Read the complete article, Trump administration plan to exclude nursing from professional degrees sparks outcry, on CBS News.

According to the article, a proposal from the Trump administration would exclude nursing from a list of professional degrees, a move that has drawn outcry from nursing advocates, who warn it could worsen the nation's nurse shortage by limiting how much students can borrow for their training.

The change stems from changes authorized by the "One Big, Beautiful Bill" act, which introduced a new cap on borrowing for higher education. Starting July 1, 2026, students enrolled in professional degree programs will be restricted to borrowing $50,000 per year, with a $200,000 lifetime cap.

Students in graduate programs that are not deemed professional will be subject to an annual borrowing cap of $20,500 and a lifetime limit of $100,000.

Nursing professionals say they are alarmed by the proposed rule's definition of what constitutes a professional degree, which lists some medical fields, including pharmacy, dentistry and medical doctors, but does not include nursing. Capping loans for nursing students could ultimately restrict students' access to enrolling in degree programs at a time when the industry is already grappling with a shortage of nurses, they say.

The proposal would create "obstacles for students who want to pursue advanced degrees, which would most likely lead to decreased students pursuing degrees in nursing," said Kim Litwack, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing. "That means there will be less of these professionals joining the workforce." 

In a statement issued earlier this month, the Education Department said the proposal creates a new definition of a professional student to determine who qualifies for the higher loan limits.

The goal of the changes, including the new loan caps, is to ensure that borrowers will not face "insurmountable debt to finance degrees that do not pay off," said Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent in the statement.

According to the Education Department, 95 percent of nursing students will not be impacted by the borrowing cap. 

"As for the most expensive outlying 5 percent, enrolled students are grandfathered into current lending limits to ensure there are no barriers to completion," said Ellen Keast, the press secretary for higher education at the agency. "We expect that institutions charging tuition rates well above market prices will consider lowering tuition thanks to these historic reforms."

What's a Professional Degree?

Under the Education Department's proposal, a professional degree is one that "signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession, and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree."

The department also said that its definition of a professional degree is used to distinguish programs that qualify for higher loan limits from one another and is "not a value judgement about the importance of programs."

The programs that it defines as professional include pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology. Students in degree programs that are not considered professional — such as those in nursing, physical therapy and physician assistant degrees — would have lower loan caps under the proposed rule.

Other groups representing professions that were excluded under the proposal also issued objections, such as the Council on Social Work Education, which said it was "disheartened and concerned." The American Academy of Audiology pointed out that audiology is not included, which it said could discourage students from pursuing careers in the field.

Nursing's exclusion from the list of professional degree programs "makes no sense," said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association.

In addition to lowering the loan cap, the "big, beautiful bill" law also eliminates the Grad PLUS program that allows graduate students to borrow up to the full cost of obtaining a degree. 

Kennedy and other nursing industry advocates who disagree with the omission of nursing as a professional degree are hopeful the proposal could be changed before it is adopted.

"It feels like a miscommunication, and we hope the Department of Education changes the proposed language before the rule comes out for public comment. They did add professions to the list before it was released, so they could have added nurses, which clearly belong," she said. 

The Education Department said the proposal will be published in the Federal Register, although it did not specify a date, and will be open for public comment.

"A Real Gut Punch"

Olga Yakusheva, an economist and professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, said limiting how much money nursing students can borrow could curb entry into the field. 

"It's going to limit the ability of nurses to apply for graduate school, and on the back end, it will limit the number of nurses available in primary care settings and in hospitals," she said. "Communities with shortages of physicians will feel this the most."

Patricia Pittman, a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, said nurses fill critical medical care gaps in rural communities. The rule could create financial barriers that she says would disincentivize nurses from seeking advanced licensing, which ultimately could harm rural areas.

"Basically, nobody would be there if it weren't for these nurse practitioners," Pittman said. 

Pittman also says it will have a negative effect on morale within the nursing profession. 

"It's a real gut punch, and…nurses are going to be angry about this," she said.

Discussion Questions

  1. As the article indicates, according to Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent, the goal of the changes, including the new loan caps, is to ensure that borrowers will not face "insurmountable debt to finance degrees that do not pay off." In your reasoned opinion, does a nursing degree “pay off?” Who does a nursing degree benefit?

    This is an opinion question, so student responses may vary. 

    In your author’s opinion, numerous factors should be considered in deciding whether a nursing degree (or any degree, for that matter) “pays off.” 

    In terms of the financial benefit, the average salary for a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in the United States in 2025 is approximately $57,500 per year, within the range of the “middle class.”

    The nonfinancial benefit of a nursing degree is virtually incalculable, given the thousands of patients who will positively benefit from their nurse’s education, training, and caregiving. 

    Nursing is considered to be within the top tier of helpful professions, since nurses provide primary and specialty care, educate patients on health improvements, and can significantly enhance individual well-being and community health.

  2. According to the subject proposal, although nursing programs would not qualify as professional, chiropractic and theology programs still would. In your reasoned opinion, is this discrepancy reconcilable? Why or why not?

    This is an opinion question, so student responses may vary. 

    In your author’s opinion, the discrepancy is irreconcilable. Professionalism should not be measured solely by income potential. In fact, a professional is generally defined as someone who is highly skilled, trained, and qualified in a particular field or occupation, or anything related to performing work with competence and adherence to the standards of a profession.

  3. Your author lives in Durham, North Carolina, home to Duke University. According to Nursing School Almanac, in 2024, the Duke University School of Nursing ranked first in the country in nursing programs (https://www.nursingschoolsalmanac.com/rankings/national). The total yearly cost (including tuition, fees, and living expenses) of pursuing the Duke University post-graduate nursing program far exceeds the $20,500 annual borrowing cap under the subject proposal. What should be said to a nurse who is qualified to pursue this program, but who cannot afford to attend without additional (i.e., above the proposed cap) borrowed funds?

    This is essentially an opinion question, so student responses will likely vary. 

    In your author’s opinion, given the fact that nursing is for the “public good,” public policy and law should be crafted in such a way that those who are qualified to enroll in exclusive programs should be facilitated. For example, monies in the form of loans, grants, etc. should be available to allow the “best and brightest” to attend top-ranked programs.