05/21/2026
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has proposed a new rule that would impose a “Do-No-Harm” earnings test on postsecondary programs, potentially cutting off Title IV federal student loan eligibility for many massage therapy programs that do not meet the new standard.
This proposal could force up to 89% of massage therapy schools that utilize federal financial aid to close. I want to be clear - Elite Massage School does NOT accept federal financial aid, so this rule does not affect us.
This is why we work so hard to keep education AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE!
While the intent is to ensure students are not financially worse off after completing their education, the rule’s ex*****on is deeply flawed and raises serious concerns about regulatory overreach. Originally designed for degree-granting institutions, the rule has been extended to career training programs, like massage therapy, without accounting for how these professions actually operate. The current earnings metrics fail to reflect key realities of the massage profession, including part-time work, tip-based income, self-employment, and flexible career paths. As a result, many programs could lose access to federal funding by July 2028!
According to the U.S. Department of Education's data provided in their Results of Earnings Test, on Page 18, it lists the non-degree programs most at-risk of failure. According to this data, these are some of the programs most at-risk that are offered at many MAACS Member Schools:
% of programs across the country expected to fail:
Culinary Arts - 100% of programs
Computers/IT - 95.9% of programs
Cosmetology - 92.5% of programs
Massage Therapy - 89% of programs
Dental Support - 58.9% of programs a
Medical Assisting - 50% of programs
