Loan servicer · complaint record
Sallie Mae complaints
Filed under SLM CORPORATION
Consumers have filed 6,228 complaints about Sallie Mae since 2012, 1,112 of them in the last 12 months (+17% on the year before). It answered 100% on time and closed 11% with relief for the customer - more often than a typical loan servicer. The most common problem is dealing with your lender or servicer. It is the 5th most complained-about of 47 student loan servicers this year.
Strong response record. How it works
- Complaints on record
- 6,228
- Last 12 months
- 1,112
- Answered on time
- 100%
- Closed with relief
- 11%
- Last 30 days
- 47
- Rank
- #5 of 47
Since March 2012
+17% vs the year before
Industry: 68.4%
Typical loan servicer: 2%
Newest: Nov 5, 2026
Most complained-about student loan servicers
Sallie Mae complaints by month
The busiest month was April 2026 (122 complaints). Complaints in the last 12 months are up 17% on the year before. Complaints rise with a company's size and with news, so compare trends rather than totals.
How Sallie Mae answered last 12 months
- Closed with monetary relief161.4%
- Closed with non-monetary relief1019.1%
- Closed with explanation90681.5%
- In progress898%
"Closed with explanation" means the company replied but gave no money back and changed nothing. What each answer means
- Answers on time45/45100% on time
- Relief for customers40/4011.4% closed with relief
- Complaint trend8/15+17% vs last year
What Sallie Mae complaints are about
Top Sallie Mae problems last 12 months
Inside "Dealing with your lender or servicer"
- Received bad information about your loan 355
- Trouble with how payments are being handled 351
- Keep getting calls about your loan 212
- Problem with customer service 148
- Don't agree with the fees charged 135
- Need information about your loan balance or loan terms 70
Where Sallie Mae complaints come from
Most complaints: California (591), New York (573), Florida (454), Pennsylvania (418), Texas (388).
Sallie Mae compared with other student loan servicers
| # | Company | Score | 12 months | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NelnetStudent loans | 58 | 6,543 | C |
| 2 | Maximus Federal ServicesStudent loans | 56 | 4,107 | C |
| 3 | Edfinancial ServicesStudent loans | 55 | 2,684 | C |
| 4 | Sallie MaeStudent loans | 93 | 1,112 | A |
| 5 | NavientStudent loans | 61 | 617 | C |
| 6 | Climb CreditStudent loans | 47 | 446 | D |
| 7 | AES / PHEAAStudent loans | 96 | 307 | A |
| 8 | Heartland Payment SystemsStudent loans | 36 | 216 | D |
Compare side by side: Sallie Mae vs Nelnet · Sallie Mae vs Maximus Federal Services · Sallie Mae vs Edfinancial Services · Sallie Mae vs Navient
What people say about Sallie Mae
All experiencesNo experiences with Sallie Mae yet. Yours would be the first on the record - and the one the next person reads.
Share yoursLatest Sallie Mae complaints
Full log| Received | About | Issue | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Student loans | Struggling to repay your loanProblem lowering your monthly payments | Explained |
| Nov 2, 2026 | Student loans | Struggling to repay your loanCan't get other flexible options for repaying your loan | In progress |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Student loans | Dealing with your lender or servicerTrouble with how payments are being handled | In progress |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Student loans | Struggling to repay your loanCan't temporarily delay making payments | In progress |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Student loans | Dealing with your lender or servicerProblem with customer service | In progress |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Student loans | Dealing with your lender or servicerProblem with customer service | Fixed |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Credit reporting | Improper use of your reportCredit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize | In progress |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Student loans | Struggling to repay your loanCan't temporarily delay making payments | In progress |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Debt collection | Communication tacticsYou told them to stop contacting you, but they keep trying | In progress |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Student loans | Dealing with your lender or servicerCo-signer | In progress |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Debt collection | Took or threatened to take negative or legal actionThreatened or suggested your credit would be damaged | In progress |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Student loans | Dealing with your lender or servicerKeep getting calls about your loan | In progress |
Questions about Sallie Mae
How many complaints does Sallie Mae have?
Sallie Mae has 6,228 complaints on record since March 2012, including 1,112 in the last 12 months and 47 in the last 30 days. That makes it number 119 of every company by complaints this year.
Does Sallie Mae respond to complaints?
Yes. Sallie Mae answered 100% of its complaints on time (within 15 days) and closed 11% with relief - money back or a fix; 1.6% ended with money back. The rest were mostly closed with an explanation only. Its Response Score is 93/100 (grade A).
What do people complain about most with Sallie Mae?
The most common problems are dealing with your lender or servicer (1,326), struggling to repay your loan (1,198), incorrect information on your report (698).
Is Sallie Mae legit?
Sallie Mae is a real company with a public complaint record: consumers have complained about it 6,228 times and it answers through the official complaint process. Whether it is right for you depends on the details - see is Sallie Mae legit? for the signals, red flags and how to protect yourself.
Are complaints about Sallie Mae going up or down?
Up. There were 1,112 complaints in the last 12 months against 953 in the 12 before (+17%). See every month.
How do I file a complaint against Sallie Mae?
Complain to Sallie Mae in writing first and keep a copy. If it isn't fixed, file an official complaint with the federal consumer financial regulator - the company must answer, usually within 15 days. Our step-by-step guide: how to file a complaint against a company. Then share your experience here so others know.
Where do most Sallie Mae complaints come from?
Most come from California (591), New York (573), Florida (454). Big states file more complaints, so the map shows complaints per 100,000 people.
Complaint records are public consumer complaints filed with U.S. regulators, checked (newest received Nov 15, 2026). Complaints are consumers' own accounts and are not verified; counts grow with a company's size. How the data works
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