(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana lawmakers are moving closer to approving legislation that could put more college degree programs at public universities on the chopping block, based on how much graduates earn after leaving school.
According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, lawmakers on Monday revisited a key provision of Senate Bill 199 that would require the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review degree programs whose graduates earn median wages below state-set thresholds.
Those benchmarks range from roughly $24,000 to $35,000, depending on the credential.
Under the proposal, programs flagged for low earnings would undergo further analysis, public reporting and possible state action, including elimination. A final vote on the bill is expected Wednesday.
State education officials say the goal is transparency, not devaluing careers. Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner told lawmakers families should have clear information about debt and earning outcomes before students commit to costly degrees.
Democratic lawmakers pushed back, arguing the state would be overstepping by deciding which degrees are worth offering.
They warned the approach could limit student choice and eliminate academically or culturally important programs that may not lead to high wages.
The bill would operate alongside existing efforts to merge or eliminate low-enrollment or duplicative programs statewide.