Student Loan Repayment for ENT Physicians (Otolaryngology)
Otolaryngology (ENT) is a 5-year residency followed by a median attending salary of $560K according to Marit Health 2026 data. ENT physicians who land hospital or academic positions have meaningful PSLF access, but many go into private practice — where aggressive payoff on a high salary is an extremely fast path to debt freedom.
$560K salary · 5-yr residency · pre-loaded
Key numbers
Avg med school debt
$235K
AAMC GQ 2025
Resident salary (PGY-1)
$67K
ACGME median
Residency length
5 yrs
+ fellowship common
Debt-to-income ratio
0.42x
Debt ÷ attending salary
Attending Salary Distribution
Source: Marit Health, Jun 2026 · Median used in calculator
Residency Salary Progression
| Year | Salary | Monthly IDR est.* |
|---|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $68K | ~$285/mo |
| PGY-2 | $70K | ~$304/mo |
| PGY-3 | $73K | ~$328/mo |
| PGY-4 | $78K | ~$363/mo |
| PGY-5 | $82K | ~$399/mo |
* Salaries: AAMC 2025 national averages. IDR estimate assumes IBR plan (SAVE vacated March 2026), single filer, no dependents.
PSLF Timeline
residencyFinish
residencyLoans
forgiven 🎉
With PSLF, loans forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments — as early as Year 10 for ent (otolaryngology) physicians.
Salary & IDR Estimate
$560K
Monthly
~$4,384/mo
Annual
~$52,608/yr
Estimate assumes SAVE plan, single filer, no dependents.
Run full calculationPSLF fit
Mixed — depends on employer
ENT physicians at academic medical centers, nonprofit hospital systems, and VA facilities qualify for PSLF. With 5 years of residency payments already counted, only 5 attending years remain. At $560K your IBR payment is roughly $3,500–$4,400/month — total out-of-pocket before forgiveness often reaches $240K–$300K. Compare against aggressive payoff on your specific balance.
Check if your employer qualifiesRefinancing
When it makes sense
Private-practice ENT physicians should model aggressive payoff. At $560K you can direct $8–12K/month to loans and clear $235K in 2–3 years. Refinancing to 4.5–5.5% reduces total interest, but the primary value is speed — not rate optimization.
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See your exact repayment numbers.
Calculator opens with ENT (Otolaryngology) salary ($560K) and 5-year residency pre-loaded. Adjust any input — results update instantly.
Common questions
ENT (Otolaryngology) loan repayment, answered.
Should ENT physicians pursue PSLF?
Hospital-employed and academic ENT physicians have strong PSLF access. With a 5-year residency, only 5 attending years of payments remain before forgiveness. At $560K, however, aggressive payoff can clear $235K in 2–3 years — so both paths deserve a full model before deciding.
How much does an ENT resident pay on income-driven repayment?
On IBR with a $67K PGY-1 salary, monthly payments are roughly $150–$350/month. Most academic ENT programs are at nonprofit academic medical centers, so residency years typically qualify for PSLF.
How long does it take an ENT physician to pay off medical school debt?
On aggressive payoff at $560K: 2–4 years. On PSLF: 10 years total from residency start. The dollar difference varies widely depending on balance — model both paths in the calculator.
Do ENT subspecialty fellowships count toward PSLF?
Yes — fellowship years in skull base surgery, rhinology, neurotology, head and neck oncology, or laryngology at qualifying employers count as additional PSLF payment years, reducing the attending years needed to reach 120 payments.
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PSLF vs aggressive payoff vs refinancing — modeled with your salary, debt, and training timeline. Adjust any input and results update in real time.