SoFi and College Ave are two titans of the private student loan world. Both have unique pros and cons—but depending on the program you’re pursuing and your creditworthiness, the right lender for you can be an easy decision.
Here’s what you need to know about SoFi vs College Ave when funding your higher education.
SoFi vs. College Ave at a glance
Lender details checked July 13, 2026.
More about SoFi
SoFi® Private Student Loans
Max undergrad loan amount
Starting undergrad loan fixed APR
Starting undergrad loan variable APR
- Year Founded: 2011
- Company Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- CEO: Anthony Noto
More about College Ave
College Ave
Maximum loan amount
Minimum APR
Max loan term
- Year founded: 2014
- Company Headquarters: Wilmington, DE
- CEO: Joe DePaulo
Pros and cons
Pros and cons of SoFi student loans
Pros:
- No maximum borrowing limit
- Great member benefits (rewards, discounts, etc.)
- Multiple repayment terms to choose from
Cons:
- Less protections than with a federal student loan
- Doesn’t offer funding for programs outside Title IV degree-granting schools
- Does not fund associate degrees
Pros and cons of College Ave student loans
Pros:
- Extremely low minimum APR
- Generous maximum term length
- No origination fees
Cons:
- Comparatively low maximum loan amount
- Maximum APR is quite high
- You must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards
SoFi vs. College Ave interest rates
SoFi and College Ave both issue private student loans with wide-ranging interest rates. The least creditworthy borrowers that qualify for a loan will be subject to untenable APR—while those with the best credit profile can get an incredible deal that costs less than half what you’ll pay when taking out a federal student loan.
Federal aid for 2026 is subject to interest rates starting at 6.52%. But these lenders offer the following rates:
- SoFi: 2.45%–15.99% fixed
- College Ave: 2.59%–17.99% fixed
While those who have excellent credit (or a cosigner who does) can potentially receive interest rates well below a federal student loan, private student loans aren’t automatically the best option. In fact, the best practice is usually to secure the federal aid you can qualify for before taking out a private student loan (we’ll discuss this shortly).
The best use for a private student loan is typically to cover any remaining eligible expenses related to your education that federal aid won’t cover.
SoFi vs. College Ave loan amounts
One of the biggest differences between SoFi and College Ave is the maximum loan amount each enforces.
SoFi generously offers no hard cap on the amount you can borrow. It allows you to request up to the full amount of school-certified expenses—such as tuition, books, housing, etc. This comes in handy when looking to fund an exceptionally pricey degree, such as something in the medical or dental field.
College Ave stipulates a maximum borrowing amount based on your specific program:
- $500,000 for medical, dental, pharmacy, or veterinary doctorate degrees
- $300,000 for other graduate or professional degrees
- $150,000 for all other degrees
Again, private student loans are best to supplement a federal student loan. If you use them in this way, the College Ave maximums likely won’t affect you. But if you’re funding your education entirely through College Ave, it could be an issue.
SoFi vs. College Ave student loan types
SoFi and College Ave offer a similar number and type of student loans—but with one big difference.
With College Ave, you can choose from:
- Undergraduate loans
- Career training loans
- Graduate school loans
- Parent loans
- MBA school loans
- Law school loans
- Medical school loans
- Dental school loans
- Graduate health professions loans
- STEM loans
SoFi, on the other hand, explicitly will not fund associate degrees or career training loans like coding bootcamps. Its remaining options are similar to College Ave:
- Undergraduate loans
- Parent loans
- Graduate school loans
- Medical school loans
- Law school loans
- MBA school loans
- Health profession loans
- Dental school loans
- STEM loans
SoFi vs. College Ave repayment options
With one minor difference, SoFi and College Ave give you similar repayment term lengths. SoFi publishes 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years—while College Ave gives you 5, 8, 10, 15, or 20 years.
Both lenders offer standard, deferred, fixed, and interest-only repayment options. They also let you choose your term instead of assigning it to you after you’ve applied, as is the practice of some competing lenders.
SoFi vs. College Ave hardship programs
It bears repeating: Private student loans from SoFi and College Ave can’t compete with federal student loans when it comes to hardship programs. This is the primary reason the general recommendation is to use federal aid before you tap into a private student loan.
Still, each lender gives you a few helpful options if you find it hard to make your monthly minimum payment down the road.
With SoFi, you’ll get:
- Reduced repayment options – Temporarily decrease your monthly payment for an eligible reason, such as losing your job, crippling medical expenses, legal fees, and more.
