Student Loan Forgiveness for Nurses by State
Credit: Getty ImagesNursing school requires a significant investment of time and money — especially if you pursue a bachelor of science in nursing or a master of science in nursing degree. However, national and state programs offer student loan forgiveness for nurses.
These forgiveness programs usually require multiple years of work in federally designated healthcare professional shortage areas (HPSAs) or for nonprofit and government employers.
Some states limit loan forgiveness programs to nurse practitioners (NPs) or behavioral health providers. This article outlines state options for loan forgiveness for nurses and the associated requirements, but always review a state’s site for full information.
What States Offer Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness?
Most states have a nursing loan forgiveness program to help with the national nurse shortage. Some states instead offer forgivable loans to aspiring nurses still pursuing a degree in nursing, with the promise that loans will be forgiven after working in the community for a set number of years.Â
This guide explores each state’s program and requirements, including repayment amounts, eligibility requirements, and ways to apply.
Details: Alabama offers a forgivable loan to aspiring nurses or recently graduated nurses who agree to work in underserved communities. Applicants can receive up to $15,000 per year for a maximum of three years if pursuing a master’s degree or four years if pursuing a doctorate in nursing. They must then work in a high-need area for 18 months for every forgivable loan they receive. That means a nursing student who received a loan through this program for four years must work in an HPSA for six years to have their debt forgiven.
Who Is Eligible: Alabama residents enrolled full-time in a graduate-level nursing program can apply. They must be pursuing a degree to become a certified registered NP, certified nurse midwife, or certified registered nurse anesthetist. Those already working in these professions can apply for the loan if they have graduated within the past five years.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Alaska’s student loan forgiveness for nurses program, SHARP, provides loan repayment of up to $27,000 per year for full-time work (40 hours per week) and up to $13,500 for part-time work (20 hours). Nurses must work for at least two years to qualify for SHARP.
A nurse’s employer must also contribute part of the annual payment. The employer contribution depends on the type of employer, but government agencies and nonprofit organizations generally must match at least 34% of whatever the state pays.
Who Is Eligible: Nurses must be U.S. citizens or nationals and work in designated healthcare service shortage areas. The following categories of nurses qualify:
- Primary care certified NP
- Registered nurse
- Psychiatric nurse specialist
- Certified nurse midwife
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Arizona offers student loan forgiveness for nurse practitioners in underserved areas who work for providers that accept Medicare and Medicaid.
The program for nurses pays up to $50,000 per year over the first two years of the contract. They can receive another $25,000 in year three and $20,000 more in year four. Payments vary based on the severity of need in the community in which the nurse is working.
Who Is Eligible: United States citizens or nationals with unencumbered nursing licenses who work at least 40 hours per week qualify for the full repayment amount. Half-time workers qualify for half the designated repayment amount.
All eligible nurses must work at nonprofit sites within federal HPSAs, for-profit sites within HPSAs, or a medically underserved area.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Arkansas does not have a state loan repayment program for nurses. See here for more information about national debt forgiveness programs for nurses.
Details: California offers up to $50,000 in nursing bachelor’s degree student loan repayment for working full-time (40 hours per week) in a designated underserved area for at least two years. Part-time workers can receive up to $25,000 over two years.
Nurses can apply for extensions once their two-year commitment is complete. Full-time nurses can gain another $20,000 after their third and fourth years working in an underserved area. Every year beyond that will net them another $10,000.
Who Is Eligible: Nurses who are in good professional standing; have unpaid student debt; and work in a qualifying shortage area, correctional institute, Native Indian health center, or federally qualified health centers are eligible. The repayment program applies to NPs, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Colorado Health Service Corps program pays back up to $90,000 in student loans for full-time nurses (40 hours per week) who work in a health shortage area. The program also offers up to $67,500 for nurses who work three-quarter time (30 hours) and $45,000 for those who work half-time (20 hours). Nurses must work in a health shortage area for at least three years to qualify.
The program’s funds can be used to pay back either federal student loans or commercial loans taken out to pay for nursing school.
Who Is Eligible: NPs, nurse midwives, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with specific training in substance use disorders or pain management, and certified psychiatric nurse specialists are eligible. They must work in HPSAs at sites that accept Medicare and Medicaid and offer sliding-scale payments for individuals unable to pay.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Connecticut’s student loan repayment program for registered nurses repays government or commercial student loans used to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree in nursing. Registered nurses must agree to work in a health shortage area for at least two years. They will receive $10,000 after the first year of service and $12,500 after year two. They can apply for extensions worth another $15,000 per year but can only benefit from four total years in the program, maxing repayment out at $52,500 after four years.
