College Game Plan

Federal student loan rates to jump starting July 1

Terry Vine | Getty Images

College students can expect to cough up even more money as they borrow for school next year.

Starting in July, interest rates will rise on new federal loans for 2017-2018.

Rates were set based on the Treasury Department's May 10 auction of 10-year notes. For new loans disbursed from July 1, 2017, up to June 30, 2018, undergraduates will pay 4.45 percent. That's an increase from this year's rate of 3.76 percent.

Graduate students can also expect to pay higher financing costs after July 1.

They will pay 6 percent for a direct unsubsidized loan — which begins accruing interest as soon as the borrower takes out the loan — an increase from 5.31 percent this year.

Finally, rates on direct PLUS loans, which both graduate students and parents of undergrads can use, will rise to 7 percent from last year's 6.31 percent.

The increases don't apply to private student loans.

Total student debt in the U.S. is now over $1.4 trillion.

Rising rates for all

An undergraduate who borrowed $25,000 at this year's rate of 3.76 percent would pay $5,032 in interest over 10 years, according to NerdWallet's student loan calculator.

Santelli Exchange: Student loan debt surges 170% to $1.4 trillion
VIDEO3:3603:36
Santelli Exchange: Student loan debt surges 170% to $1.4 trillion

With the rate increase, a student who borrows the same amount next academic year at 4.45 percent can expect to pay almost $1,000 more in interest.

"The financial impact of this increase is on the order of a few dollars a month on a 10-year repayment plan for every $10,000 borrowed," said Mark Kantrowitz, vice president of strategy for college and scholarship search site Cappex.com.

"This increase doesn't affect existing loans, just the ones that are disbursed starting July 1," he said.

More from College Game Plan

Six cities that give new grads the best shot at jobs and housing

Move to these states to pay off your student loans faster

Three tricks to crush college planning and save big