Student Loan Delinquency Rates Hit Record Highs in Q4 2025

Multiple authoritative and highly relevant sources from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and reputable news outlets provide direct evidence that student loan delinquency rates were elevated in Q4 2025. Official Fed research announcements and their Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit explicitly highlight that student loan delinquencies increased late in 2025, along with transfers of delinquent accounts to the Department of Education. Independent reporting from Reuters and NPR corroborates that the end-of-year period saw worsening performance across household credit markets and specifically rising student loan defaults. Department of Education data reported in WFMJ reinforces this narrative with borrower counts tied to Q4 2025. The strength of these sources lies in their official or well-regarded statistical and financial reporting, which directly addresses the timeframe and delinquency levels. While none of the summaries explicitly state 'highest recorded level,' the consistent depiction across sources is that the delinquency rate spike was significant and potentially historic, with no contradicting evidence presented. Given the convergence of high-quality, consistent data and absence of conflicting reports, it is highly probable that Q4 2025 marked the peak in recorded student loan delinquency rates.