Nursing Excluded as 'Professional' Degree By Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education has officially excluded nursing in its recently revamped definition of “professional degree” programs. This change occurs as part of the implementation of President Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) and has nursing organizations nationwide raising alarms. 

Why? Because the reclassification directly impacts how graduate nursing students access federal loans and loan forgiveness programs. 

It also, according to some critics, threatens already-existing stereotypes about the nursing profession and could make an already critical nursing shortage even worse. 

What The Reclassification Means

The OBBA caps undergraduate loans and eliminates the GRAD PLUS program for graduate and professional students, while creating a new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). Under the new plan, only students pursuing a "professional" degree can borrow up to $50,000 annually. 

To clarify who can access that money as a professional student, the Department of Education categorized the following programs as professional: 

• Medicine
• Pharmacy
• Dentistry
• Optometry
• Law
• Veterinary medicine
• Osteopathic medicine
• Podiatry
• Chiropractic
• Theology
• Clinical psychology

Notably excluded from that list?

Nurse practitioners, along with physician assistants and physical therapists. 

What Does This Mean for Nursing Students?

In simple terms, becoming an advanced practice nurse just got harder and more expensive. Graduate nursing students, already burdened with high tuition, will lose financial benefits reserved for professional degree programs. This could deter prospective students, especially those from underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Leading nursing organizations also say the move could lower the application and graduation rates of RNs, as all graduate nursing programs first require graduation from an RN program. While some RNs may go into school with the intent of furthering their education, not all do, and many may choose to work at the bedside in the interim or to gain experience. 

Without the ability to feel like they have a future in nursing, some prospective students may opt to choose a different career altogether. 

Nursing Organizations Speak Out

Nursing organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) are fighting back, arguing that nursing meets all the criteria for a professional discipline—rigorous education, licensure, and, of course, surviving on caffeine during night shifts.

In their official statement, the AACN declares:

"Excluding nursing from the definition of professional degree programs disregards decades of progress toward parity across the health professions and contradicts the Department’s own acknowledgment that professional programs are those leading to licensure and direct practice. AACN recognizes that explicitly including post-baccalaureate nursing education as professional is essential for strengthening the nation’s healthcare workforce, supporting the next generation of nurses, and ultimately supporting the healthcare of patients in communities across the country."

The ANA also expressed 'concern' over the Department of Education's decision and is urging the administration to reconsider, noting that nurses are the 'backbone' of the nation's health system. 

“At a time when healthcare in our country faces a historic nurse shortage and rising demands, limiting nurses’ access to funding for graduate education threatens the very foundation of patient care," said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association in the ANA's statement:

 "In many communities across the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas, advanced practice registered nurses ensure access to essential, high-quality care that would otherwise be unavailable. We urge the Department of Education to recognize nursing as the essential profession it is and ensure access to loan programs that make advanced nursing education possible.”

Could This Make the Nursing Shortage Worse? 

The U.S. is still grappling with pandemic workforce losses, and demand for nurses is skyrocketing. According to 2024 statistics, over 267,000 students are enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. 

These students are the future of healthcare, but if advanced education becomes financially out of reach, what happens next?

"There is no question that this is a gut punch for nursing," Patricia (Polly) Pittman, a professor of health policy and management and director of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at George Washington University, told Newsweek, adding: 

"Education, including from to ADN to BSN, and then beyond to become an advanced practice nurse, is the single best way to retain nurses, especially in rural and underserved communities. At a symbolic level, it is also deeply insulting to nurses who have fought so hard to be recognized for their critical contributions to health care."

What Can Nurses Do?

As of right now, there is nothing to do but wait and see if the Department of Education updates its decision to include graduate nursing degrees in the "professional degree" distinction.

Currently, the new measures are scheduled to be implemented starting July 1, 2026.

You can stay tuned for updates from groups like the ANA and AACN. If you’re a student, explore all financial aid options in the meantime, especially if you have plans to advance your career at the post-graduate level.

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts below.