{
  "id": "finance",
  "order": 6,
  "title": "Which student-loan servicers answer complaints on time?",
  "kicker": "Consumer Finance \u00b7 Lending",
  "roles": [
    "Partnerships",
    "Ops",
    "Servicer Relations"
  ],
  "question": "Which student-loan servicers handle borrower complaints well, and which ones are quietly failing on response time?",
  "source": {
    "name": "CFPB Consumer Complaint Database (student-loan complaints, January 2023 onward)",
    "url": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/",
    "license": "CC0, as stated in the CFPB complaint API metadata (data.gov lists no license)",
    "publisher": "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau",
    "as_of": "October 5, 2026",
    "rows_raw": 62013,
    "rows_used": 62013,
    "caveat": "Complaints are not a random sample of borrowers; volume reflects company size and how aware borrowers are of the complaint process, not just service quality. The final month in the data (September 2026) is partial."
  },
  "cleaning": [
    "Excluded 'Servicer under contract with Federal Student Aid' from the servicer comparison: it is a generic CFPB label for complaints routed to the Department of Education, not one company, and every one of its complaints is coded untimely.",
    "Kept 11 columns: date, product, sub-product, issue, sub-issue, company, state, submission channel, company response, timely flag, and tags.",
    "Dropped the consumer complaint narrative text entirely, for privacy and file size; it is not in the published table.",
    "Parsed 'Date received' down to a plain YYYY-MM-DD string; all rows had a valid date.",
    "All rows are 'Student loan' product complaints already, split into Federal student loan servicing and Private student loan sub-products.",
    "Ranked companies by complaint volume before looking at response-quality rates, so a company with 50 complaints and 100% timely responses is not compared head-to-head with one that has 20,000."
  ],
  "kpis": [
    {
      "label": "Total complaints",
      "value": "62,013",
      "note": "over 45 months, Jan 2023 to Sep 2026"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top issue: lender/servicer problems",
      "value": "63.8%",
      "note": "of 62,013 complaints"
    },
    {
      "label": "Overall timely-response rate",
      "value": "79.0%",
      "note": "of 62,013 complaints"
    },
    {
      "label": "Federal loan servicing share",
      "value": "80.4%",
      "note": "of complaints, vs. private loans"
    }
  ],
  "filters": [
    {
      "id": "sub_product",
      "label": "Loan type",
      "options": [
        "All",
        "Federal",
        "Private"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "charts": [
    {
      "id": "monthly_volume",
      "kind": "line",
      "title": "Complaint volume by month",
      "subtitle": "Monthly complaints received since January 2023; the most recent month is partial (data pulled October 5, 2026).",
      "x": "month",
      "y": "n",
      "x_label": "Month",
      "y_label": "Complaints",
      "format_y": ",",
      "filter_fields": [
        "sub_product"
      ],
      "data": [
        {
          "month": "2023-01",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 580
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-01",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 434
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-01",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 146
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-02",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 528
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-02",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 396
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-02",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 132
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-03",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 515
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-03",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 372
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-03",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 143
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-04",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 397
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-04",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 269
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-04",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 128
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-05",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 410
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-05",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 279
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-05",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 131
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-06",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 397
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-06",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 280
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-06",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 117
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-07",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 570
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-07",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 400
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-07",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 170
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-08",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 769
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-08",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 584
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-08",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 185
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-09",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1423
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-09",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1245
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-09",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 178
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-10",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 2130
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-10",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1950
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-10",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 180
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-11",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1625
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-11",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1470
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-11",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 155
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-12",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1289
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-12",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1156
        },
        {
          "month": "2023-12",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 133
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-01",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1617
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-01",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1447
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-01",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 170
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-02",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1222
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-02",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1047
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-02",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 175
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-03",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1323
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-03",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1114
