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A list of the degrees the Department of Education will reclassify and no longer consider professional degrees: how this will affect loans for RN programs
Executive summary
The Department of Education’s RISE committee has proposed a much narrower definition of “professional degree” that would cut the universe of programs eligible for higher federal graduate loan limits from roughly 2,000 to fewer than 600, and would recognize only 11 primary professions plus some doctorates — a move that negotiators and associations warn will exclude many health-related degrees including nursing, public health, and several allied-health programs [1] [2] [3]. If implemented, graduate borrowing limits drop to $20,500/year ($100,000 aggregate) for most programs and remain $50,000/year ($200,000 aggregate) only for programs meeting the new “professional” test — a change critics say will reduce loan access for RN-to-APRN, MSN, DNP and similar pathways [4] [5] [3].
1. What the Education Department is proposing — a much narrower “professional” label
Under the Department’s draft rule, a program must meet multiple strict criteria — doctoral level (with narrow exceptions), at least six years of academic instruction including two post‑bac years, demonstrate skills to begin professional practice beyond a bachelor’s, and fit within the same four‑digit CIP code as one of 11 enumerated professions — to qualify as a “professional” program [3]. Negotiated‑rule documents and analyses show the RISE committee’s consensus would therefore exclude many programs historically treated as “professional” by leaving the list small and tightly defined [2] [3].
2. Which degrees are cited as being reclassified or at risk
Public lists circulating on social platforms and advocacy pieces identify education (many master’s), nursing (MSN, DNP, some APRN tracks), social work (MSW/DSW), public health (MPH/DrPH), physician assistant, occupational/physical therapy, audiology, speech‑language pathology, many counseling/therapy degrees, and some business and engineering master’s as likely to lose “professional” status under the proposal [6] [1]. Leading‑research and higher‑education groups wrote that negotiators agreed to recognize only 11 primary programs (plus some doctorates), which would curtail eligibility for many other health and service professions [2] [1].
3. How this reclassification affects graduate loan limits for nursing programs
H.R.1/OBBBA establishes two tiers: programs designated “professional” access higher caps ($50k annual, $200k aggregate) while non‑professional graduate programs face lower caps ($20.5k annual, $100k aggregate); those lower limits would apply to many advanced nursing programs if reclassified, shrinking the federal borrowing room for MSN, DNP, NP, CRNA and other pathways [4] [7] [3]. Groups representing nurses warn these new caps plus the phaseout of Grad PLUS will make advanced nursing education significantly less affordable and could worsen RN/APRN shortages [8] [7].
4. What alternatives and relief programs exist — but they are limited
Federal and state loan‑repayment and forgiveness programs specifically for nurses (Nurse Corps LRP, state nurse repayment and educator programs) remain available and can cover substantial shares of debt — for example, Nurse Corps may repay 60% of qualifying loans plus up to an additional 25% with extended service [9] [10]. However, these programs are competitive, targeted (service in shortage areas or faculty posts), and do not replace routine federal borrowing capacity for hundreds or thousands of students [9] [10].
5. Who is objecting and why — competing perspectives
The American Nurses Association and nursing organizations have publicly expressed concern that excluding nursing undermines access to advanced practice roles and threatens care in underserved communities [8]. Higher education groups and major research universities warn the department’s approach will sharply reduce the number of recognized professional programs, shrinking access to the higher loan tier [2]. The Department’s press office has defended its long‑running definitions and says consensus language aligns with precedent, though multiple reporting outlets show committee members debated alternative, broader definitions [11] [3] [12].
6. Limits of current reporting and what remains undecided
Available sources document draft rules, committee consensus language and strong objections, but they do not present a finalized regulation or an official list the Department has legally adopted; negotiators could fail to reach consensus and the Department may issue a different final rule [3] [12]. Also, specific program‑by‑program determinations (for example whether a particular DNP or CRNA program keeps “professional” status) are not listed in these documents — current coverage describes criteria and likely categories but does not enumerate every affected degree at the program level [3] [2].
Actionable takeaway: nursing students and programs should track finalized rulemaking, consider alternative funding pathways (state and federal nurse repayment programs) and consult financial aid offices about timing (whether you become a “new borrower” after July 1, 2026 affects caps) — reporting notes caps start applying for new borrowers as of mid‑2026, making timing crucial [13] [4].