Federal college database launches: your earnings data, tracked for life.
H.R. 4806 — College Transparency Act · Filed by Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) · 15 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 29, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal database of student-level data from all colleges and universities receiving federal aid, to be maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics. The system will track enrollment, completion, costs, financial aid, and post-graduation outcomes (earnings, employment) by linking college data with IRS, Census, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs records. The data will be published in aggregate form on a public website so students and families can compare colleges; institutions will receive annual feedback reports; and vetted researchers can access de-identified student records. The bill explicitly prohibits selling the data, using it for law enforcement, or creating a federal college ranking system.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is establishing a federal student data system to increase transparency about college outcomes and costs for consumers and policymakers. It is fundamentally a public-accountability and consumer-information tool, not a subsidy, deregulation, or private carve-out.
What the text implies
- Federal data matching with IRS, Census, and Social Security creates a longitudinal earnings database for all college students—a powerful tool for labor-market analysis but also a persistent federal record linking education to lifetime earnings outcomes.
- States gain ability to track their own high school graduates' college enrollment and completion via data queries, potentially enabling state-level accountability pressure on institutions or students.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens gain transparency about college costs, completion rates, and earnings outcomes—information currently scattered or unavailable—enabling better educational decisions. The bill includes strong privacy protections (prohibits sale, law enforcement use, health data collection) and data minimization requirements.