Are Nurses Public Service Workers? It Depends

• Nurses are public service workers if they work directly for a qualifying government or nonprofit employer.

• Travel and contract nurses may not qualify. If a for-profit staffing agency employs you—even at a nonprofit hospital—you’re not eligible.

• Only federal direct loans qualify for PSLF. FFEL and Perkins Loan must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan before they’re eligible.

Nurses only count as public service workers if they work for a government or nonprofit organization as their employer. For Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), your job title doesn’t matter—who pays you does.

That’s a big deal because PSLF is one of the most powerful student loan forgiveness programs. It can wipe out your remaining federal student loan debt after 120 qualifying payments. It’s one of the best student loan forgiveness options for nurses, but only if you work full-time for a qualifying employer.

If your hospital, clinic, or agency is for-profit, you’re out of luck—even if you’re saving lives every day.

• Hospital Nurses: You qualify for public service loan forgiveness if you’re directly employed by a government-owned or nonprofit hospital (or an eligible subsidiary). But if your hospital is for-profit, you’re out—it doesn’t matter what your job is.

• School Nurses: Work at a public school? You qualify—it’s a government job. But private and for-profit schools don’t count unless they have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

• Public Health Nurses: If you work for a city, county, or state health department, particularly in critical shortage facilities, you qualify. Government jobs meet PSLF rules.

• Travel & Contract Nurses: If you’re paid by a private, for-profit staffing agency, you likely don’t qualify—even if you’re working at a nonprofit hospital. What matters is who pays you. Always check your employer’s tax-exempt or government status to be sure.

If your employer doesn’t qualify for PSLF, it’s best to explore other options for federal loans or private student loan forgiveness programs. You can also turn to a different loan repayment program like IDR.

Before you count on PSLF, you need to make sure your employer actually qualifies. Here’s how you can check—step by step:

1. Check your employer’s IRS classification. If they’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a government agency, you’re likely eligible. Not sure? Ask HR or use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool.

2. Use the PSLF Help Tool at StudentAid.gov. Enter your employer’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) to see if they qualify for PSLF.

3. Submit a PSLF Employer Certification Form (ECF) every year and anytime you change jobs. This proves your employment and keeps you on track for forgiveness. Always keep copies for your records.

To qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, you need to meet three key requirements:

• You must have Direct Loans. If you have FFEL or Perkins Loans, you need to consolidate them into a Federal Direct Loan first.

• You must be on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. Choose IBR, PAYE, SAVE, or ICR. You can technically stay on the standard 10-year plan, but that only makes sense if you’re almost at 120 payments, and your IDR payments would be higher than the standard amount.

• You must work full-time (30+ hours per week). PSLF defines full-time as at least 30 hours per week on average. If you combine multiple part-time jobs at qualifying employers and hit 30+ hours total, you still qualify.

PSLF rules can be confusing, and plenty of nurses assume they qualify when they don’t. Here are the biggest mistakes to avoid:

• For-profit employers don’t qualify. It doesn’t matter if you serve vulnerable communities—PSLF is about who pays you, not what you do.

• Being a nurse doesn’t guarantee PSLF. Your employer must be a government agency or nonprofit. If they’re not, you don’t qualify—no exceptions.

• Travel and contract nurses must check their employers. Working at a nonprofit hospital doesn’t count if a for-profit staffing agency signs your paycheck. Always confirm who actually employs you.

• Your student loan payments for PSLF don’t have to be consecutive. If you take a break from qualifying employment, your progress isn’t erased.

PSLF isn’t automatic—if you want to erase unpaid nursing education debt, you need to stay on top of the details to make sure your payments count. Here’s what to do:

• Confirm your employer. Make sure they’re a government agency or 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If your employer won’t sign your form, submit it anyway.

• Check your loan type. Only Direct Loans qualify—consolidate if you have FFEL or Perkins Loans.

• Enroll in an IDR plan. Your payments only count if you’re on IBR, PAYE, SAVE, or ICR.

• Submit an ECF every year. File a PSLF Employer Certification Form (ECF) annually and anytime you switch jobs. Keep copies for your records.

It’s crucial to track your PSLF progress routinely so you can address discrepancies before they become a bigger issue.

Are nurses public service workers? Only if they work full-time for a nonprofit or government employer. PSLF isn’t about your job title—it’s about who pays you. If you have private student loans, you need to find a different approach.

To stay on track, confirm your employer, enroll in the right repayment plan, and submit your Employer Certification Form (ECF) yearly. Miss a step, and you risk losing forgiveness for your nursing education loans.

Unsure what to do next?

Book a call with one of our student loan experts today. We help borrowers clear their student loan debt through PSLF—without the guesswork.

Related reading:

• Do Nurses Qualify for PSLF?

• Student Loan Forgiveness for Healthcare Workers

• List of Hospitals That Qualify for PSLF

• First Responder Student Loan Forgiveness

• Does the VA Qualify for PSLF?