February 4, 2026
RALEIGH, N. C. – In December 2025, the NCNA Board of Directors unanimously voted to oppose a federal proposal to cap student loans for nurses at $100,000. The Department of Education (DOE) had earlier announced plans to limit student loan amounts for careers not designated as “professional” according to 1960s-era definitions. As has been widely reported, this change would exclude registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses. NCNA joins the American Nurses Association in calling on the DOE to revise the proposed definition of “professional degrees” to explicitly include nursing.
The most significant result of these changes, if implemented as planned, is that patients will suffer. In less than a decade, North Carolina is projected to have a shortage of 12,000 registered nurses.1 A burnout crisis among bedside nurses combined with an existing shortage of nursing school faculty is putting unprecedented pressure on the current nursing workforce, exacerbating the situation.
Simply put, this is not the moment to make it harder for anyone to become a nurse or earn advanced degrees in nursing. NCNA is submitting a formal public comment on this issue and encourages its members and the patient population to do the same by visiting ncnurses.org/loancaps.
“We need everyone who wants a career in nursing to be able to scrub in,” said NCNA President Bonnie Davis Meadows, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG. “Our profession is at a tipping point. The country should be doing everything possible to encourage qualified, promising students to advance their careers, and this proposal is the exact opposite of what we need right now.”
Some supporters of the DOE proposal say it would curb rising tuition costs for nurses; while that may be a worthwhile cause, it would not impact baccalaureate programs and ignores the reality that a significant percentage of the nursing population needs advanced degrees that routinely cost more than $100,000. Indeed, graduate nursing education is a vital component of our evolving healthcare infrastructure. In North Carolina, almost 32,000 registered nurses – nearly 20% of the entire profession – hold an advanced nursing degree, according to the North Carolina Board of Nursing2.
The DOE proposal has garnered an extraordinary amount of pushback from both the nursing and patient populations. Patients understand the value – and professionalism – that nurses bring to the entire healthcare infrastructure. NCNA appreciates the support we have heard from patients; we respectfully ask for that same level of support from Congress and policymakers at the Department of Education.
MEDIA CONTACT
Chris Cowperthwaite, CAE, APR
Director of Communications & Outreach
(919) 821-4250 or chriscowperthwaite@ncnurses.org.
ABOUT NCNA
As the leading professional organization for North Carolina’s registered nurses, we equip nurses at all stages to thrive in an ever-changing healthcare environment. NCNA helps keep North Carolina nurses on the cutting edge of nursing practice, policy, education, and more. Join us as we work to advance nursing and ensure high-quality healthcare for everyone.
Established in 1902, NCNA provides continuing education, networking and legislative advocacy for registered nurses throughout North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.ncnurses.org.
MISSION STATEMENT
The North Carolina Nurses Association serves the changing needs of its members, addresses nursing issues, and advocates for the health and well-being of all people.
