OMAHA, Neb. —

Starting in 2026, the Department of Education will make changes to what qualifies as a professional degree. Nursing is no longer on the list, decreasing the amount of federal loans students can receive.

Willa Prescott with the Nebraska Hospital Association said the change won't just affect universities, but the hospital system as a whole.

"It feels a little bit like a slap in the face," Prescott said.

The change means federal borrowing limits for nursing students are going down. Professional degrees can receive $50,000 per year, up to $200,000 in total.

"It lowers [non-professional degrees] to $20,500 per year and a $100,000 cap. That's a big deal because an advanced degree for a nurse, think maybe a CRNA, is $170,000," Prescott said.

Nebraska is a state already experie

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