The Department of Education (ED) is developing a proposed "earnings test" that would cut federal student loan access to graduate arts programs failing to meet specific income thresholds for two out of three consecutive years. The rule, part of the "Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell" proposal, targets programs whose graduates do not earn more than peers with bachelor's degrees in the same fields. An analysis by the New York Times found that Yale University's master's programs in visual arts and music, Harvard University's museum studies master's, and The Juilliard School's graduate music programs would all fail the test under current data.
The proposed policy matters because it threatens the financial viability of many graduate arts programs, potentially limiting access for students who rely on federal loans. Critics argue the test imposes a narrow, earnings-based metric that fails to capture the broader value of arts education. Tom Eccles of Bard College likened the approach to a "DOGE"-style efficiency measure, while former ED economist Jordan Matsudaira acknowledged the need to address unrealistic tuition pricing but warned that programs producing non-monetary value could be unfairly penalized.