2025 budget law · earnings-premium test · effective Jul 1 2026

OBBBA Compliance Watchdog

An early-warning screen on the 2025 budget law’s program-level earnings-premium standard. For every university we flag the programs whose graduate earnings currently fall below the state benchmark a high-school graduate (undergraduate programs) or bachelor’s graduate (graduate programs) earns, then rank institutions by the share of their completions sitting in those at-risk programs. Public data, a directional read for boards and leadership, not the Department’s official calculation.

2,222universities screened
1,370with at least one at-risk program
303with 20%+ of completions exposed
3.0%median completion exposure

Most exposed institutions

Ranked by the share of completions in programs currently below the state earnings benchmark, among 2,222 universities with at least four programs reporting earnings.

#Institution Completions exposed Programs below Risk bandExample programs below benchmark
1Los Angeles Film SchoolCA · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposureCommunications Technologies, Visual & Performing Arts
2UEI College-BakersfieldCA · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposureBusiness, Management & Marketing, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
3UEI College-FresnoCA · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposureBusiness, Management & Marketing, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
4New York Film AcademyCA · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposureVisual & Performing Arts, Visual & Performing Arts
5Community Care CollegeOK · Private100.0%7 / 10High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Agriculture & Animal Sciences
6Southern Careers Institute-BrownsvilleTX · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Computer & Information Sciences
7Musicians InstituteCA · Private for-profit100.0%4 / 4High exposureCommunications Technologies, Mechanic & Repair Technologies
8Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsAZ · Private for-profit93.8%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Personal & Culinary Services
9Guam Community CollegeGU · Public93.1%5 / 6High exposureVisual & Performing Arts, Education
10American National UniversityVA · Private for-profit92.9%3 / 4High exposureBusiness, Management & Marketing, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
11Berklee College of MusicMA · Private90.0%4 / 5High exposureVisual & Performing Arts, Visual & Performing Arts
12Palo Alto CollegeTX · Public89.1%1 / 4High exposureLiberal Arts & Humanities
13Valley College-MartinsburgWV · Private87.9%2 / 5High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
14Southern Careers Institute-Corpus ChristiTX · Private for-profit87.4%3 / 4High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Business, Management & Marketing
15Pima Medical Institute-RentonWA · Private for-profit87.0%2 / 4High exposureAgriculture & Animal Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
16UEI College-Huntington ParkCA · Private for-profit85.6%3 / 5High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
17Gallaudet UniversityDC · Private82.8%3 / 4High exposurePublic Administration & Social Service, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
18Laurel Technical InstitutePA · Private for-profit81.5%3 / 6High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
19Spokane Falls Community CollegeWA · Public81.1%4 / 7High exposureCommunications Technologies, Education
20Coalinga CollegeCA · Public80.6%4 / 9High exposureFamily & Consumer Sciences, Liberal Arts & Humanities
21Jones County Junior CollegeMS · Public79.5%4 / 8High exposurePsychology, Liberal Arts & Humanities
22San Joaquin Valley College-HesperiaCA · Private for-profit79.5%3 / 9High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Business, Management & Marketing
23Intellitec College-Grand JunctionCO · Private for-profit79.1%2 / 4High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
24Patrick & Henry Community CollegeVA · Public77.8%3 / 6High exposureFamily & Consumer Sciences, Liberal Arts & Humanities
25UEI College-GardenaCA · Private for-profit77.1%3 / 4High exposureBusiness, Management & Marketing, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
26Wenatchee Valley CollegeWA · Public77.1%1 / 5High exposureLiberal Arts & Humanities
27Lemoore CollegeCA · Public76.9%6 / 11High exposureFamily & Consumer Sciences, Family & Consumer Sciences
28UEI College-StocktonCA · Private for-profit76.4%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
29Southern Careers Institute-PharrTX · Private for-profit76.0%3 / 4High exposureComputer & Information Sciences, Business, Management & Marketing
30UEI College-ResedaCA · Private for-profit74.3%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
31Northeast Mississippi Community CollegeMS · Public73.0%1 / 5High exposureLiberal Arts & Humanities
32Coahoma Community CollegeMS · Public72.9%8 / 11High exposurePrecision Production, Personal & Culinary Services
33Illinois Eastern Community CollegesIL · Public72.8%3 / 4High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
34Life UniversityGA · Private71.9%2 / 6High exposurePsychology, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
35UEI College-West CovinaCA · Private for-profit71.6%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
36Cambridge CollegeMA · Private · Merging, effective 2024-06-3071.4%3 / 6High exposureEducation, Business, Management & Marketing
37UEI College-OntarioCA · Private for-profit70.9%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
38UEI College-Chula VistaCA · Private for-profit70.6%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
39Trinidad State CollegeCO · Public70.4%5 / 8High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Mechanic & Repair Technologies
40Las Vegas CollegeNV · Private for-profit70.2%1 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences
41Parker UniversityTX · Private70.1%2 / 5High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
42Carrington College-Phoenix NorthAZ · Private for-profit69.1%2 / 4High exposureAgriculture & Animal Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
43Fortis Institute-WayneNJ · Private for-profit68.8%1 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences
44School of Visual ArtsNY · Private for-profit68.7%4 / 7High exposureVisual & Performing Arts, Communications Technologies
45UEI College-Garden GroveCA · Private for-profit68.3%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
46Converse UniversitySC · Private67.8%2 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Education
47Pima Medical Institute-SeattleWA · Private for-profit66.0%2 / 4High exposureAgriculture & Animal Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
48Charter CollegeAK · Private for-profit65.5%2 / 11High exposureAgriculture & Animal Sciences, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
49Sinclair Community CollegeOH · Public65.1%4 / 18High exposurePublic Administration & Social Service, Personal & Culinary Services
50United Education Institute-Las VegasNV · Private for-profit64.4%3 / 4High exposureBusiness, Management & Marketing, Health Professions & Clinical Sciences
51Norfolk State UniversityVA · Public64.3%2 / 4High exposureEducation, Public Administration & Social Service
52Georgetown CollegeKY · Private64.1%1 / 5High exposureEducation
53South Suburban CollegeIL · Public63.5%1 / 4High exposureLiberal Arts & Humanities
54UEI College-OceansideCA · Private for-profit62.9%3 / 4High exposureHealth Professions & Clinical Sciences, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
55Northwest CollegeWY · Public62.6%3 / 5High exposureLiberal Arts & Humanities, Visual & Performing Arts
56Southwest Texas CollegeTX · Public62.4%3 / 8High exposureFamily & Consumer Sciences, Precision Production
57Hope International UniversityCA · Private60.3%5 / 10High exposureTheology & Religious Vocations, Psychology
58Southwest Mississippi Community CollegeMS · Public60.2%3 / 5High exposurePersonal & Culinary Services, Family & Consumer Sciences
59Hollins UniversityVA · Private59.4%4 / 6High exposureEducation, Visual & Performing Arts
60Adams State UniversityCO · Public59.1%2 / 9High exposurePsychology, Education

