Trump Administration
Leaves Nursing Off Its List Of Professional Degrees
Published November 21, 2025 11:07 AM PST
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Updated November 21, 2025 2:44 PM PST
The Trump Administration’s overhaul of government departments hasn’t been received well by certain groups … including nurses, who are no longer considered to have obtained professional degrees.
Here’s the deal … the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes provisions for eliminating the Grad PLUS program, which helps graduate and professional students cover their expenses, and caps Parent PLUS loans, according to Nurse.org, an industry news and career resources website.
The measures were implemented in an effort to reorganize the Repayment Assistance Plan, which includes caps for annual loans for graduate and professional students.
The Department of Education then decided to change what counts as a professional program — which meant certain individuals wouldn’t qualify for the $200,000 aggregate level for professional students.
Nurse practitioners — among several other professions, including physical therapists — are deemed not to have obtained professional degrees.
University of Pennsylvania Dean of Nursing Antonia Villarruel told Newsweek the new status is a “serious blow to the health of our nation.”
The American Nurses Association also issued a statement to urge the Department of Education to revise its definition of what counts as a professional degree to include nursing.
