school education debt (class of 2025): about $223,000; median about $215,000 (AAMC).
- Including premed/undergraduate debt, medical graduates owe about $247,000.
- Average dental education debt for indebted graduates: about $297,800 (about $280,300 from dental school alone) (ADEA).
- About 70% of medical graduates and roughly 79% of dental graduates finish with education debt.
- About 57.6% of 2025 medical graduates intend to pursue federal loan forgiveness.
- Dental debt generally exceeds medical debt.
1. Average medical school debt
According to AAMC, medical graduates in the class of 2025 owed an average of about $223,000 in education debt, with a median near $215,000. Public-school graduates owed less on average than private-school graduates, and adding premedical or undergraduate debt pushes the total higher.
| Medical school debt (class of 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average education debt | ~$223,000 |
| Median education debt | ~$215,000 |
| Including premed/undergraduate | ~$247,000 |
| Public medical school (avg) | ~$210,000 |
| Private medical school (avg) | ~$245,000 |
| Share of graduates with debt | ~70% |
| Intend to pursue forgiveness | ~57.6% |
2. Average dental school debt
Dental debt is even higher. Per ADEA, indebted dental graduates in the class of 2025 owed an average of about $297,800 in total education debt — roughly $280,300 from dental school alone. Dental debt is consistently among the highest of any profession, driven by high tuition and, for some specialties, residencies that charge tuition.
| Dental school debt (class of 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average total education debt (indebted grads) | ~$297,800 |
| From dental school alone | ~$280,300 |
| Share of graduates with debt | ~79% |
3. Medical vs. dental, and how they compare
Both figures dwarf the national average federal balance of roughly $39,600. Dental graduates typically owe more than medical graduates. For a side-by-side of how the two paths differ beyond the raw number — program pay, PSLF odds, and repayment strategy — see medical vs. dental residency loans.
4. Does debt vary by specialty?
Surprisingly little at graduation — students borrow to finish the same degree, so starting balances are broadly similar across specialties. What varies enormously is income and employer type, and that is what decides the repayment strategy. A family physician at a nonprofit clinic and an anesthesiologist in private practice may start with similar debt but take opposite paths. See our medical specialty and dental specialty guides.
The bottom line on physician student loan debt statistics
Doctors and dentists owe two to three times the national average — about $223,000 for medical and $297,800 for dental graduates. That is exactly why repayment strategy, not the raw number, matters most for these borrowers.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page are drawn from primary sources and reflect the most recent data available as of July 2026. Totals are rounded; per-borrower and per-graduate figures are averages or medians as noted. This page is educational and updated as new data is released.
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, G.19 Consumer Credit
- U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Federal Student Loan Portfolio
- Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Physician Education Debt
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA), Educational Debt
Frequently asked questions
What is the average medical school debt in 2026?
About $223,000 average education debt for the class of 2025 (median ~$215,000), per AAMC; closer to $247,000 including premed/undergraduate debt. About 70% of graduates carry debt.
What is the average dental school debt in 2026?
About $297,800 average total education debt for indebted 2025 graduates (about $280,300 from dental school alone), per ADEA — among the highest of any profession.
Do medical or dental graduates owe more?
Dental graduates typically owe more — average dental debt (~$298,000) exceeds average medical debt (~$223,000).
Do doctors plan to use loan forgiveness?
About 57.6% of 2025 medical graduates intend to pursue federal forgiveness such as PSLF, reflecting how many train and work at nonprofit hospitals.
Does student debt vary a lot by medical specialty?
Not much at graduation — the difference between specialties is income and employer type, which decides whether PSLF or refinancing wins.