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You may think you're drowning in student loan debt if you owe more than the average of $37,172. 

But in fact, there are relatively common cases of doctors, lawyers, and dentists whose $300,000 debt make your debt seem miniscule. For example:

1. The vet who owes more than $517,000.
2. The couple with double law-school debt.
3. The orthodontist who owes $1 million.
4. The couple working to pay down $500,000.
5. The law school graduate who lives on welfare.

If you’re struggling with education debt, student loan forgiveness and discharge programs may sound like a dream come true. 

But depending on which forgiveness or discharge program you qualify for, you could get hit with a hefty tax bill after your balance is wiped out. Below, find out how seven different forgiveness and discharge programs work and which treat your forgiven balance as taxable income.

Banking on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program? It has been considered one of best chances for a college graduate to get their debt cancelled. But newly released data suggests it's far from a shoe-in. Apparently, 99% of applicants to this government program have been rejected.

So if you're hoping to get your loan discharged, you may want to keep your options open to other possibilities. That's where state programs come in.

Arkansas residents owe more than $10.8 billion in debt, with the average Arkansas college borrower carrying a balance of a little less than $27,000 — slightly less than the national average. Hundreds of thousands of Arkansas residents are actively working to manage their student loans. 

For some, the state provides financial assistance that makes paying off their loans a faster option.  

If you’re one of the 44 million Americans with student loan debt, you probably dream of getting help repaying your loans. But, did you know that where you live and what kind of work you do could entitle you to loan forgiveness? It may sound too good to be true, but there are legitimate repayment assistance programs out there that can make your debt more manageable.

If you live in Pennsylvania, you may be eligible for one of its two state student loan forgiveness programs. There's one for healthcare professional and once for attorneys. 

If you live in Illinois, you’re in luck. You have access to five student loan forgiveness programs specifically for residents in your state—across a range of professions. They are:

• The Illinois Teachers Loan Repayment Program
• The John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program
• The Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program
• The Public Interest Attorney Loan Assistance Program
• Veterans' Home Medical Providers' Loan Repayment Program