“Completions exposed” is the share of an institution’s graduates in programs whose median earnings four years after completion fall below the state benchmark. A directional risk screen on public College Scorecard and Census data, not the U.S. Department of Education’s official earnings-premium calculation, an accreditation action, or legal advice. The Department uses its own cohorts, measurement windows, suppression thresholds, and an appeals process, and the implementing regulations are still being written. Institutions with fewer than four programs reporting earnings are excluded.

What is the earnings-premium test?

The 2025 budget reconciliation law (effective July 1, 2026, with the Department of Education's first calculations expected in 2027) introduces a 'do-no-harm' earnings-premium standard: a program can lose federal student-aid eligibility if the median earnings of its graduates fall below the median earnings of a working adult in the same state who holds only a high-school diploma (for undergraduate programs) or only a bachelor's degree (for graduate programs), measured over multiple years.

How does Ibex estimate exposure?

For every institution we compare each program's most recent median earnings four years after completion (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Field of Study) against the state earnings benchmark (U.S. Census Bureau ACS): the high-school-graduate median for undergraduate credentials and the bachelor's median for graduate credentials. Exposure is the share of the institution's completions that sit in programs currently below that benchmark. It is an early-warning screen on public data, not the Department's official calculation, which uses its own cohorts, windows, and appeals process.

Does a high exposure score mean a program will lose aid?

No. This is a directional risk screen, not a determination. The official test uses specific multi-year cohorts, confidence thresholds, suppression rules, and an institutional appeals process, and the regulations are still being written. Programs near the line should model their own cohorts; this view helps leadership and boards see where to look first.

Want your institution’s program-level report?

Ibex can model your exact cohorts against the benchmark and flag programs that need attention before the first federal calculation.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2024-25); state earnings benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (2022 ACS 5-year). Compiled by Ibex Insights. For informational benchmarking only, not legal, accreditation, or financial advice. See the methodology.