Short-Term Workforce Education Boosts Earnings—but Field of Study Matters
Preston Cooper
December 1, 2025
Students in short-term workforce education programs will soon get some help covering tuition costs. The recently-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act expands Pell Grants to workforce programs as short as eight weeks or 150 clock hours in duration. Historically, federal funding for postsecondary education has skewed toward traditional degree programs. The new Workforce Pell Grants level the playing field, helping more students access high-quality workforce education and fill needed jobs.
Workforce Pell Grants also contain a great policy innovation: Funds may only go to programs that deliver strong economic outcomes. To qualify for grants, a program must ensure that its graduates’ earnings three years after completion exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty line ($23,475 in 2025) plus the price of tuition. Programs that leave students earning low wages cannot qualify.
