Image of a chart showing years between 2007 and 2022. With each year between 2007 and 2016, the loan dollars outstanding and the number of loan recipients increases dramatically from year to year. The chart also points out that between April 2009 and September 2011, unemployment topped 9%. But further along the chart, after 2016, the growth of both outstanding dollars and number of recipients doesn’t grow as quickly from year to year. The chart points out that, from late 2016, unemployment was below 5%, except for a short period early in the pandemic when it spiked, but was back down to pre-pandemic levels by late 2021.

After a surge in the 2010s, the number of loan recipients has plateaued and debt growth has slowed