Who Is Eligible: Primary care certified nurses, certified nurse-midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists can qualify. Beneficiaries must be U.S. citizens to qualify.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Delaware’s student loan repayment program for nurses pays between $30,000-$60,000 for verifiable loans in good standing for a two-year commitment to work in underserved areas in the state. Total awards depend on a weighted evaluation of a nurse’s qualifications.
- Meets qualifications: $30,000 over two years
- Exceeds qualifications: $45,000
- Distinguished qualifications: $60,000
Who Is Eligible: NPs, nurse midwives, registered nurses, and psychiatric nurse specialists are all eligible. All must have unencumbered licenses, zero felonies, and be U.S. citizens. They must work in federally designated HPSAs.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Florida offers student loan forgiveness for nurses with outstanding nursing degree loan debt. The program provides up to $4,000 per year for up to four years. Florida’s program is broader than many other state programs, but its yearly awards are smaller than many others.
Who Is Eligible: Licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, or advanced registered nurse practitioners can qualify. They must work for government healthcare providers, schools, teaching hospitals, or other Florida-licensed hospitals and nursing homes that match the state investment may apply.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Georgia’s Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Loan Repayment Program repays up to $10,000 per year to APRNs in the state. Nurses can only benefit from the program for up to four years. It applies to nurses working in medically underserved, rural counties of Georgia with fewer than 35,000 residents.
Who Is Eligible: Advanced practice registered nurses who are U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals. They must work at healthcare providers that accept Medicaid.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Hawaii offers student loan forgiveness for nurses who work in HPSAs. The program requires two years of service, and beneficiaries can apply for one-year extensions after their initial commitment.
Unlike most state repayment programs, Hawaii’s program does not specify how much it will award recipients each year. Amounts vary based on funding availability. Recipients’ employers must match half of the amount awarded.
Who Is Eligible: Nurses with graduate degrees, including registered nurses, NPs, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists may apply. Recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals. They must work at government or nonprofit sites that accept Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Idaho grants student loan payments to nurses who work in underserved areas for at least two years. Participants’ employers must match the award dollar for dollar. Amounts range from $5,000-$25,000 per year, depending on the employer’s matching amount.
Who Is Eligible: NPs, registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists with student loan debt and unencumbered licenses who work for nonprofit entities in designated HPSAs may apply. The total funding received cannot exceed a recipient’s debt.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Illinois has two student loan repayment programs that can benefit practicing nurses. The Veterans’ Home Medical Providers’ Loan Repayment Program applies to any licensed nurse or certified nursing assistant who works in an approved state of Illinois veterans’ home. The program awards up to $5,000 per year, depending on the number of applicants.
The Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program applies only to advanced practice registered nurses working in behavioral health settings. Nurses can receive $15,000 per year through this program if they work in a high-need or rural area.
Who Is Eligible: Nurses must live in Illinois and be a U.S. citizen or national to take part in either program. Recipients may not be in default on any federal or Illinois Student Assistance Commission loan.
How to Apply: Learn more about these programs here.
Details: Indiana provides student loan repayment for nurses who work in designated shortage areas. The program requires two years of service, after which recipients will receive $20,000. They may reapply for an additional two years and another $20,000, for a total of $40,000 after four years.
Who Is Eligible: The program applies to registered nurses, primary care nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists.
They must work in public or private not-for-profit settings in federally designated shortage areas that are also approved by the Indiana Department of Health. Their sites must provide discounts for individuals with limited incomes.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Iowa awards nurses $40,000 to repay student loans in exchange for a two-year service commitment at an HPSA practice site. The program forgives both government and private loans used to pay for a nursing degree. Beneficiaries must work at least 40 hours per week to qualify as full-time.
Who Is Eligible: NPs, advanced registered nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, psychiatric nurse specialists, and registered nurses can qualify for the program. A beneficiary must be licensed, board-eligible, or board certified to
practice as a healthcare provider in the state.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Kansas offers up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness per year for the first two years of required service in an HPSA. Beneficiaries can continue for another three years after the minimum contract to earn $15,000 in year three, $10,000 in year four, and $5,000 in year five, for a total of $70,000 over five years.
