Trailing Dividend / Share
$3.38
SLM Corporation (SLM) Dividend History
Income profile from 1985 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
15.0%
Payout Ratio
94.0%
At Risk
Dividend Streak
7 years
SLM Dividend Income Check
Safety
94.0% payout ratio with at risk safety profile.
Consistency
7 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 4.3% and trend is rising.
SLM Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield15.0%
Trailing DPS$3.38
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M5
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout94.0%
Earnings SafetyAt Risk
FCF Payout103.7%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score7/9
Growth
Growth Streak7 years
3Y CAGR5.7%
5Y CAGR34.1%
Yield on Cost (5Y)4.3%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield8.3%
Total Shareholder Yield23.3%
1Y Total Return-26.0%
5Y Total Return21.4%
Div Contribution (5Y)10.6%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$12,13910Y ago$37,47720Y ago$13,461
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
SLM Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (35 years of payments)
SLM Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
SLM Corporation distributes 94.0% of earnings as dividends (At Risk). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 103.7%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
SLM has raised its dividend for 7 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 5.7% and 5-year CAGR of 34.1%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, SLM returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 15.0% dividend yield, 8.3% buyback yield, 23.3% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 4.3% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 21.4%, with dividends contributing 10.6% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $37,477 today.
Elevated payout ratio — dividend sustainability should be monitored closely.
SLM Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$2.26
Avg/Payment$0.1130
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 4, 2026Latest | $0.1300 | — | 2.29% | Jun 15, 2026 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | $0.1300 | — | 2.61% | Mar 16, 2026 |
| Dec 4, 2025 | $0.1300 | — | 1.72% | Dec 15, 2025 |
| Sep 4, 2025 | $0.1300 | — | 1.64% | Sep 15, 2025 |
| Jun 5, 2025 | $0.1300 | — | 1.57% | Jun 16, 2025 |
| Mar 5, 2025 | $0.1300 | — | 1.64% | Mar 17, 2025 |
| Dec 5, 2024 | $0.1300 | ↑ +18.2% | 1.75% | Dec 16, 2024 |
| Sep 5, 2024 | $0.1100 | — | 2.10% | Sep 16, 2024 |
SLM Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#1 yield in peer group
Div Yield
15.0%
#1 of 7
Safety
At Risk
94.0% payout
Streak
7Y
34.1% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
23.3%
#1 of 7
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st SLMSLM Corporation | $4.5B | 15.0% | 94.0% | 7 | At Risk |
2nd  NAVINavient Corporation | $821M | 7.3% | — | 1 | Unknown |
3rd  HFBLHome Federal Bancorp… | $61M | 2.6% | 41.9% | 11 | Sustainable |
 COFCapital One Financia… | $119.7B | 1.7% | 72.1% | 3 | Watch |
 SYFSynchrony Financial | $26.1B | 1.6% | 12.0% | 4 | Sustainable |
 APEIAmerican Public Educ… | $1.0B | 0.3% | — | 0 | Unknown |
 PRDOPerdoceo Education C… | $2.1B | 1.6% | 23.0% | 5 | Sustainable |
SLM Annual Dividend History (1985–2026)
42 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.26 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2.2% |
| 2025 | $0.52 | 13.0% | 4 | $3.46 | 15.0% | 6.65x | 4.3% |
| 2024 | $0.46 | 4.5% | 4 | $2.68 | 17.2% | 5.83x | 3.8% |
| 2023 | $0.44 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.41 | 18.3% | 5.48x | 3.6% |
| 2022 | $0.44 | 120.0% | 4 | $1.76 | 25.0% | 4.00x | 3.6% |
| 2021 | $0.20 | 66.7% | 4 | $3.61 | 5.5% | 18.05x | 1.7% |
| 2020 | $0.12 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.25 | 5.3% | 18.75x | 1.0% |
| 2019 | $0.12 | — | 4 | $1.34 | 9.0% | 11.17x | 1.0% |
| 2018 | $0.00 | — | 0 | $1.07 | — | — | — |
| 2017 | $0.00 | — | 0 | $0.62 | — | — | — |
See SLM's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonSLM — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SLM stock.
How much dividend does SLM pay per share?
SLM Corporation (SLM) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $3.38 per share, with a current dividend yield of +15.0%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is SLM's next ex-dividend date?
SLM's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. SLM typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is SLM's dividend safe?
SLM's dividend safety is rated "At Risk" based on an earnings payout ratio of +94.0% and FCF payout ratio of +103.7%. The 7-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
Is SLM a Dividend Payer?
Yes, SLM Corporation is classified as a Dividend Payer with 7 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +34.1%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does SLM pay dividends?
SLM Corporation pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $3.38 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 41+ years from 1985 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in SLM grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in SLM five years ago would be worth approximately $12,139 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is SLM's yield on cost for long-term holders?
SLM's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +4.3% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +15.0% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.