‘Pay Your Own Darn Bills’: AOC, Who Makes $174,000 Per Year, Blasted For Complaining About $17k In Student Loans

In a recent speech on the House floor, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called it “ridiculous” that she needs to pay $17,000 in student loans — although her annual salary as a member of Congress is $174,000.

“I’m 32 years old now,” the lawmaker said. “I have over $17,000 in student loan debt, and I didn’t go to graduate school because I knew that getting another degree would drown me in debt that I would never be able to surpass. This is unacceptable.”

As noted by Foundation for Economic Education policy correspondent Brad Polumbo, Ocasio-Cortez earns more than double the average American household’s income. He also pointed out that if properly managed, her debt is, in all probability, very manageable:

Ocasio-Cortez’s $17,000 in student loan debt sounds like a lot, but it probably only involves a monthly student loan payment of $100-$200. It’s hard to know exactly what her payment is without being familiar with the specifics of her loans, but $100-$200/month is a reasonable estimate given that the average graduate owes $28,400 total, which equates to a $297 monthly payment.