These funds can go toward paying back outstanding government or commercial student loans for undergraduate or graduate degrees in nursing.
Who Is Eligible: NPs, registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists who are U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals may apply. They must work for a nonprofit or public healthcare practice within a federally designated HPSA that accepts government health insurance.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Kentucky’s loan repayment program provides funds to nurses who agree to a two-year contract in an HPSA. The state will award up to $15,000 per year under the program. The employer or another sponsor, such as a philanthropic organization, must match dollar for dollar. Nurses can qualify for up to $60,000 over two years if they have a sponsor that will match the maximum yearly amount.
Who Is Eligible: Registered nurses, NPs, certified nurse-midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists are eligible. They must work within an HPSA for a nonprofit or government provider that accepts government health insurance for at least 40 hours per week.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Louisiana’s student loan repayment program offers up to $20,000 annually over a required three-year contract. Participants in good standing after this three-year contract can apply for a two-year extension to receive another $30,000 for outstanding student loans, but only if there are funds remaining in the program’s budget.
Nurses must work at least 40 hours per week to qualify.
Who Is Eligible: Primary care NPs, nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists. Each recipient must work for government or nonprofit practices or institutions that accept government health insurance and offer sliding-scale payments. Only U.S. citizens may participate in Louisiana’s loan forgiveness for nurses.
Priority will be given to applicants who work in facilities with the highest percentage of underserved patients.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Maine used to offer a state loan repayment program for nurses. However, applications closed in 2022, and the Finance Authority of Maine says there are currently no plans to reopen again in future years.
Details: Maryland has a loan repayment program for nurses and nursing support staff. The amounts distributed to applicants depend on their roles.
Certified NPs, certified nurse midwives, registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists qualify for up to $100,000 for a two-year service agreement if they work at least 40 hours per week. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses qualify for up to $50,000 for two years of service. Nurse supporting staff qualify for up to $5,000 over two years.
Who Is Eligible: Only participants working at a nonprofit entity, including state or local governments, qualify. Repayment funds may only go toward undergraduate or graduate school loans directly related to pursuing a nursing or support staff education.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Massachusetts offers student loan repayment for nurses who work at least 40 hours per week in an HPSA. The program awards up to $50,000 for a two-year contract. Beneficiaries can reapply when their contract obligation is complete. However, repeat applicants may not earn more than $100,000 in total.
Part-nurses who work 20 hours per week can receive up to $50,000 over a four-year contract.
Who Is Eligible: Certified NPs, nurse midwives, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists, and clinical nurse specialists may apply. Participants must have a Massachusetts registered nurse license and work in federally designated HPSAs or other state-designated areas. They may not participate in other loan forgiveness programs.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Michigan offers up to $300,000 in student loan repayment across 10 years for nurses who work in HPSAs, based on renewable two-year contracts. The yearly awards are based on individual student loan debt amounts. The state awards approximately 20% of a student’s outstanding loan balance for each two-year contract.
Nonprofit employers must match 20% of the forgiven amount, and for-profit employers who place nurses in underserved or otherwise eligible locations must pay 50%.
Who Is Eligible: NPs, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists with a master’s degree can qualify. However, unlike most state programs, registered nurses are not eligible for the program. Only U.S. citizens are eligible. Their sites must offer sliding-scale fees for individuals unable to pay their full amount.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Minnesota’s loan repayment program aims to encourage students to pursue a nursing career in underserved communities. Nurses who work for at least two years at an HPSA can earn up to $20,000 per year for full-time work and $10,000 annually for half-time work. These funds must go toward repaying government or commercial loans taken out for any nursing-related degree.
Who is Eligible: Psychiatric NPs, psychiatric nurse specialists, and registered nurses who reside in Minnesota and have a valid nursing license are eligible to apply. NPs without a psychiatric specialty do not qualify.
Preference is given to nursing applicants who work in a rural area or a county where the registered nurse rate is below 100.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Mississippi doesn’t offer loan forgiveness or repayment, but it does have a program that grants forgivable loans to nurses pursuing a graduate degree in nursing.
A full-time graduate student in the state can apply to receive up to $4,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years. The state will then forgive one year’s worth of the loan for every year the recipient spends teaching at an accredited school of nursing in the state or serving in a professional nursing role.
