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Are psychology degrees still considered professional degrees under trump's new law
Executive summary
The Department of Education under the Trump administration has proposed narrowing which graduate programs count as “professional” for higher federal loan caps, listing roughly 10–11 fields (medicine, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, and clinical psychology in some drafts) — and notably excluding nursing in several reports [1] [2] [3] [4]. Negotiated-rulemaking materials and advocacy groups show disagreement about the final list and whether related programs can qualify via CIP codes, meaning coverage is evolving and implementation is not yet fully settled [5] [6] [7].
1. What the “new law” and Education Department rulemaking actually do
Congress passed H.R.1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) that sets lifetime borrowing caps — commonly reported as $100,000 for graduate students and $200,000 for professional students — and leaves the precise definition of “professional degree” to the Education Department to implement via regulation; the department’s negotiated-rulemaking (the RISE committee) has been drafting regulatory text to decide which programs get the higher caps [5] [6]. The department’s negotiating drafts and committee consensus narrowed the list of primary fields that would automatically qualify, rather than treating all post-baccalaureate or licensure-oriented programs the same [1] [7].
2. Which programs are being treated as “professional” in the drafts
Multiple policy outlets and think-tank write-ups list a consistent core: medicine, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, and — in several accounts — clinical psychology (Psy.D./Ph.D.) are included in the department’s working definition [1] [4] [6] [2]. Some sources present an original draft of 10 programs and later negotiated language that adds clinical psychology as an eleventh field [1] [5] [7].
3. Nursing — the high-profile omission and the reaction
Multiple outlets explicitly report that nursing programs were left off the Education Department’s professional-degree list, prompting alarm from nursing groups who warn the change could restrict access to borrowing and exacerbate workforce shortfalls; Newsweek, Statesman coverage, and advocacy posts all note that nursing no longer counts as a professional degree under the department’s proposed definition [2] [3] [8]. The Association of American Universities and nursing organizations have criticized the change as threatening access [5] [8].
4. How flexible is the rule — CIP codes and “closely related” programs
The department and stakeholder guidance (NASFAA, AAU summaries) indicate the rule relies on 4‑digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes and allows some programs that share a CIP with the enumerated fields to qualify; that approach gives limited pathways for programs not named explicitly to qualify, but other degree types without matching CIP codes likely will be excluded from the higher caps [6] [5]. EducationCounsel’s briefing and Inside Higher Ed reporting underline that the department proposed that a “professional degree is generally at the doctoral level” in certain fields and that length and licensure are part of the criteria — but practical access depends on CIP mapping [7] [9].
5. Disagreements and evolving details among stakeholders
There is no unanimity: the department’s initial lists and the RISE committee’s consensus evolved during negotiations and different organizations (AAU, AEI, NASFAA, media outlets) report slightly different lists and interpretations — for example, some accounts frame the change as a 10-program list while others report an 11th field (clinical psychology) being added [1] [5] [4] [6]. Inside Higher Ed and EducationCounsel show the department was still refining criteria in November 2025, meaning reporting can vary depending on which draft is cited [9] [7].
6. Practical implications for psychology degrees and students
Whether a psychology degree qualifies depends on program type and CIP alignment: clinical psychology programs (Psy.D. or some Ph.D. tracks tied to licensure) are repeatedly listed as qualifying in several documents, while other psychology graduate programs (e.g., counseling, experimental, or non‑licensure master’s) are not clearly covered and may be treated as standard graduate programs subject to lower borrowing caps [4] [6]. Stakeholder summaries warn that many students in fields that historically accessed larger loans could face reduced federal borrowing capacity, pushing some toward private loans or deterring enrollment [1] [5].
7. Bottom line and what to watch next
The Education Department’s negotiated rulemaking has narrowed the automatic “professional” designation to a specific set of fields (medicine, law, etc.) with clinical psychology included in many drafts; nursing was reported omitted from that list — and whether a particular psychology program counts depends on its CIP classification and whether it’s explicitly listed [1] [2] [6]. Because the regulatory text and implementation were still being negotiated as of November 2025, follow-up filings and the final rule (and any legal or congressional responses) will determine the definitive list and how institutions or students might petition for inclusion [7] [9].
Limitations: reporting is based on draft negotiated-rulemaking documents, advocacy-group summaries, and media accounts; final regulations or guidance could differ from the drafts summarized here [7] [9].