Advocacy Committee Response to US Department of Education’s Proposed Rule
Supported by the AAACN Board of Directors, the Advocacy Committee has taken a strong, formal stand against the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed rule (Docket ID ED-2025-OPE-0944) that fails to recognize graduate nursing degrees as professional degrees—a decision that would severely limit nurses’ access to essential federal student loan programs.
Representing more than one million ambulatory care nurses across the country, the Committee made clear that excluding MSN, DNP, and PhD nursing programs from the “professional degree” category is both inaccurate and harmful. Graduate‑prepared nurses rely heavily on federal loans to advance their education, and restricting eligibility threatens the workforce pipeline at a time when the nation needs nurses most.
AAACN argued that these degrees indisputably meet every criterion for professional degree status—including rigorous academic requirements, licensure mandates, and preparation for advanced clinical and leadership roles. The Committee emphasized that failing to classify these programs appropriately undermines national healthcare priorities, rural health access, and federal initiatives aimed at strengthening the nursing workforce.
To protect the future of nursing, AAACN urged the Department of Education to:
- Explicitly list MSN, DNP, and PhD in Nursing as professional degrees
- Include the corresponding CIP codes (51.3805, 51.3808, 51.3818)
- Clarify consistent criteria for evaluating other professional degrees
This statement reflects AAACN’s ongoing commitment to advocate for policies that strengthen the ambulatory care nursing workforce. By engaging directly in federal rulemaking and responding to legislation that impacts educational access, the Advocacy Committee works to support all ambulatory care nurses and to ensure they have the resources and recognition needed to continue delivering high‑quality care in every community.