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Sallie Mae student loans: 2025 review

Updated on Dec. 20, 2024

At a glance

Sallie Mae: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner Best For Graduate Students

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4.6
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
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Repayment Options
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Affordability
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Customer Experience
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6

About Bankrate Score

Lender Details

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Loan amount

$1,000-total cost of attendance

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APR from

3.49% fixed; 4.54% variable

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Term lengths

10-15 years

Fixed APR Variable APR Dollar amount
Private student loans 3.49%-15.49% 4.54%-14.71% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
MBA & Graduate 3.49%-14.48% 4.54%-13.98% 100% total cost of attendance
Health profession 3.49%-14.48% 4.54%-13.98% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Medical school 3.49%-14.46% 4.54%-13.96% 100% total cost of attendance
Dental school 3.49%-14.47% 4.54%-13.97% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Law school 3.49%-14.47% 4.54%-13.97% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Bar exam 7.01%-15.26% 7.38%-16.98% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Medical residency 6.40%-11.89% 7.00%-12.45% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Dental residency 6.40%-11.89% 7.00%-12.45% $1,000 to 100% cost of attendance
Career training 3.49%-15.69% 4.54%-14.99% 100% total cost of attendance
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Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Bankrate Score
APR from
3.49% fixed; 4.54% variable
Loan Amount
$1,000-total cost of attendance
Min Credit Score
Not disclosed
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Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5
3.9
Bankrate Score
APR from
7.130% Variable; 6.000% Fixed
Loan Amount
$2,001 to $225,000
Min Credit Score
Not disclosed
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Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
4.8
Bankrate Score
APR from
4.64% Variable APR; 3.54% Fixed
Loan Amount
$1,000* to total cost of attendance (some states require a $5,000 minimum to borrow).
Min Credit Score
640
Overall Score 4.6
Availability 4.6 Sallie Mae has many loan types and no maximum borrowing limit, though it does limit the choice of repayment terms.
Affordability 4.5 Sallie Mae offers competitive rates but charges a late fee and a returned check fee.
Customer Experience 4.6 While it does offer a mobile app, which is rare among lenders, Sallie Mae has slightly more limited customer support hours than some competitors.

Bankrate's trusted student loans industry expertise

48

years in business

25

lenders reviewed

16

loan features weighed

400

data points collected

CTA Sallie Mae
STUDENT LOAN

Sallie Mae

Dive into community reviews below and see what others think about Sallie Mae.

3.1 Star Icon
25 ratings
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Score breakdown
5 stars
16%
4 stars
16%
3 stars
44%
2 stars
8%
1 star
16%
Score by category
Overall rating 3.1 / 5
Fees & closing costs 2.6 / 5
Funding time 3.6 / 5
Customer service 3 / 5
Application process 3.4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 3.2 / 5
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In July 2024, Bankrate collaborated with a third-party vendor to survey 1.3K loan borrowers nationwide. Bankrate and our vendor collected and summarized borrower responses to five questions on a 5-point scale, three yes/no questions, as well as open-ended reviews of their loan experience. Responses are based on individual borrower’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by the associated lenders, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own expert review of these loan products.

Community Reviews

See what users like you are saying about Sallie Mae.
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Anonymous Borrower
August 20, 2024
Describe your experience with the application process
it wasn't easy I needed a lot of help
Loan purpose
New student loan to pay for school expenses
Score by category
Fees & closing costs 1 / 5
Funding time 1 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 3 / 5
Customer service 1 / 5
Application process 1 / 5
Anonymous Borrower
August 20, 2024
Describe your experience with the application process
It is one of the easiest money corporations to work with.
Describe your experience with customer service
I did not need customer service.
Loan purpose
Refinance your student loan
Score by category
Fees & closing costs 3 / 5
Funding time 5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app 5 / 5
Customer service 4 / 5
Application process 3 / 5
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