Can You Buy A House With Student Loan Debt? What Lenders Count in 2026

Key takeaways Yes, you can buy a house with student loan debt. Lenders count a monthly student loan payment in your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, not your total balance. Each mortgage program counts student loans differently. On a $60,000 balance that’s deferred or on a $0 plan, the counted payment ranges from $0 to $600 a month. Two 2026 federal changes can move your counted payment: the SAVE plan has ended, and the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) has a $10 minimum payment. A defaulted federal student loan blocks FHA, VA, and USDA financing until you resolve the default. Yes, you can buy a house with student loan debt. Mortgage lenders don’t reject applicants for having student loans. Instead, they factor your monthly student loan payment into your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. The amount they count depends on three things: your mortgage program, your repayment plan, and whether your loans are in repayment, deferment, forbearance, or default. Understanding how lenders count student loans is especially important in today’s housing market. The typical U.S. monthly mortgage payment hit $2,777 in early October 2026, one of the highest levels on record, according to Redfin. At the same...