Federal Student Loan Refinancing question

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on my current student loan situation. I have a mix of federal loans—Unsubsidized loans with interest rates ranging from 6.54% to 7.05%, and Grad PLUS loans (which make up a larger portion of my balance) with rates between 7.54% and 8.05%. Unfortunately, I had to rely on Grad PLUS loans to cover additional costs, and the interest rates for that year were only disclosed after the loans were disbursed.

At the moment, I’m aggressively paying down my debt and have a strong credit score. I’m based in California, so I’m also managing a relatively high cost of living alongside repayment. Given my current rates, I’ve been considering whether refinancing some of my loans through lenders like SoFi, Earnest, etc, might be a smart move?

For those who have gone through a similar decision, how did you evaluate the trade-offs? Did securing a lower interest rate make a significant difference in the long run, or did you find yourself missing the flexibility and protections that come with federal loans? Any insights or regrets you can share would be incredibly helpful.

This feels like an important financial decision, and I want to make sure I’m thinking about it from a long-term perspective before moving forward. Thank you in advance for your guidance.