Is there a way to consolidate federal student loans to a private, variable-interest loan?

It sounds like you're trying to reduce the total cost of interest you pay. I'd suggest that the simplest way to do that is to make extra payments to the principal of the loan (be sure to mark them as such, not just "a head start on next month). Pay a few extra dollars a month, or try to make a 13th payment each year, and you'll cut down the total time of repayment, and the time that 7.5% is charged to your bill. (This is a common tactic for mortgage borrowers as well, because on a 30-year term it really adds up!). Since you haven't consolidated and you have several different interest rates, you should be able to send the payments to the loans with the highest rate, for the most savings. Loans to consolidate federal loans into private ones may exist, but I've never seen any. You could stop by your local bank or credit union and ask them if you can get a personal loan or line of credit for a project like that. Usually, though, banks want to make loans secured by some sort of physical property. Borrowing against a home, if you have one, is a possibility, but that's riskier. Despite the cost of your current loans, they do have some advantages. For example, if you are in a tough spot, you can apply for income based repayment or economic hardship deferment. If you swap your Grad PLUS loan for a home equity loan and then lose your job, you're at risk of losing your home as well.