Summary of Recent Federal Actions Affecting Social Work, Higher Education, and the Research Pipeline
Dear SSWR Members,
During the recent Social Work Leadership Roundtable briefing with our government relations partners at Lewis-Burke Associates, we received a comprehensive update on the rapidly shifting federal policy landscape. While much of this information has been ongoing in 2025, we want to share key highlights with you, as these developments have immediate and long-term implications for social work education, research, and the national workforce pipeline.
Major Federal Policy Shifts
One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OB3)
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OB3), a sweeping $3.4 trillion package reshaping social programs, higher education policy, and federal spending priorities. The bill includes:
- Permanent extension of the 2017 tax cuts
- Cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance programs
- Significant increases in immigration and border security funding
Higher Education Changes in OB3
OB3 includes substantial changes to federal student aid that directly affect social work students and programs:
- Elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program (see 12/5/2025 letter from members of Congress urging the U.S. Department of Education to reverse policy change and ensure access to federal loans for all graduate degrees)
- New federal loan caps: $100,000 for graduate degrees and $200,000 for professional degrees
- Consolidated repayment options for future borrowers
- A new “low earnings outcomes” accountability metric, which could remove federal loan eligibility for programs whose graduates’ earnings fall below national thresholds
Impacts on Social Work Students and Programs
Despite the sweeping changes, current data show that social work programs overwhelmingly meet the new earnings metric:
- Over 99% of BSW and MSW programs exceed the earnings threshold, with only one program nationwide at risk of failing.
- Average MSW student debt is approximately $40,070, and 72% of students borrow less than the standard $20,500 annual loan limit.
- Median debt for social work doctoral programs averages $116,000, and for MSW programs $125,000, but nearly all programs fall under OB3’s new loan caps.
These data points suggest that while the loan cap and Grad PLUS elimination introduce new barriers, the accountability measure itself does not pose an immediate systemic risk for most social work programs. However, loan caps will reduce access to graduate education, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds, and create real pipeline concerns for the profession.
Broader Federal Context
- The federal government is experiencing unprecedented executive action, widespread litigation, and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
- Congress has largely rejected the Administration’s FY 2026 budget request, instead advancing bipartisan spending proposals that:
- Level-fund the Pell Grant maximum award at $7,395
- Provide modest increases to NIH, HRSA, and SAMHSA
- The Administration released a new “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”, which could impose federal restrictions on admissions, financial aid decisions, academic freedom, hiring practices, international students, and foreign funding.
- Federal agencies are seeing layoffs, grant cancellations, and DEI investigations, all of which may affect the research landscape.
- Fear among immigrant communities is already reducing willingness to seek healthcare or social services, with implications for both practice and research.
What This Means for Social Work Research and Education
These changes present both challenges and opportunities for our field.
Potential threats include:
- Reduced financial access to MSW and PhD programs
- Decreased international student enrollment
- Strain on civil rights, housing and social safety-net programs
- Instability in federal research funding and grant continuity
Areas with potential for constructive engagement include:
- VA and CMS reimbursement policy
- Behavioral health and mental health integration (Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda)
- Telehealth extensions
- Targeted coalitions around higher education access and research protections
How SSWR Members Can Support the Field
Here are several key strategies for the months ahead:
- Share your research impact stories with SSWR (arendt@sswr.org), policymakers, funders, campus leaders, and professional networks. SSWR will be sending a call to action to members next week regarding the U.S. Department of Education reclassification of social work degrees
- Engage in advocacy through available channels, including coordinated efforts through SSWR and allied organizations
- Join coalitions that defend federal research infrastructure, student aid access, and equity protections
- Help define what rebuilding looks like for research, workforce pipelines, and community partnerships in this evolving policy environment
SSWR remains committed to keeping you informed and advocating for policies that strengthen social work research, education, and practice. Thank you for your ongoing leadership and for the vital role you play in advancing evidence that improves lives and communities.
If you have questions or would like to share how these issues are impacting your program or research, please reach out.
— SSWR Leadership