New accountability measures passed in the last Congress and implemented this year are drawing bipartisan praise for increasing transparency about earnings and program returns. Policy changes — including an earnings indicator on the FAFSA and new institution accountability rules — are pushing colleges to surface and act on post‑graduation outcomes. At the same time, higher‑ed advocacy and research groups note these reforms arrive alongside sharp political attacks on campuses, funding cuts and restrictions on international students. Institutions are responding by improving labor‑market alignment, forming cross‑college partnerships to share courses, and emphasizing measurable career outcomes for students. College leaders should accelerate data infrastructure and labor‑market partnerships to comply with new rules and to demonstrate program value to students and state funders. Accreditation and state reporting will increasingly hinge on robust, transparent outcomes metrics.