WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has been earning a salary of at least $174,000 annually for almost eight years, yet, like several members of her “Squad,” she still struggles with student loan debt, according to financial disclosures from the House.
The Democratic representative from the Bronx and Queens has debts ranging from $15,001 to $50,000 in federal student loans since her election to Congress in 2018. That amount represents her current debt, as noted in an August report where legislators disclose their financial standings.
She publicly advocates for the wealthy to be taxed more. In fact, her total assets are reported to be less than $81,000.
Recently, Ocasio-Cortez hinted at having set aside funds for personal reasons instead of opting to freeze her eggs, which can cost between $10,000 and $20,000 per cycle.
“I took my oath of office at 29,” she shared in an Instagram video. “On one hand, that’s great, but on the other, it means I have had to grow up publicly while many others are doing so in private.”
She managed to put aside money for student loans while studying at Boston University from August 2007 to May 2011, where she specialized in international relations and economics. Then, she worked in Manhattan bars before making her way to Congress.
The divided Democratic Party has frequently backed the cancellation of student loans. During former President Joe Biden’s time in office, she actively urged him to forgive up to $50,000 per student borrower. However, she isn’t the only lawmaker who continues to carry student debt.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has accumulated student loans totaling up to $50,000 over the past eight years despite the fact that her husband’s winery and venture capital endeavors have once boosted her net worth to $30 million.
Not all of her colleagues from the 2018 congressional class have been able to eliminate their loans. Fellow Squad member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has law school debt that could reach up to $100,000, although she has paid down some over those years.
Meanwhile, moderate Rep. Jared Golden (R-Maine) also had student loans up to $100,000 but had managed to pay off over half by his last House financial disclosure.
Ocasio-Cortez was frustrated with Biden during the early days of his presidency for not canceling that $50,000 in student loan debt.
“It’s been customary for working-class kids to be pushed into more debt under the guise of elitism, and that’s just not right,” she asserted in February 2021. “It’s not a choice between better early education or forgiving student loans—we need both.”
She noted they are asking the Senate Majority Leader for the $50,000 forgiveness, criticizing Biden’s resistance and questioning the arguments against it as unfounded upon further examination.
Ocasio-Cortez and other House Democrats have long campaigned for legislation aimed at canceling student debt, which was a popular promise during the 2020 elections. This ambition faced a setback when the Supreme Court overturned Biden’s plans in June 2023.
A potential program aiming for such a cancellation could cost taxpayers around $430 billion over a decade. Other proposals by Biden might escalate this figure to about $475 billion.
“It’s crucial to remember that this SCOTUS decision doesn’t preclude Biden from pursuing student loan forgiveness,” Ocasio-Cortez stated following the 2023 ruling. “The administration has the authority under the Higher Education Act to continue with forgiveness before payments start again, and they should act soon.”
She has also made it clear that the costs associated with freezing her eggs will not be covered by the government, though no legislation has been presented by her or her fellow Democrats to make taxpayers responsible for those expenses.
The potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election has sought to clarify that her political aspirations did not play a role in her decision to freeze her eggs at age 36, but she refrained from answering questions regarding her relationship status with Riley Roberts.
Though the egg freezing process can be pricey, it allows women to preserve unfertilized eggs for future use. “This is a decision I made to feel more in control of my circumstances,” she explained to her followers. “Let others speculate if they wish; I believe I have the right to make this choice.”
Consultation costs can range from a few hundred dollars, while the actual freezing process can run into thousands, not to mention ongoing storage fees of about $1,000 each year.
A study from 2025 published indicated that women under 40 who froze their eggs had better success rates in pregnancy, especially if they had stored 20 or more eggs, with rates reaching 81.8%.
Ocasio-Cortez’s team did not provide any comments when approached for a statement.
