Nursing Isn’t “Professional”? Why the Department of Education’s Proposal Is a Step Backward for Healthcare
Nov 12, 2025
By Black Nurses Week® • Published November 12, 2025
The U.S. Department of Education’s new graduate-loan framework advances hard caps on borrowing—and, just as troubling, a proposed definition of professional degree programs that excludes nursing. For a workforce built on licensure, advanced clinical training, and life-or-death responsibility, this classification misses the mark—and risks deepening inequities in who can afford to rise.
What’s on the table
As ED implements the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), negotiators reached consensus on a suite of student-aid changes, including new loan caps that distinguish between “graduate” and “professional” programs. Early agency language and coverage show a narrower list of programs eligible for the higher “professional” caps—and nursing isn’t included in that list as written so far.
- Consensus moves forward on loan-cap rules as part of OBBBA implementation (Nov 6–7, 2025). ED press release • ACE summary
- Definitions under discussion would reserve higher caps (proposed $50,000/yr; $200,000 aggregate) for “professional” programs, with $20,500/yr; $100,000 aggregate for other graduate programs. NAICU FAQ
- Higher-ed reporting notes ED’s draft definition of “professional” remains limited. Inside Higher Ed
Why classification matters
Language sets policy. By excluding nursing from the “professional” list while including fields like medicine and law, the policy signals that nursing’s advanced, licensed practice isn’t on par—despite rigorous education, national board exams, state licensure, and independent or collaborative practice across settings.
Leading organizations have already raised alarms:
- AACN called the exclusion “deeply concerning” and warned it would “significantly limit student loan access” for nurses. AACN statement
- ANA warned that excluding nursing jeopardizes efforts to strengthen and expand the U.S. nursing workforce. ANA statement
The equity lens: who gets left out
Access to affordable graduate funding is a diversity issue. Black nurses already shoulder disproportionate debt burdens and face structural barriers to advanced education and leadership roles. If nursing is held to the lower cap while other professions retain higher caps, the gap widens—fewer Black nurses in APRN, faculty, and executive positions, and fewer providers serving communities with the highest disparities.
What the caps could mean in real life
- APRNs & DNPs: Programs that can exceed $60,000/year may no longer be fully coverable with federal loans if nursing isn’t deemed “professional.”
- CRNA & specialty tracks: High-tuition, high-clinical-hour programs become harder to finance with federal loans alone.
- Workforce pipeline: Fewer nurse educators and preceptors—at the exact moment we need to grow capacity.
What we support instead
- Recognize nursing as a professional degree for loan-cap purposes, aligned with licensure, scope, and clinical responsibility.
- Protect equitable access by pairing caps with need-based supports (scholarships, loan-forgiveness, and faculty pipeline programs).
- Stabilize the pipeline for APRNs, nurse faculty, and community-based roles that extend reach and reduce disparities.
What you can do right now
- Stay informed: Read statements from AACN and ANA.
- Prepare a comment: If/when ED opens a formal comment window on the final language, add your voice as a student, nurse, faculty member, or program leader.
- Support the pipeline: Mentor, precept, and advocate for scholarships/loan-forgiveness targeted to underrepresented nurses.
Question for the BNW community
Would these loan-cap rules—or the decision to exclude nursing from “professional” status—affect your plans to pursue an APRN, DNP, CRNA, or doctoral pathway? Share your story below.