Tuberville and Husted Introduce DECIDE Act to Boost Transparency in Higher Education Costs

September 3, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a bipartisan effort to address the growing concerns over student loan debt and the rising cost of college, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Jon Husted (R-OH) have introduced the Debt, Earnings, and Cost Information Disclosure for Education (DECIDE) Act. The legislation aims to provide students and families with clearer, more comprehensive financial data before committing to a four-year university.

Purpose of the DECIDE Act

The DECIDE Act seeks to codify Section 4 of Executive Order 13864, issued by President Donald Trump in 2019. That section expanded the functionality of the College Scorecard-a digital tool designed to help prospective students compare colleges based on key metrics. By embedding these requirements into law, the DECIDE Act would ensure long-term access to critical financial information.

Senator Tuberville emphasized the urgency of the issue:

"The most important commodity we have in the United States is our young people, yet more and more of them are finding themselves buried in student loan debt. The cost of higher education is out of control."

Senator Husted echoed the sentiment:

"Students deserve to know exactly what financial burdens and realistic outcomes come with attending a college. My bill would help students make informed decisions about their futures and avoid being shackled by debt for years to come."

What the Bill Would Require

If enacted, the DECIDE Act would mandate that the College Scorecard publish detailed financial data for each institution and academic program, including:

• Estimated median earnings of graduates

• Median Federal Stafford loan debt

• Median Graduate PLUS loan debt (for graduate students)

• Median Parent PLUS loan debt (for parents of undergraduates)

• Default and repayment rates for:

• Federal Stafford loans

• Graduate PLUS loans

• Parent PLUS loans

These metrics would help students and families assess the long-term financial implications of attending a particular college, including how quickly graduates and parents typically repay their loans and how often they default.

Context and Impact

Since 1963, college tuition has surged by nearly 500%, placing a heavy financial burden on students and families. The DECIDE Act aims to counter this trend by equipping prospective students with the data needed to make informed, financially sound decisions.

The College Scorecard already provides insights into graduation rates, employment outcomes, and average debt levels. The DECIDE Act would expand and formalize these disclosures, making them a permanent fixture in federal education policy.