(CALMATTERS) – 3.5 million.
That’s the number of Californians eligible for student debt relief under a plan announced by President Joe Biden last month, according to estimates released Tuesday by the White House.
- Students earning less than $125,000 (or co-filers earning less than $250,000) could qualify for debt relief of up to $10,000.
- Those who received a Pell Grant, a federal program for low-income students, could see more — up to $20,000 — of their debt erased.
According to the White House estimate, 2.3 million Californians would be eligible for this additional relief, or about two-thirds of the total. (State legislative leaders commit to ensuring the relief is not taxed.)
In total, about 9% of the state’s population is eligible for some degree of debt reduction. It’s actually on the low end compared to other states. In Pennsylvania, Georgia and Ohio — which happen to be swing states with competitive Senate races this year — the figure sits at around 14%.
If California gets the proportionately short end of the stick, it’s likely because students tend to have less debt overall thanks to the state’s relatively generous financial aid programs and low tuition. .