Countless stories, one shared experience.
One story and one original cartoon at a time, we’re revealing truths about making finances work for you and creating more open conversation along the way.
Student loan debt is a heavy financial burden for many Americans. The total student loan debt in the United States is over $1.7 trillion, carried by about 45 million Americans (or nearly 1 in 5 adults). This debt can significantly impact borrowers' lives, making it difficult to buy a home, save for retirement, start a business, or even live with less stress.
To help illustrate just how much the challenges of student loan debt impact daily life, LoanFolk created a series of cartoons to share and lighten the burden.
These loan cartoons depict the real-life experiences of borrowers, from the stress of applying for loans to the struggle to make payments. The cartoons are a fresh and engaging way to raise awareness about student loan debt and its impact on borrowers' lives.
Student Loan Payments
![reduce student loan payments cartoon](https://loanfolk.com/content/images/2023/02/student_loan_payments_resume_cartoon-2.webp)
Do Student Loans Die When You Do?
![](https://loanfolk.com/content/images/2024/03/do-student-loans-die-when-you-do.webp)
Price of Success
“My mother dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. Watching her at the kitchen table struggling to pay the bills, I used to swear I’d never be like her. I thought education was the way out. So I fought, worked hard, went to a prestigious college, then an Ivy League graduate school. I thought; finally this little girl, who was not supposed to succeed, did. Now here I am, first in the family to graduate from college, struggling to pay the bills.”
![](https://loanfolk.com/content/images/2023/09/Price_Of_Success.webp)
Keeping Up
“I am 41 years old. I feel like the majority of school loan debt stories and advice columns are targeted for recent graduates who are younger in their 20s. Don’t get me wrong, I feel for them. But I owe almost $200,000 (yes, you read that right) in school debt. I never admit this out loud to anyone. I read that you should admit it and tell people out loud to stand in your truth. This is not easy. I read that the average school loan debt is something like $30,000. I honestly laughed at this. I don’t say that to minimize how much that is to another, but just how embarrassed I am to have 6 times the amount that the average person has. How did this happen to me? How will I ever resolve this? I have impeccable credit (above 800), I pay all of my bills, I work multiple jobs, I own a house with a hefty mortgage (always paid) – my life looks normal, even perfect! But I cannot and probably won’t ever get ahead of my school debt. I am at a loss… ”
![](https://loanfolk.com/content/images/2023/09/student-loan-debt-cartoon-1.webp)
Petty Thieves
“The final bill for one of my student loans was for one cent. The loan company created a bill for once cent and paid postage to send it in the mail. I wrote a check for one cent and paid the postage to send it back to them.”
![](https://loanfolk.com/content/images/2024/03/will-my-loans-be-forgiven-1.webp)