Student Loan Caps Draw Backlash from Nursing and Health Groups
12/12/2025
The Education Department has proposed new federal student loan caps for graduate students distinguishing between “professional programs” and other fields. Students in professional programs such as medicine, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, theology, and clinical psychology could borrow up to $200,000 in total or $50,000 annually. Students in other programs would face a $100,000 lifetime limit and a $20,500 annual cap effective next July.
The proposal has faced opposition from nursing and other healthcare organizations, which caution that it could restrict access to high-cost, high-demand programs such as nurse anesthesia, physical therapy, public health, and social work. As of 2022, one in six registered nurses held a master’s degree, and California is projected to experience a shortfall of 44,500 nurses by 2030, with the Inland Empire among the hardest hit regions. Opponents argue that the proposed loan caps would push students toward private loans or force them to delay or abandon graduate education, ultimately undermining the healthcare workforce and patient care. Through its College of Health Sciences, Riverside City College (RCC) provides allied health programs that combine rigorous academic instruction with hands-on training. The proposed limits would significantly alter how students finance their education, potentially reducing enrollment and program completion.
The Education Department argues the caps will pressure universities with high tuition to reduce costs. Its definition of “professional programs” relies on a 1965 federal law listing examples although the law does not limit professional degrees to those fields. More than 140 lawmakers have urged including nursing as a professional program, reflecting broad bipartisan concern. The plan remains under federal review and could change before finalization.
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications