Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have presented comprehensive plans to help borrowers eliminate student-loan debt. However, Clinton and Sanders have different approaches to dealing with the costs of education and how much of the bill the government should foot.
Clinton created what she calls the "New College Compact" to address the issues surrounding present and future education costs.
Her main initiative to address existing student-loan debt is to allow borrowers to refinance their student loans at current rates available to students taking out new loans. Her campaign website states this would allow an estimated 25 million borrowers to obtain relief, with the average borrower saving about $2,000 in total.
Clinton also wants to reduce interest rates on new student loans, as well as make it easier for borrowers to enroll in income-driven repayment programs that would cap monthly payments at no more than 10 percent of discretionary income.
In terms of tuition costs for future students, Clinton's plan promises to provide aid so students would never have "to borrow to pay for tuition, books, and fees to attend a four-year public college in their state." However, her plan requires families to "do their part by making an affordable and realistic family contribution."
Clinton's entire plan would come with an estimated cost of $350 billion over 10 years.
Overall, while Clinton's plan would be costly and may run into resistance from Republicans, her proposal provides a holistic solution to the student-debt crisis at a reasonable price tag.