Last week, the Trump administration announced it would no longer consider nursing as a professional degree, meaning nursing programs would be subject to stricter caps on student loan borrowing. This news was, as with everything President Trump does, outrage from the media, the Left, and nurses across the country.
In the interest of full disclosure, this writer has an Associate's Degree in nursing, so this story hits closer to home. She went back to school in her 30s and, thanks to the support of people online, a GoFundMe paid for her nursing school costs. That being said, she obviously supports this move. Why? Because for years, the Left has whined about outrageous student loan debt, that's why. Capping the amount students can borrow means they'll be forced to make wiser choices about their education, take on less debt, and have smaller student loan payments.
It will also force colleges and universities to lower tuition costs, benefiting all students.
Here's some of what WPR wrote when the changes went into effect.
The Trump administration is no longer considering nursing as a professional degree, as it begins rolling out student loan changes in its One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
That means getting financial help to complete advanced degrees in nursing and other health care professions could become more difficult at a time when Wisconsin is facing a shortage.
Under the U.S. Department of Education’s new definition of professional programs, nursing, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, physical therapy and audiology programs are now excluded and must follow new borrowing limits.
Now, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is dispelling some of the myths about nursing programs. It turns out the vast majority will not be impacted by the grad loan caps laid out in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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There’s been a lot of fake news swirling about this administration’s commitment to nurses.
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) November 25, 2025
Here’s the truth: 95% of nursing programs are UNAFFECTED by @POTUS’ One Big Beautiful Bill grad loan caps.
Read the fact vs myth sheet here ⬇️
In a "Myth vs. Facts" sheet, here's what these changes really mean for a limited number of nursing programs (emphasis added)
Certain progressive voices have been fear mongering about the Department of Education supposedly excluding nursing degrees from being eligible for graduate student loans. This is misinformation. This fact sheet sets the record straight regarding the proposed treatment of nursing programs under new lending limits established by the Act.
Myth: The Trump Administration does not view nurses as professionals because they are not classified as a “professional degree.”
Fact: The definition of a “professional degree” is an internal definition used by the Department to distinguish among programs that qualify for higher loan limits, not a value judgement about the importance of programs. It has no bearing on whether a program is professional in nature or not.
Myth: Nurses will have a harder time securing federal student loans for their programs and this would contribute to the nationwide nursing shortage.
Fact: Department of Education data indicates that 95% of nursing students borrow below the annual loan limit and therefore are not affected by the new caps.
Further, placing a cap on loans will push the remaining graduate nursing programs to reduce their program costs, ensuring that nurses will not be saddled with unmanageable student loan debt.
The fact sheet points out that educational institutions have been steadily increasing costs for the past 20 years because students could borrow up to the full cost of tuition. By capping what students can borrow, those institutions will have to lower tuition costs.
That addresses the concerns about exploding student loan debt. Of course, that's not what the Left wanted. They wanted blanket student loan forgiveness (a massive transfer of wealth from working-class Americans without degrees to those who went to college), and a continued policy of wild student loan spending.
On top of that, many healthcare organizations will reimburse part, or all, of a nurse's tuition if she pursues a higher degree.
It seems, at least for now, sanity is being restored to the student loan programs, and nursing will be just fine.
Editor's Note: President Trump is fighting to dismantle the Department of Education and ensure America's kids get the education they deserve.
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