Who is Eligible: Loans are available to residents who are seeking a master’s degree in nursing from a Mississippi postsecondary institution. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a valid Mississippi nursing license. They must be a legal resident in the state for at least one year prior to application.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Missouri’s nurse loan repayment program provides a maximum of $10,000 per year for registered nurses and $20,000 per year for advanced practice registered nurses. Recipients must agree to practice in an underserved community in Missouri for at least two years.
Who is Eligible: Registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, NPs, certified registered nurse anesthetists, family NPs, and nursing students in their final year of full-time schooling can apply. Applicants must have a Missouri nursing license from an institution approved by the state board of nursing.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Montana’s student loan repayment program for nurses reimburses up to $37,500 per year for an initial two-year contract. Full-time nurses can apply for up to two more one-year contracts, meaning they can qualify for up to $150,000 across four years. The one-year extensions, however, are subject to availability of funds.
Who is Eligible: NPs, primary care registered nurses, and certified nurse-midwives are eligible to apply. They must work in a nonprofit in an HPSA that sees all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Nebraska’s student loan repayment program for nurses provides up to $30,000 per year for up to three years of service at an eligible healthcare site. The program requires a 50/50 match from a “local entity,” meaning applicants’ employer or other organization must match at least $15,000 per year for them to qualify for the maximum amount. The applicant must work at their site for at least three years.
Who is Eligible: Nurse practitioners and registered nurses practicing in federally designated HPSAs throughout the state. Nebraska state employees are not eligible.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Nevada’s Pennington Rural Health Services Loan Repayment Program rewards nurses who practice in underserved and rural communities. The amount awarded annually, which must go toward qualifying student loans, depends on the profession.
NPs must agree to a two-year commitment and can earn $25,000 annually. Registered nurses must also agree to a two-year commitment but receive $10,000 annually. A bachelor of science in nursing graduate must agree to a two-year commitment to receive $20,000 each year.
Who is Eligible: The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology maintains a list of eligible practice locations that a nurse must work at to qualify for this program.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program, including eligible locations, here.
Details: New Hampshire’s state loan repayment program provides funds to pay back student loan debt to nurses working in qualifying facilities part-time for 24 months or full-time for 36 months. Award amounts vary by position, with contracts prioritized for applicants who have secured a one-to-one match from an employer.
Advanced practice registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse practitioners fall in the “tier 2” category. These nurses can qualify for up to $45,000 over their initial 36-month contract. They can apply for a two-year extension for another $20,000.
Primary care registered nurses qualify for up to $30,000 over their 36-month contract. They can then apply for a two-year extension for another $10,000.
Who is Eligible: Applicants must be licensed in the state of New Hampshire to qualify. They must work in medically underserved areas, and the practice site must offer a sliding-fee discount schedule based on current federal poverty guidelines.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: New Jersey’s loan redemption program incentivizes nurses to work in medically underserved areas for at least two years, but funds from the program can only go toward repaying student loans taken out for graduate school. The amounts awarded each year depend on the nurse’s service year and how much debt they hold:
- First year: 18% of the loan, up to $21,600
- Second year: 26% of the loan, up to $31,200
- Third year: Up to 28% of the loan, up to $33,600
- Fourth year: Up to 28% of the loan, up to $33,600
Who is Eligible: Applicants must be a resident of New Jersey and hold a graduate-level degree. Nurses must maintain a license to practice in the state of New Jersey for the duration of the program.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: New Mexico’s repayment program provides assistance to practicing health professionals by repaying their outstanding loans. Recipients must commit to two years of full-time work in an HPSA. The state makes payments directly to a recipient’s loan servicer.
Unlike most state programs, New Mexico does not outline how much money a recipient will receive each year. Instead, amounts vary based on the highest priority health professional shortage areas as measured by the federal HPSA score, the service area, the area’s health statistics, and the population served.
Who is Eligible: Applicants must have a valid state nursing license, be employed full time, and hold at least one year of permanent residency in New Mexico before applying.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The New York nursing faculty loan forgiveness program is geared toward increasing the number of faculty members in the field of nursing. Applicants can be awarded a maximum of $40,000, with $8,000 being paid for each year of service as an educator. A recipient must work as a nursing faculty member or as an adjunct clinical faculty member providing instruction at a nursing school in the state for the equivalent of at least 12 credit hours each year.
Who is Eligible: Applicants must be current residents of New York and registered nurses with a graduate degree. They must be professionally licensed by the state.
The program only applies to outstanding student loan debt used to fund a nursing degree. That debt must have been disbursed on or after Jan. 1, 2001.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The North Carolina state loan repayment program offers funds to help nurses pay back their student loans in exchange for service in rural and underserved areas. Participants must work for at least three years in a “team-based setting that provides access to comprehensive mental health/behavioral health services.” The program focuses on areas with a shortage of mental health professionals.
The state’s maximum award is $50,000 after three years. Beneficiaries cannot earn more than whatever their outstanding loan balance is.
Who is Eligible: NPs, psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioners, and psychiatric nurse specialists can apply. These nurses must be licensed to practice in the state and be employed full-time (40 hours per week) to qualify for the maximum award.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The ND Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program is a tiered student loan repayment program established to help place medical professionals in communities that lack such professionals. It also requires a community match, but the amounts vary depending on the profession.
Nurses can qualify for up to $4,000 per year and up to $20,000 over five years. The nurse’s profession or other organization must match 10% of the state’s funds, meaning these nurses can qualify for a total of $22,000 over five years.
Who is Eligible: Primary care NPs, certified nurse midwives, registered nurses, and specialty practice nurses can qualify. They must work at a site that accepts Medicare and Medicaid assignments. Priority will be given to applicants who practice in a critical shortage area or at least 20 miles outside the limits of a city with more than 40,000 residents.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Ohio’s nursing education assistance loan program provides assistance for prospective nursing students and those currently enrolled at least six credit hours in an approved Ohio nursing program. The maximum annual award for applicants is $1,620. Students who then serve as full-time registered nurses or licensed practical nurses in Ohio will have the entire loan forgiven after five years.
Who is Eligible: Applicants must be a resident of Ohio and in good academic standing. The loan is based on financial need, and students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Oklahoma does not have a state loan repayment program that applies to nurses.
See here for more information about national debt forgiveness programs for nurses.
Details: The Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program incentivizes working in an HPSA in the state. An applicant’s practice site must match all awards one-to-one. Awardees must commit to two years of full-time service or four years of part-time service within a facility approved by the state. Full-time providers can receive up to $35,000 annually, while part-time providers can receive up to $17,500. A recipient cannot receive more than 50% of their outstanding loan balance in a year during their initial two-year contract.
Who is Eligible: Primary care NPs, certified nurse-midwives, psychiatric nurse specialists, and registered nurses are all eligible to apply. Applicants must also be contracted to work or already working in an HPSA.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Pennsylvanian Primary Care Loan Repayment Program encourages primary care practitioners to work with underserved communities in an HPSA. Nurses can earn up to $48,000 to be applied to outstanding student loans for a two-year service commitment. They can earn up to $24,000 across two years for part-time work.
Who is Eligible: Certified registered NPs and certified nurse midwives who hold active Pennsylvania nursing licenses are eligible to apply.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Rhode Island Health Professional Loan Repayment Program reimburses social workers who serve in a public or nonprofit outpatient facility in an HPSA. Full-time recipients (40 hours per week) must commit to two years of direct patient care in an outpatient setting; part-time workers (20 hours) must commit to four years.
Unlike most state programs, Rhode Island’s program does not specify how much nurses can earn annually to pay off student loan debt. Instead, the state promises to “make a payment for the full award amount stipulated in the service contract.”
Who is Eligible: NPs, certified nurse-midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists are all eligible to apply. Registered nurses are also eligible if they work in an outpatient setting.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: South Carolina does not have a state loan repayment program for nurses. See here for more information about national debt forgiveness programs for nurses.
Details: South Dakota’s loan repayment program requires nurses to work a minimum of two years in an HPSA in order to receive funds to pay back student loans. The program offers $25,000 annually for a limited number of full-time nurses and up to $12,500 annually for half-time providers.
Who is Eligible: NPs, registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists are eligible to apply. Nurses must have a current, full, permanent, unrestricted professional license.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Tennessee State Loan Repayment Program incentivizes nurses to work at least two years in an HPSA. Nurses who work in a high-need area can have up to $50,000 of their outstanding student loans paid off after two years. Recipients can reapply for a maximum of up to $20,000 per year after they fulfill the initial two-year commitment.
An eligible site is an ambulatory primary care public, nonprofit, or private, not-for-profit healthcare facility in an HPSA.
Who is Eligible: Advanced practice nurses, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists qualify. They must be licensed to practice in Tennessee and can only use the state’s funds to repay qualifying educational loans.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Rural Communities Health Care Investment Program in Texas provides partial student loan reimbursement for those who choose to work in underserved communities. The program awards $10,000 to non-physician healthcare providers who work at least one year in a qualifying community. They must practice in a Texas county with a total population of 50,000 or fewer.
Who is Eligible: The program is open to all non-physician healthcare providers, including nurses with a Texas license to practice. However, nurses must have received their license within the past two years or recently moved from a county with more than 150,000 residents into a qualifying community to qualify.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program offers loan repayment for Utah residents who work for three years in health facilities in underserved areas. The award amounts are dependent on the nurse’s education level. A registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree can qualify for $30,000 after three years, while an RN with an associate degree can qualify for $15,000.
A nurse’s employer must match 20% of the total award amount.
Who is Eligible: Registered nurses with a license to practice in the state can apply. They must apply within 18 months of beginning employment at an approved site.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Vermont Educational Loan Repayment Program reimburses nurses who work in healthcare workforce shortage areas to address nursing shortages across the state. The amount nurses can receive depends on their nursing specialty and license.
Primary NPs, psychiatric NPs, and certified nurse midwives qualify for up to $50,000 per year. They can receive a maximum of $300,000 over six years. Service obligations tend to be 12 to 24-month commitments.
Registered nurses are eligible for up to $15,000 annually and a maximum of $60,000 over four years. Service contracts typically are 12-month commitments.
Who is Eligible: NPs, registered nurses, and certified nurse midwives can apply. Applicants must hold a state nursing license and work for a minimum of 20 clinical hours per week for at least 45 weeks per year.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Virginia state loan repayment program offers loan reimbursements for healthcare professionals who commit to work in an HPSA. The state will pay up to $50,000 for a two-year commitment, and the program requires a one-to-one community match from the employer or an outside organization, meaning a participant can receive up to $100,000 across two years. Nurses can then apply for third- and fourth-year extensions for another $20,000 per year each ($40,000 per year with a full community match).
Total awards for all four years cannot exceed $140,000 or the participant’s loan balance.
Who is Eligible: Nurse practitioners, registered nurses, nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists who hold Virginia residency are eligible to apply. They must also have a valid state nursing license.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Washington Health Corps state program encourages healthcare professionals to provide care at an HPSA in exchange for loan reimbursement. Recipients can receive up to $75,000 for a three-year service commitment. They must work no less than 24 hours per week with no more than 40 days away from the clinic per year. Nurses must work at a nonprofit to qualify for this program.
Who is Eligible: NPs, registered nurses, and certified nurse midwives who hold Washington state residency and a valid state nursing license are eligible to apply.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The West Virginia State Loan Repayment Program reimburses qualified government and commercial education loans for nursing professionals in exchange for a service commitment. Recipients must work full-time (40 hours per week) in an HPSA for at least two years to qualify for $40,000 to apply toward their student loans. Recipients can apply for one-year extensions for years three and four to earn another $25,000 per year. The four-year maximum award is $90,000.
Funding is slightly different for those with just a bachelor of science in nursing. These applicants can qualify for up to $25,000 across their initial two-year commitment. They can earn another $12,500 per year through one-year extensions for a maximum of $50,000 across four years.
Who is Eligible: Primary care NPs, certified nurse midwives, certified NPs, and those with a bachelor’s of science in nursing can qualify. They must have a license to practice in West Virginia.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: Wisconsin’s Health Professionals Loan Assistance Program gives nurses funds to pay back student loans if they work in an HPSA in the state. Those that qualify can receive up to $25,000 if they work in an underserved community for at least three years. They must work in an outpatient facility.
Nurses can complete the program twice, qualifying for up to $50,000 across six years of service.
Who is Eligible: NPs and certified nurse midwives with a valid nursing license in the state are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit a personal essay explaining why they chose their practice site and why they may continue to work there after their service obligation is complete.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
Details: The Wyoming State Loan Repayment Program incentivizes healthcare professionals to work in HPSAs. The program awards $20,000 toward student loan repayment to nurses who commit to two years of service at an HPSA. However, applications are prioritized based on the level of community need. Nurses working in an HPSA with a high score will be prioritized over those working in one with a lower score, thereby incentivizing nurses to work in high-need areas.
Who is Eligible: NPs, certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists who hold Wyoming residency and a valid state nursing license are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to those who graduated from the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college.
How to Apply: Learn more about the program here.
