As millions of Americans resume making student loan payments after the end of pandemic-era relief, a new WalletHub study shows New York ranks near the middle of the pack for improvements in student loan delinquency.
The study found student loan delinquency rates declined in many states between late 2025 and early 2026 as borrowers continued adjusting to the return of regular repayment. Falling delinquency rates mean a smaller share of borrowers are behind on their student loan payments.
"Being delinquent on student loans has the potential to ruin your finances and your credit score, but if you've only recently become delinquent, you do have time to get back on track," WalletHub Editor John Kiernan said. "Federal student loans don't get reported
to the credit bureaus as delinquent until you're 90 days behind on payments, though private loans may report delinquency after as few as 30 days."
To determine where student loan delinquency is falling the fastest, WalletHub analyzed proprietary user data comparing each state's share of delinquent student loans during the fourth quarter of 2025 with the first quarter of 2026.
How did New York rank?
New York ranked No. 22 nationally for the largest decline in student loan delinquency, placing it slightly above the middle of the rankings.
According to the study:
- 10.09% of student loans in New York were delinquent during the first quarter of 2026.
- That represented a 17.9% decrease from the fourth quarter of 2025.
The ranking suggests New York saw a moderate improvement in student loan repayment compared with other states during the period studied.
States where student loan delinquency is decreasing the most
- Wyoming
- Vermont
- Idaho
- Rhode Island
- Alaska
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Maine
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Montana
- Connecticut
- West Virginia
States where student loan delinquency is decreasing the least
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
- Hawaii
- Oklahoma
- Missouri
- Virginia
- Florida
- Tennessee
- New Jersey
- North Dakota
How WalletHub measured student loan delinquency
WalletHub compared changes in the share of delinquent student loans using proprietary consumer data from two periods:
- Fourth quarter 2025: October through December 2025
- First quarter 2026: January through March 2026
States were ranked based on the percentage decline in delinquent student loans. Higher-ranked states experienced larger decreases in delinquency, while lower-ranked states saw smaller improvements.
The data used in the study were current as of July 1, 2026.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Student loan delinquency falls in New York. Here's where the state ranks
