The pandemic-era pause on reporting delinquent student loan payments on credit reports is over, and Fed data shows it's driving up delinquency rates.

Student loan delinquencies are back, with nearly one in four borrowers behind on their payments, according to a recent New York Fed report.

Serious delinquencies on student loans jumped tenfold at the start of 2025, shortly after lenient pandemic-era policies came to an end. The greater pressure on consumers' wallets is a cause for concern at banks that rely on borrowers' ability to repay their debts.