Press Releases

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) reintroduced legislation to reduce the cost of higher education for students across California and the United States. The Degrees Not Debt Act would double the maximum Pell Grant award to $14,800, decreasing the amount of burdensome student loan debt for individuals pursuing higher education, and index that award cap to inflation by the 2028-2029 school year.

“I firmly believe higher education should be a ladder to success, not a lifetime of financial strain,” said Rep. Carbajal. “Today, student debt is holding back millions of Americans from building the lives they deserve, and that’s not acceptable. My legislation will double the Pell Grant award, helping students graduate with less debt and more opportunity.”

The Degrees Not Debt Act has the endorsement of the National Education Association, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, University of California System, California State University System, California Community Colleges, Allan Hancock College, Santa Barbara City College, Ventura College, and Cuesta College.

“The University of California is proud to support the Degrees Not Debt Act, which would help ensure that the cost of higher education will not stand in the way of the nation’s college students. By doubling the Pell Grant and indexing it to inflation, this legislation would make an enormous difference. We must invest in the federal financial aid programs that enable students to access a high-quality and affordable education; they represent America’s future. UC appreciates Congressman Carbajal’s leadership and commends his commitment to the success of students across California and the nation,” said University of California Provost Katherine S. Newman.

“We are deeply appreciative of Rep. Carbajal and the cosponsors of the Degrees Not Debt Act for proposing legislation that invests in America’s workforce and communities by increasing the maximum Pell Grant award,” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García. “At the CSU, nearly half of our students rely on the Pell Grant each year to stay enrolled, pursue a life-changing degree and graduate with little to no debt. This legislation will help ensure that talented and diverse students for generations to come will be able to access higher education that would otherwise be out of reach.”

“The California Community Colleges are grateful for the leadership of Rep. Carbajal in standing up for affordability and access. Our guiding framework, Vision 2030, calls for policymakers to double down on ensuring that our students have access to financial aid that will enable to them to complete their education and enter today’s fast-changing workforce. The Pell Grant is such a critical tool and this legislation would be a game changer for students and the workforce nationwide,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. 

Carbajal worked with House Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration to raise the maximum Pell award for the 2023-2024 school year to $7,395, $500 higher than the previous year and $900 higher than 2021. These increases constitute the largest Pell increase in a decade.

Student loan debt in the U.S. totals more than $1.8 trillion – significantly larger than the total credit card debt held by Americans. Californians owe more than the average U.S. student loan borrower. As of June 2025, $151.5 billion in student loan debt belongs to California residents, with $38,300 being the average student loan debt. Close to 4 million student borrowers live in California.

About one in three U.S. college students—or more than 6 million students across the nation—currently rely on Pell Grants to help pay the enormous costs of college. But the current maximum Pell Grant award only covers a fraction of the average cost of an American four-year college education.