An article from This week in 5 numbers: Education Department’s DEI crackdown sparks outcry

We’re rounding up recent stories, from a letter attempting to prohibit colleges’ diversity initiatives to an analysis of graduates’ earnings over time.

Published Feb. 21, 2025 Natalie Schwartz Senior Editor

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A sign for the U.S. Department of Education is seen outside its building on Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The agency released guidance threatening to pull the federal funding of colleges that consider race in their programs or policies. Alex Wong via Getty Images

From sweeping new guidance that attempts to bar diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at federally funded colleges to a recent analysis comparing graduates’ earnings over time, here are the top-line figures from some of our biggest stories of the week. 

By the numbers   14 The days that the U.S. Department of Education gave federally funded colleges to comply with sweeping guidance that bars them from considering race in their programs and policies, including scholarships, housing and graduation ceremonies. The guidance, however, doesn’t carry the force of law and is likely to draw legal challenges, according to some law firms.   $43,000 The average salary of associate-degree holders in their first year following graduation. While that’s similar to what bachelor’s degree holders make that first year, differences in their earnings widen over time, according to a recent analysis. Thirteen years after graduation, associate degree holders earn an average of $62,000, compared with $91,000 for those with bachelor's degrees.   $100 million+ The amount of funding that Northwestern University stands to lose from the National Institutes of Health’s new policy capping reimbursement for indirect research costs at 15%. Although a court has temporarily blocked the NIH from enforcing the policy, colleges are tightening their budgets in response to the potential blow their research funding would take.   6 The number of federal employees combing through the U.S. Department of Education’s contracts, grants and programs to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse,” according to a recent attestation from Department of Government Efficiency staffer Adam Ramada. A federal judge declined this week to block DOGE from accessing the Education Department’s data systems.   4 The maximum number of years public colleges in Kentucky could offer employment contracts to workers under a bill that cleared the state House’s higher education committee this week. The bill would also require that both college presidents and professors be evaluated every four years — a measure that faculty members said would weaken tenure. waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'mobile' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid1-mobile'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid1'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-mobile'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); }); waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'desktop' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid2-desktop'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid2'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-desktop'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); });

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