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-03",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 209
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-04",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1159
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-04",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 868
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-04",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 291
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-05",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1260
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-05",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 654
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-05",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 606
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-06",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 987
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-06",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 579
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-06",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 408
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-07",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 960
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-07",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 614
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-07",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 346
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-08",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 882
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-08",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 606
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-08",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 276
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-09",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1549
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-09",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1094
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-09",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 455
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-10",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1459
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-10",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1027
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-10",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 432
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-11",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 916
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-11",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 654
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-11",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 262
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-12",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1323
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-12",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1077
        },
        {
          "month": "2024-12",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 246
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-01",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 2232
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-01",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1877
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-01",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 355
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-02",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1868
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-02",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1599
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-02",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 269
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-03",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 3413
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-03",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 3128
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-03",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 285
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-04",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 2159
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-04",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1858
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-04",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 301
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-05",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1903
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-05",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1599
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-05",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 304
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-06",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1409
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-06",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1117
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-06",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 292
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-07",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1558
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-07",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1261
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-07",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 297
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-08",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1261
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-08",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 998
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-08",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 263
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-09",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1325
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-09",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1076
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-09",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 249
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-10",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1313
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-10",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1024
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-10",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 289
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-11",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1187
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-11",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 869
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-11",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 318
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-12",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1664
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-12",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1304
        },
        {
          "month": "2025-12",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 360
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-01",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 2100
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-01",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1724
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-01",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 376
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-02",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1553
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-02",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1247
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-02",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 306
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-03",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 2044
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-03",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1694
