New federal loan limits are leaving many health care graduate students unsure how they’ll pay as private lenders tighten standards too.

Many Health Care Grad Students Can’t Get the Loans They Need

by Matt Krupnick September 25, 2026September 25, 2026

New federal loan limits restrict borrowing for graduate degrees in many fields, and prospects for private loans are also grim.

Newsletter

DOGE Has Made Americans Less Safe

by Anne Kim August 23, 2026August 21, 2026

Oprah Winfrey arrives to give the keynote commencement address at her alma mater, Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, in May 2023.

Higher Education

The Case for Lesser-Known Colleges

by Elwood Watson August 11, 2026August 13, 2026

Students cheer on the football team at Fresno State, one of the 500+ regional public universities that form the backbone of American higher education.

Higher Education

What Life on Most College Campuses is Really Like

by Michael T. Nietzel June 26, 2026June 25, 2026

Robert Coles shakes hands with President George W. Bush during the National Endowment for the Arts Awards ceremony in 2002. Credit: Associated Press.

In Memoriam

A Liberal Without the Elitism: Robert Coles, RIP

by Richard D. Kahlenberg June 10, 2026June 9, 2026

Credential Conflict: A college accreditation overhaul, led by Secretary Linda McMahon’s Education Department, may weaken a flawed system in the name of improving it. Here, McMahon testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, April 28, 2026, in Washington.

Higher Education

The Higher Education Accreditation Wars Are Heating Up

by Bruno V. Manno May 6, 2026May 5, 2026

Peak Outcomes: Colorado Mountain College is among the schools and university systems embracing the importance of student employment outcomes. Here, 2022 graduates of Colorado Mountain College wait to receive their diploma during the commencement ceremony in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Higher Education

Colleges Are Finally Confronting Their Outcomes Data

by Michael Itzkowitz March 10, 2026March 13, 2026

Higher Education

Which States Help Their College Grads Land Good Jobs?

by Michael T. Nietzel April 4, 2024April 4, 2024

Support the Washington Monthly

Founded in 1969, the Washington Monthly is an independent media organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission: To preserve democracy and champion good governance through honest journalism and thoughtful commentary.

We’re not a subsidiary of a giant media company or a mouthpiece for ideologues. We’re independent, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows—liberal and conservative.

Yes, I'll Make a Donation

Higher ed

Many Health Care Grad Students Can’t Get the Loans They Need

The Case for Lesser-Known Colleges

What Life on Most College Campuses is Really Like

A Liberal Without the Elitism: Robert Coles, RIP

The Higher Education Accreditation Wars Are Heating Up

Which States Help Their College Grads Land Good Jobs?

AI Has an Anti-Woman Problem. Here’s How to Fix It

Why Democrats Should Be Most Worried About Troy Jackson (And It’s Not the Consultants)

Is Neoliberalism to Blame for America’s Health Care Woes?

The Grim Reality Behind a New Census Report

The Red Undertow in the Midterms

Why Won’t the Clean Energy Industry Play Dirty?

Never miss an article!