Student debt relief options for anesthesiologists

By Sasha Bulatskaya | Published on October 21, 2025

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Anesthesiology is one of the highest-paid medical professions, with a median salary starting at $239,000. Additionally, top-paid anesthesiologists can make a $400,000 annual salary depending on where they work. Combine that with flexible hours and the potential for a good work-life balance, anesthesiology is a promising career if you’re passionate about medicine but don’t want to be a doctor.

However, like other medical professionals, anesthesiology students have to take on a lot of student debt to reach their goals.

How much debt do anesthesiologists have?

Medical school grads–including anesthesiology students–carry over $240,000 in average federal student debt. Considering their high salaries, income-driven repayment plans don’t work for most of these individuals with some exceptions.

Student loan debt relief options:

• PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness): If you work for a qualified employer, make 120 payments, and meet eligibility requirements, your loans could be forgiven.
• Income-driven repayment plans: These plans base your monthly payments on income and family size. They’re designed to lower your payments but may not work for high-income professionals.
• Refinancing: You could apply for a new loan at a lower interest rate and pay off your old loans. Once you’re making payments at a new low rate, you could pay off your loans faster (especially if you continue to make the same payment).

Although anesthesiologists are among the highest-paid medical school grads, they still have some of the highest average debt in America.

Can anesthesiologists get student loan forgiveness?

It’s possible for anesthesiologists to get their federal student debt forgiven through PSLF or Public Service Loan Forgiveness by working in a nonprofit or public healthcare setting. By making 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualified employer, you may be able to have the remaining balance forgiven after meeting specific criteria.

However, you will not qualify for PSLF if you choose to work for a private practice provider or a large for-profit corporate hospital.

Income-driven repayment plans may not be the right option

Because anesthesiology residents make over $200,000 on average, an income-driven repayment plan (IDR) may not make sense. These plans were created to make payments more manageable for federal student loans. They work by basing your monthly payment on your income and family size.

If you don’t make a lot of money, your payment will be lowered in proportion to that. If you’re making a high salary, you could find that an income-driven repayment plan doesn’t lower your loan payments and you’re better off on a 10-year standard repayment plan.

Refinancing could help lower your interest rate

If you refinance your med school loans, you could lower your interest rate and potentially your monthly payment. Depending on the terms of your loan, you could reduce your loan balance even faster if you continue to make the same monthly payments.

How refinancing works at Earnest

You can refinance your medical school debt to make your student loan repayment easier.

Here’s how it works:

1. You can check your rate for free. It won’t impact your credit score.
2. Fill out the application and select which loans you’d like to refinance.
3. If you’re approved, you can pick your payment, term, and rate. There’s even a free payment slider that helps you pick out the right loan terms for you.
4. Once you sign the loan, we’ll pay off your old lender and your term with Earnest will begin.

Take charge of your med school loans

Remember, you're not just managing student loan debt; you’re investing in your financial future by taking a more proactive role in your personal finances. Explore your options for student debt relief, create a budgeting plan if you haven’t already done so, and set a timeline for when you plan to be debt-free. Thanks to your high earning potential as an anesthesiologist, it’s an attainable goal.

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About the Author

Sasha Bulatskaya

Sasha is the Senior Manager of Brand and Content at Earnest. She has been writing for ten years and has been focused on educational finance and financial aid for over three. Her passion for mission-driven companies brought her to Earnest in 2020, and she's been helping make student finance more accessible ever since. She strives to demystify personal finance and student loans to help borrowers make the best decisions for their financial situation.

Disclaimer

This blog post provides personal finance educational information, and it is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice.