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IBR Calculator for Residents
Your IBR payment during residency is based on what you earn as a resident — not what you owe. See your exact monthly payment by PGY year, how it affects your PSLF clock, and why deferring is almost always the wrong call.
Calculate my resident IBR payment →Resident IBR payments by PGY year (2026)
Estimates for a single filer with $240K starting debt at 7.05% interest. IBR = 10% of discretionary income (AGI minus 225% of federal poverty line for new borrowers). Debt balance increases yearly as IBR payments don't cover full interest.
| TRAINING YEAR | RESIDENT SALARY | EST. BALANCE | IBR PAYMENT/MO | SPECIALTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $67,000 | $240K | $248/mo | All specialties |
| PGY-2 | $70,000 | $248K | $273/mo | Est. with interest |
| PGY-3 | $73,000 | $256K | $298/mo | Most internal medicine, FM, psych |
| PGY-4 | $76,000 | $265K | $323/mo | Surgery, radiology, OB/GYN |
| PGY-5 | $80,000 | $275K | $356/mo | General surgery, neurosurgery |
| PGY-7 | $87,000 | $295K | $415/mo | Neurosurgery, ortho, plastics |
Payments increase year over year as resident salaries step up. Even at PGY-7, a $415/month IBR payment is far below the $1,700–$2,100/month you'd owe on a standard 10-year plan.
Why deferring your loans during residency is almost always a mistake
Deferment feels safe. It's not. Here's what happens to your balance when you defer vs enroll in IBR.
⚠️ Interest never stops
At 7% on a $250,000 balance, you're accruing $17,500/year in interest during deferment. Every month deferred adds ~$1,458 to your balance before you've written a single check.
⚠️ No PSLF credit during deferment
Months in deferment do not count toward the 120 PSLF qualifying payments. A 3-year deferment means you need 3 extra years of attending-level IBR payments — at $2,000–$3,000/month — before forgiveness.
⚠️ IBR payments during residency are tiny
On a $70,000 resident salary, your IBR payment is roughly $270/month. You won't pay off principal at that rate, but you'll bank PSLF credit, prevent capitalization, and keep your enrollment active.
⚠️ Capitalization hits hard at graduation
When you switch repayment plans at the end of residency, unpaid interest capitalizes — gets added to principal permanently. On $85,000 in accrued residency interest, that's a one-time principal jump you'll pay interest on for years.
✅ What to do instead
Enroll in IBR immediately after match. Contact your servicer or go to studentaid.gov. Your payment will be recalculated based on your resident salary — typically $200–$500/month. If your program qualifies as a PSLF employer, every payment counts toward your 120. You can start accumulating forgiveness credit before you earn a single attending dollar.
How residency IBR payments interact with PSLF
Every IBR payment made while employed full-time at a qualifying employer counts toward your 120 PSLF payments. Most university-based residency programs and many hospital-based programs qualify — but you need to verify your specific program using the PSLF Employer Search.
36 payments
3-year residency
banked before attending salary
48 payments
4-year residency
40% of 120 done
60 payments
5-yr residency + fellowship
halfway to forgiveness
A pediatrician who does a 3-year residency at a qualifying children's hospital has 36 PSLF payments banked. At an academic attending salary of $244,000, their IBR payment is roughly $2,050/month. They need just 84 more qualifying payments — 7 more years — before the remaining balance is forgiven tax-free. Without those 36 resident payments, they'd need 10 full attending years.
Resident IBR FAQ
How is IBR calculated for a medical resident?
IBR payment = (AGI − 225% × federal poverty guideline) × 10% ÷ 12. For a PGY-1 earning $67,000 as a single filer in 2026, AGI ≈ $67,000, poverty guideline is ~$15,060, so discretionary income ≈ $67,000 − $33,885 = $33,115. Annual IBR = $3,312, or about $276/month.
Should I defer or use IBR during residency?
IBR almost always. Deferment lets interest compound unchecked and gives you zero PSLF credit. IBR costs you $200–$500/month but prevents capitalization, earns PSLF credit if your program qualifies, and keeps you enrolled in a repayment plan so you don't have to re-qualify later.
Do fellowship payments count toward PSLF?
Yes, if your fellowship program is at a qualifying employer. Most university-based fellowships and many hospital fellowships are 501(c)(3) entities. Verify using the PSLF Employer Search tool at studentaid.gov before assuming you're covered.
What happens to my IBR when I become an attending?
Your IBR payment is recalculated based on your new attending income. On a $264,000 internal medicine salary, your IBR payment jumps to roughly $2,200/month from the ~$280/month you paid as a resident. If you're pursuing PSLF, those higher payments still count — and you may only need a few attending years to hit 120 total.
Is SAVE better than IBR for residents?
SAVE was better for most residents because it charged 5% (vs IBR's 10%) on graduate loan debt and had a stronger interest subsidy. However, SAVE was vacated by the 8th Circuit in March 2026. As of 2026, IBR is the primary qualifying IDR option for residents.