Nursing will continue to be classified as a professional degree for now. On 24 June 2026, the US District Court for the District of Columbia temporarily blocked the portion of a Department of Education rule, removing graduate nursing programs from the federal list of professional degrees. This decision preserves access to loan terms and program recognition that reflect the true scope of graduate-level nursing education.

This is an interim ruling, not a final resolution. The underlying rule remains the subject of legal challenge, and the classification issue is not fully settled. However, the decision supports Sigma’s position, as stated in our public comment earlier this year: graduate nursing education should receive the same recognition as other clinical and professional degree programs, because the advanced practice, leadership, and scholarship nurses provide are essential to patient care.

“Every day, nurses show up for their patients and communities in ways that go unrecognized,” said Sigma Chief Executive Officer Lucas M. Davis, MEd, CAE. “This ruling is a meaningful, if temporary, step in the right direction. Sigma will continue to advocate alongside our partners to strengthen the profession from within and achieve the permanent recognition it deserves.” 

Sigma President Liz Westcott, DCM, MSc, DipMan, RNT, RN, FFNMRCSI, said, “This ruling reminds us that when nurses lead together, their voices are heard and they make a meaningful impact on policy. I am encouraged by this decision, but the job is not done until nursing’s professional standing is fully secured.”

Sigma will continue to monitor this litigation and, alongside our members, chapters, and partner organizations, advocate for policies that reflect nursing's