Why Nursing Is No Longer Considered a Professional Degree Under New Rules

The federal government’s updated interpretation of “professional degrees” has removed nursing from the list, raising alarm across higher education and healthcare sectors. The change appears in recent Department of Education discussions tied to student loan caps under President Donald Trump’s new spending plan. Nursing is now treated as a non-professional graduate program, which could sharply reduce how much students are allowed to borrow.

The shift stems from a narrow reading of a 1965 federal definition that lists only ten qualifying professional degrees, such as medicine, law, and pharmacy. That list has not been expanded in current regulatory conversations, leaving nursing and other fields off the table. National organizations say the move misunderstands modern health education and could deepen the country’s ongoing nursing shortage.

New Degree Definitions Shape Loan Limits for Graduate Nursing Students

The Department of Education’s working interpretation draws from language written nearly 60 years ago. It classifies a “professional degree” as one that prepares students for practice requiring advanced skills beyond a bachelor’s degree. The original list includes degrees like M.D., J.D., D.V.M., Pharm.D., and similar credentials, but nursing was never formally added to the group. Recent committee discussions have chosen to use the original list without expanding it. Major outlets, including AP and Reuters, have reported that these conversations are directly tied to the administration’s new loan-regulation agenda.

Under the Trump Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” loan structures will change sharply by July 1, 2026. Grad PLUS loans will be eliminated. Parent PLUS loans will be capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 total. Students in degrees officially classified as “professional” will be allowed to borrow up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 overall. Students in all other graduate programs — including nursing — will be capped at $20,500 per year and $100,000 total.

The American Nurses Association says this cap could force thousands of nursing students to delay or abandon graduate education. Its president, Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, warned that the exclusion “severely restricts access to critical funding,” especially for advanced practice registered nurses who serve rural and underserved communities. The American Council on Education has urged the Department to expand the definition to include nursing, architecture, public health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work, and other essential fields.

Advocates argue these programs require intensive clinical training and directly support public health, making them comparable to medicine and dentistry. Without access to higher borrowing limits, nursing students may face rising financial barriers at a time when hospitals nationwide report record staffing shortages. The American Nurses Association says the decision threatens patient care and undermines efforts to strengthen the workforce.

Reactions and Long-Term Effects Across Education and Healthcare

The decision has sparked backlash from academic leaders, professional associations, and healthcare systems. University officials say the outdated list does not reflect the evolution of modern professions. Nursing education has expanded dramatically in the past two decades, with advanced practice nurses now serving as primary care providers in many communities.

Experts warn the change could reduce graduate program enrollment and worsen shortages in critical-care, acute-care, and primary-care nursing roles. Hospitals already rely heavily on nurse practitioners and clinical specialists to fill care gaps. Rural regions, which depend on advanced practice nurses the most, could face reduced access if fewer students can afford graduate training.

The federal designation will continue to shape loan access, university planning, and healthcare workforce capacity in the coming years. Whether the Department of Education expands the list remains a central question, but for now, nursing is officially treated as a non-professional degree under federal lending rules.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Why is nursing no longer considered a professional degree?

The Department of Education is using an older federal definition that includes only ten fields. Nursing was never added to the original list, so it is excluded under the updated interpretation.

Q2: How does this affect graduate nursing students?

Students will face lower borrowing limits. They can borrow $20,500 annually instead of $50,000, which may make advanced practice training harder to afford.

Q3: Which degrees are still considered professional?

Medicine, law, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, optometry, chiropractic, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, and theology remain on the list.

Q4: What groups oppose nursing’s exclusion?

The American Nurses Association and the American Council on Education are pushing for nursing to be added due to its essential role in healthcare.

Q5: When do the loan rule changes take effect?

The new borrowing caps and loan structure go into effect on July 1, 2026, under the new federal spending plan.