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-03",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 350
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-04",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1997
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-04",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1608
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-04",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 389
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-05",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1616
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-05",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1295
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-05",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 321
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-06",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1725
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-06",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1400
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-06",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 325
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-07",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1824
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-07",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1483
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-07",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 341
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-08",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1459
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-08",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1166
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-08",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 293
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-09",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1113
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-09",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 916
        },
        {
          "month": "2026-09",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 197
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "top_issues",
      "kind": "bar",
      "title": "What borrowers complain about",
      "subtitle": "'Dealing with your lender or servicer' accounts for 63.8% of all 62,013 complaints, far ahead of any other issue.",
      "x": "issue",
      "y": "pct",
      "x_label": "Issue",
      "y_label": "Share of complaints",
      "format_y": "%",
      "filter_fields": [
        "sub_product"
      ],
      "data": [
        {
          "issue": "Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 264,
          "pct": 0.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 212,
          "pct": 0.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 52,
          "pct": 0.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Dealing with your lender or servicer",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 39564,
          "pct": 63.8
        },
        {
          "issue": "Dealing with your lender or servicer",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 33004,
          "pct": 66.2
        },
        {
          "issue": "Dealing with your lender or servicer",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 6560,
          "pct": 54.0
        },
        {
          "issue": "Getting a loan",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1223,
          "pct": 2.0
        },
        {
          "issue": "Getting a loan",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 1223,
          "pct": 10.1
        },
        {
          "issue": "Improper use of your report",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1910,
          "pct": 3.1
        },
        {
          "issue": "Improper use of your report",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1715,
          "pct": 3.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Improper use of your report",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 195,
          "pct": 1.6
        },
        {
          "issue": "Incorrect information on your report",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 5567,
          "pct": 9.0
        },
        {
          "issue": "Incorrect information on your report",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 4783,
          "pct": 9.6
        },
        {
          "issue": "Incorrect information on your report",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 784,
          "pct": 6.5
        },
        {
          "issue": "Issue where my lender is my school",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 196,
          "pct": 0.3
        },
        {
          "issue": "Issue where my lender is my school",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 196,
          "pct": 1.6
        },
        {
          "issue": "Issue with income share agreement",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 219,
          "pct": 0.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Issue with income share agreement",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 219,
          "pct": 1.8
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 1488,
          "pct": 2.4
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 1238,
          "pct": 2.5
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 250,
          "pct": 2.1
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 134,
          "pct": 0.2
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 114,
          "pct": 0.2
        },
        {
          "issue": "Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 20,
          "pct": 0.2
        },
        {
          "issue": "Struggling to repay your loan",
          "sub_product": "All",
          "n": 11342,
          "pct": 18.3
        },
        {
          "issue": "Struggling to repay your loan",
          "sub_product": "Federal",
          "n": 8715,
          "pct": 17.5
        },
        {
          "issue": "Struggling to repay your loan",
          "sub_product": "Private",
          "n": 2627,
          "pct": 21.6
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "company_response",
      "kind": "stacked-bar",
      "title": "How the largest servicers resolve complaints",
      "subtitle": "Among the top 8 servicers by volume, timely-response rates range from 64.4% to about 100%.",
      "x": "company",
      "y": "pct",
      "color": "response_type",
      "x_label": "Company",
      "y_label": "Share of that company's complaints",
      "format_y": "%",
      "filter_fields": [],
      "data": [
        {
          "company": "MOHELA",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 15831,
          "company_n": 22757,
          "pct": 69.6
        },
        {
          "company": "MOHELA",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 274,
          "company_n": 22757,
          "pct": 1.2
        },
        {
          "company": "MOHELA",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 972,
          "company_n": 22757,
          "pct": 4.3
        },
        {
          "company": "MOHELA",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 966,
          "company_n": 22757,
          "pct": 4.2
        },
        {
          "company": "MOHELA",
          "response_type": "Untimely response",
          "n": 4714,
          "company_n": 22757,
          "pct": 20.7
        },
        {
          "company": "Nelnet, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 11484,
          "company_n": 11493,
          "pct": 99.9
        },
        {
          "company": "Nelnet, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 1,
          "company_n": 11493,
          "pct": 0.0
        },
        {
          "company": "Nelnet, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 1,
          "company_n": 11493,
          "pct": 0.0
        },
        {
          "company": "Nelnet, Inc.",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 7,
          "company_n": 11493,
          "pct": 0.1
        },
        {
          "company": "Maximus Federal Services, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 6904,
