119-HR-6498 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary — H.R. 6498: Student Financial Clarity Act of 2025

Headline Summary: A bipartisan House bill to give families clearer, program-by-program price tags for college and a single federal net price calculator, so students can compare real costs, aid, debt, and expected earnings before enrolling.

What It Does: The bill directs the U.S. Department of Education to expand the College Scorecard with program-level data on costs, financial aid, borrowing and repayment, student progress, and post‑completion earnings, broken out by characteristics like income level, enrollment status, and residency. It also requires a Universal Net Price Calculator that estimates each student’s annual and total “net price required for completion” and “net price of attendance,” lets users compare schools and programs, and factors in cost trends and aid. Colleges receiving federal aid must host a compliant calculator, and the Department must update the data annually and consumer‑test the tools. The law takes effect July 1, 2027.

• Who’s For It:
• - Sponsors: Rep. Brett Guthrie (R‑KY) with Reps. Robert Onder (R‑MO) and Lori Trahan (D‑MA), signaling bipartisan interest.
• - Supportive arguments (as reflected by the bill’s purpose and design): clearer, apples‑to‑apples price information at the program level; easier comparisons across schools; earlier, more realistic estimates of out‑of‑pocket costs; visibility into borrowing, repayment, and earnings to gauge value.

• Who’s Against It:
• - No formal opposition is noted in the provided materials at this early stage.
• - Potential concerns based on the bill’s requirements could include: compliance and reporting burdens for institutions; risks of misinterpreting earnings data across different fields and regions; privacy considerations when disaggregating results; and the challenge of producing estimates that remain accurate as aid and costs change.

What’s Next: The bill was introduced on December 9, 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The committee may hold hearings and a markup; if approved, it would head to the full House for a vote, then to the Senate. If both chambers pass the same text, it would go to the President.

• Other Notable Provisions:
• - Defines “program of study” by CIP code and credential level; focuses transparency at the program level rather than only the institution.
• - Requires consumer testing to keep the Scorecard and calculator understandable and relevant.
• - Replaces statutory references to College Navigator with College Scorecard and repeals the separate Early Estimator Tool to avoid duplicative federal calculators.

Tone: Neutral, factual, and plain language — aimed at giving voters a quick, clear view of what the bill would change and why it could matter to students and families.