There is a panic spreading across social media about the reclassification of many graduate degrees as non-professional, and how that could affect pay scales, as well as the amount people can borrow to pay for those degrees). If you’re an employer, the two questions you actually need answered are: “Do I have to reclassify anyone?” (no), and ‘Will this make it harder or more expensive to hire in certain professions?” Probably.
What the proposed change in ‘professional degree status’ means
The proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Education’s regulation on how graduate degrees are classified can be found here, if you’re inclined to read them. The thing people are concerned about is the split between “professional” degrees and regular “graduate” degrees. The One Big Beautiful Bill capped federal unsubsidized loans for both groups, but at different levels. These are the proposed regulatory rulings on how these changes will be implemented. The jobs themselves are not reclassified, as the DEO is using an old definition. The change is in the amount you can borrow.
In a press release, the Department of Education explained:
To keep reading, click here: What the Department of Education’s ‘Professional Degree’ Proposal Really Means for Employers