- Forbearance – Temporarily stop or lower your payments for covered events like a natural disaster affecting your ZIP code or military mobilization. Also skip a payment to help with a short-term hardship that you think will end in a month.
- Maturity Extension Loan Modification – Permanently restructure your loan to lower your future monthly payments. This often results in any unpaid accrued interest added to your total balance before you restructure (so you’ll owe more money in the long run).
College Ave, on the other hand, only outlines one hardship option: Forbearance. It states that it may offer three- to six-month increments of forbearance depending on the situation. However, it does mention that those having trouble making their monthly payment may be given “several options” based on their unique circumstances by contacting College Ave.
SoFi vs. College Ave customer reviews
Financial entities like lenders are among the lowest rated category of businesses on popular forums and review sites like Trustpilot. SoFi and College Ave stand as an exception to this rule, each with respectable ratings.
SoFi receives 4.3 out of 5 stars with more than 12,000 reviews. It offers far more than just private student loans, however, so this rating isn’t indicative of its student loans in particular. College Ave receives 4.5 out of 5 stars with more than 3,300 reviews. College Ave only offers student loans, so its rating can be considered a true reflection of customer sentiment.
Reviewers of both companies frequently praised the ease and simplicity of the application process. College Ave in particular was rated highly for the helpful focus on education and clearly outlining each private student loan.
Anecdotal negative points with SoFi include poor customer service and difficulty making payments. Gripes surrounding College Ave include high interest despite having a good credit score (remember, lenders consider more than your score).
The takeaway
SoFi and College Ave both offer excellent ways to fund your higher education. The most creditworthy applicants will find rock-bottom interest rates and lengthy terms, as well as multiple repayment options depending on your financial situation. Both offer virtually identical student loan types, but College Ave is more willing to finance undergraduate pursuits like career training loans.
Remember: Exhaust your federal aid before you apply for a private student loan. It’s got more safety nets that can come in handy in case you find yourself in financial straits.
Frequently asked questions
Which has lower interest rates—SoFi or College Ave?
At the time of writing, College Ave has the lowest minimum APR, while SoFi has the lowest maximum APR.
Do either SoFi or College Ave charge origination or application fees?
SoFi and College Ave charge no origination or application fees.
Can part-time students get a loan from SoFi or College Ave?
SoFi stipulates that you must be enrolled at least half-time with an eligible degree-granting program at a qualifying school to get a student loan. College Ave doesn’t state you must attend a specific amount of time.
Is SoFi or College Ave better for undergraduate borrowers?
College Ave tends to be better for undergraduate borrowers in that there are more options available to you. SoFi won’t fund anything below a bachelor’s degree, while College Ave will fund career training programs.
What member perks does SoFi offer that College Ave doesn’t?
SoFi offers myriad member perks that you won’t find with College Ave, such as good grades bonuses of up to $250 each term, rate discounts, even rewards points that can help you pay down your loan.
SoFi disclaimers
Pricing Disclosure
Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2024 was around $33K. Information current as of 03/24/26. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions.
Fixed rates from 7.74% APR to 35.49% APR. APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% SoFi Plus interest rate discount. SoFi Platform personal loans are made either by SoFi Bank, N.A. or , Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, operating from its Delaware branch, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. SoFi may receive compensation if you take
out a loan originated by Cross River Bank. These rate ranges are current as of 03/24/26 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See SoFi Personal Loan eligibility details at https://www.sofi.com/eligibilitycriteria/#eligibility-personal. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of
your credit worthiness, income, and other factors.
Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 9.99% of your loan amount for Cross River Bank originated loans which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive and for SoFi Bank originated loans have an origination fee of 0%-7%, will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive.
Member Rate Discount
To be eligible for an additional 0.25% interest rate reduction on a Personal Loan, you must, within 31 days of loan funding, either (1) meet SoFi Plus eligibility criteria, (2) receive an Eligible Direct Deposit into a SoFi Checking or Savings account, or (3) receive at least $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. You must continue to meet at least one of the above eligibility criteria every 31 days to maintain the discount. See the SoFi Plus terms for details on SoFi Plus subscription. For more details on Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, please see https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Once you become eligible during the initial period, the discount will be removed or reinstated depending on whether the criteria have been met. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time for unenrolled participants. You are not required to meet these criteria to be approved for a loan.