          "company_n": 6927,
          "pct": 99.7
        },
        {
          "company": "Maximus Federal Services, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 5,
          "company_n": 6927,
          "pct": 0.1
        },
        {
          "company": "Maximus Federal Services, Inc.",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 17,
          "company_n": 6927,
          "pct": 0.2
        },
        {
          "company": "Maximus Federal Services, Inc.",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 1,
          "company_n": 6927,
          "pct": 0.0
        },
        {
          "company": "EdFinancial Services",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 5096,
          "company_n": 5125,
          "pct": 99.4
        },
        {
          "company": "EdFinancial Services",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 29,
          "company_n": 5125,
          "pct": 0.6
        },
        {
          "company": "Navient Solutions, LLC.",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 4724,
          "company_n": 4760,
          "pct": 99.2
        },
        {
          "company": "Navient Solutions, LLC.",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 7,
          "company_n": 4760,
          "pct": 0.1
        },
        {
          "company": "Navient Solutions, LLC.",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 29,
          "company_n": 4760,
          "pct": 0.6
        },
        {
          "company": "SLM CORPORATION",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 1488,
          "company_n": 1778,
          "pct": 83.7
        },
        {
          "company": "SLM CORPORATION",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 45,
          "company_n": 1778,
          "pct": 2.5
        },
        {
          "company": "SLM CORPORATION",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 195,
          "company_n": 1778,
          "pct": 11.0
        },
        {
          "company": "SLM CORPORATION",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 50,
          "company_n": 1778,
          "pct": 2.8
        },
        {
          "company": "AES/PHEAA",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 784,
          "company_n": 862,
          "pct": 91.0
        },
        {
          "company": "AES/PHEAA",
          "response_type": "Closed with monetary relief",
          "n": 11,
          "company_n": 862,
          "pct": 1.3
        },
        {
          "company": "AES/PHEAA",
          "response_type": "Closed with non-monetary relief",
          "n": 62,
          "company_n": 862,
          "pct": 7.2
        },
        {
          "company": "AES/PHEAA",
          "response_type": "In progress",
          "n": 5,
          "company_n": 862,
          "pct": 0.6
        },
        {
          "company": "Central Research Inc",
          "response_type": "Closed with explanation",
          "n": 695,
          "company_n": 695,
          "pct": 100.0
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "complaints_by_state",
      "kind": "bar",
      "title": "Complaints by state",
      "subtitle": "Raw complaint counts by state (not adjusted for population; larger states naturally show more complaints).",
      "x": "state",
      "y": "n",
      "x_label": "State",
      "y_label": "Complaints",
      "format_y": ",",
      "filter_fields": [],
      "data": [
        {
          "state": "CA",
          "n": 6089
        },
        {
          "state": "TX",
          "n": 4784
        },
        {
          "state": "FL",
          "n": 4343
        },
        {
          "state": "NY",
          "n": 3958
        },
        {
          "state": "GA",
          "n": 3291
        },
        {
          "state": "PA",
          "n": 2969
        },
        {
          "state": "IL",
          "n": 2671
        },
        {
          "state": "OH",
          "n": 2104
        },
        {
          "state": "NC",
          "n": 2090
        },
        {
          "state": "NJ",
          "n": 1998
        },
        {
          "state": "VA",
          "n": 1940
        },
        {
          "state": "MI",
          "n": 1927
        },
        {
          "state": "MD",
          "n": 1790
        },
        {
          "state": "MA",
          "n": 1755
        },
        {
          "state": "CO",
          "n": 1233
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "finding": "'Dealing with your lender or servicer' drives 63.8% of all 62,013 student-loan complaints since January 2023. MOHELA, the largest servicer at 22,757 complaints, answers on time only 64.4% of the time, and EdFinancial is at 65.9%. Nelnet, Navient, and Maximus, which handle similar federal loans, respond on time about 99% or more.",
  "recommendation": "Treat timely-response rate, not complaint volume alone, as the servicer quality signal, since raw counts mostly track how many borrowers a company serves. Prioritize partnership or oversight conversations with the largest servicers that post below-average timely rates, since they affect the most borrowers per point of delay.",
  "in_role": "In a partnerships or ops role at a student-loan lender, I would track timely-response rate by servicer every quarter instead of relying on complaint volume. Raw volume makes MOHELA look bad simply because it is the biggest servicer; the gap against its peers is what shows where borrowers are getting stuck. That comparison would be a standing item in my partner reviews.",
  "method_sql": "SELECT company, COUNT(*) n,\n       ROUND(100.0*SUM(CASE WHEN timely THEN 1 ELSE 0 END)/COUNT(*), 1) pct_timely\nFROM student_loan_complaints\nGROUP BY 1\nORDER BY n DESC\nLIMIT 8",
  "table": {
    "name": "student_loan_complaints",
    "file": "finance.parquet",
    "rows": 62013,
    "columns": [
      {
        "name": "date_received",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Date the complaint was received, ISO YYYY-MM-DD"
      },
      {
        "name": "product",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "CFPB product category (always 'Student loan' in this table)"
      },
      {
        "name": "sub_product",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Federal student loan servicing or Private student loan"
      },
      {
        "name": "issue",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Top-level complaint issue"
      },
      {
        "name": "sub_issue",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "More specific complaint sub-issue"
      },
      {
        "name": "company",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Servicer or company the complaint was filed against"
      },
      {
        "name": "state",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Two-letter US state code"
      },
      {
        "name": "submitted_via",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Channel the complaint was submitted through"
      },
      {
        "name": "company_response",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "How the company responded to the consumer"
      },
      {
        "name": "timely",
        "type": "BOOLEAN",
        "desc": "Whether the company responded within the required time"
      },
      {
        "name": "tags",
        "type": "VARCHAR",
        "desc": "Special population tag, e.g. Servicemember, Older American"
      }
    ]
  },
  "sample_queries": [
    {
      "label": "Monthly complaint volume",
      "sql": "SELECT strftime(strptime(date_received, '%Y-%m-%d'), '%Y-%m') AS ym, COUNT(*) n FROM student_loan_complaints GROUP BY 1 ORDER BY 1"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top 10 issues by share of complaints",
      "sql": "SELECT issue, COUNT(*) n, ROUND(100.0*COUNT(*)/(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM student_loan_complaints), 1) pct FROM student_loan_complaints GROUP BY 1 ORDER BY n DESC LIMIT 10"
    },
    {
      "label": "Federal vs private complaint share and timely-response rate",
      "sql": "SELECT sub_product, COUNT(*) n, ROUND(100.0*SUM(CASE WHEN timely THEN 1 ELSE 0 END)/COUNT(*), 1) pct_timely FROM student_loan_complaints GROUP BY 1"
    }
  ]
}