$1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio
The total federal student loan debt in the United States, a figure that includes a disproportionately large share of graduate school debt.
Snapshot · Planet Money
Can the Trump administration make college cheaper?
Explore episode
Jul 1, 2026
Where this was said
Sponsor Read & Introduction
At 0:19 · chapter starts 0:00
The episode opens with a brief sponsor message from Insperity before transitioning into Planet Money's standard NPR introduction. This short preamble sets the stage for what follows — a deep dive into one of the most confusing education policy moves in recent memory. The framing is immediate and provocative: a government plan that claims to reduce the burden of college by giving students less money.
The Plan: Give Less Money to Lower Tuition
The Department of Education's plan to reduce the burden of college is to lend students less money. Starting July 1, 2026, federal graduate loans are capped at roughly $21,000 per year for most programs. The bet: if students can't borrow more, schools will have no choice but to charge less.
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