The Department of Education added a new earnings indicator to the FAFSA that flags institutions whose graduates earn less than typical high-school graduates, and released a list of colleges with “lower earnings” disclosures. The tool uses College Scorecard data comparing median earnings four years after enrollment to state or national high-school medians. Secretary Linda McMahon said the change will help applicants "make data-driven decisions" before taking on debt. > The indicator identifies roughly 23% of institutions—about 1,300 programs—with the department and independent analysts noting that the majority (about 88% of flagged programs) are for-profit, certificate-focused providers. James Murphy of the nonprofit Class Action criticized the rollout as insufficiently clear about which institutions drive the problem. > The policy immediately affects FAFSA Submission Summaries for first-year undergraduates and does not alter federal aid eligibility, but higher-ed policy experts warn the disclosure will intensify market pressure on low-return programs and could feed upcoming regulatory or financing actions.