A new EAB survey of 8,106 current and prospective graduate and adult learners found cost is now the primary determinant in program choice, eclipsing accreditation. Sixty percent of prospective students said they would remove a program from consideration if it seemed "too expensive," with many citing anything over $10,000 per year as a barrier. EAB warned that shrinking federal aid, caps on graduate student loans, visa restrictions and cuts to research funding are compounding recruitment challenges. Institutions that rely on graduate tuition for revenue will need new financial strategies or risk further enrollment declines and program cuts.