Nursing Organisations Sound Alarm Over Trump's 'Professional Degree' Reclassification
The US Department of Education has provoked outrage by formally excluding nursing from its definition of a 'professional degree' as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'. The move, implemented by Education Secretary Linda McMahon's team, forms part of broader plans to dismantle the Education Department and implement significant cuts to student loans. Leading nursing bodies have warned this decision 'threatens the very foundation of patient care' by severely limiting aspiring nurses' access to essential funding.
How the Loan Changes Impact Aspiring Nurses
President Trump's signature legislation, signed into law earlier this year, eliminates Grad PLUS loans previously used by many students for graduate school and imposes strict borrowing caps. Under the new rules, only students pursuing degrees classified as 'professional' can access the higher loan limit of $200,000. All other graduate students face a cap of just $100,000. By excluding nursing from the professional degree category, the policy effectively prices countless future nurses out of their education.
Dr Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nursing Association, told NewsNation: "Nursing is the backbone of the healthcare structure in the United States. We are short tens of thousands of nurses and advanced practice nurses already. This is going to stop nurses from going to school to be teachers for other nurses."
Wider Fallout for Healthcare and Female-Dominated Professions
The financial barrier comes at a critical time. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing stated that the decision 'disregards decades of progress toward parity across the health professions' and contradicts the Department's own criteria that professional programs lead to licensure. They warned the impact on the 'already-challenged nursing workforce would be devastating.'
The controversy extends beyond nursing. Other casualties of the bill's reclassification include:
- Physician assistants
- Physical therapists
- Social workers
- Audiologists
- Architects and accountants
In a pointed critique on social media, Amy McGrath, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky, highlighted a perceived gender bias, noting: "Programs being excluded include many fields dominated by women like healthcare, counseling, and social work. This isn't a coincidence. This is a way to quietly push women out of professional careers."
Meanwhile, the Department of Education dismissed concerns as 'fake news', with press secretary for higher education Ellen Keast accusing institutions of having an "unlimited tuition ride on the taxpayer dime." The Department maintains its definition aligns with historical precedent, a claim hotly contested by nursing leaders.
With the cost of a four-year nursing degree ranging from $89,560 to $211,390, and the new measures set for implementation on 1 July 2026, the battle over the future of America's nursing workforce is intensifying.
