New surveys and reporting show graduate education is at a crossroads: EAB’s 2025 Adult Learner Survey found cost of attendance now tops prospective graduate students’ priorities, with 60% saying they'd drop a program perceived as 'too expensive.' Respondents placed affordability above accreditation as the decisive factor when choosing programs. At the same time, higher education reporters and analysts warn that federal policy moves—loan caps for some graduate programs, research‑funding cuts and tougher visa rules for international students—are compounding the problem. Universities face a dual threat: fewer applicants deter program sustainability while funding constraints make it harder to subsidize tuition or maintain research capacity.