The U.S. Department of Education has announced a final rule establishing the Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and an earnings accountability framework.
The final rule will require all colleges and universities to provide detailed information about their programs to determine whether graduates earn enough to justify continued eligibility for federal student loans.
The Federal Student Aid Office defines a Direct Loan, which is part of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, as a federal student loan program under which eligible students and parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education.
Under the new rule, undergraduate programs must demonstrate that their graduates earn more than typical high school graduates, while graduate programs must demonstrate that their graduates earn more than individuals with bachelor’s degrees.
These requirements were established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, and this final rule is scheduled to take effect in 2027.
The implementation of STATS has raised concerns about how federal accountability requirements could affect college programs that lead to lower-paying careers.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York provides data on wage earnings by college major. Fields that may lead to lower median earnings include liberal arts, performing arts, education, social services, theology and religion.
The Alcon Career Center at the Neeley School of Business (Courtesy of TCU).
TCU provides graduate data and career outcomes to help students understand the potential career paths and earnings associated with a TCU degree.
Although TCU does not appear to be identified as a school with lower-earning outcomes in the linked federal data, its individual programs could still face scrutiny under the new earnings accountability requirements.
TCU’s Class of 2026 has a median starting salary of $76,000, according to the university’s career outcomes data. That figure is 26% higher than the national average, according to the same data.
Students can visit the Alcon Career Center at the Neeley School of Business to meet with their designated career consultant by appointment for guidance and resources.