Your Job Might Pay for College

Companies That Can Help You Earn a Paycheck and an Education

Imagine this.

You’re choosing between two jobs.

Job #1 pays you a paycheck.

Job #2 pays you a paycheck and helps pay for college.

Suddenly, that hourly wage isn’t the only number worth looking at.

Some of America’s largest employers offer tuition assistance, tuition-free degree programs, scholarships, professional certifications, career training and other education benefits to eligible employees.

And some of these opportunities are available to part-time workers.

That means the job you take during high school or college could potentially become part of your college financial plan.

Welcome to one of our favorite kinds of scholarship hunting:

Get Hired. Get Paid. Get Educated.

Before we start, one important note:

Employer education benefits change frequently. Eligibility can depend on your position, location, number of hours worked, length of employment, school, degree program and other requirements.

Always verify the current benefit directly with the employer before accepting a job or making an education decision.

Now, let’s go shopping for employers.

⭐ STARBUCKS

The “Would You Like a Bachelor’s Degree With That Latte?” Award

Starbucks has one of the best-known employer college programs in the country.

Through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, eligible U.S. employees—Starbucks calls them partners—can receive 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online degree programs.

Students can choose from more than 100 undergraduate degree programs.

Employees must meet Starbucks benefits eligibility requirements and complete the FAFSA. Starbucks also offers a Pathway to Admission program for eligible partners who don’t initially qualify for ASU admission.

Why We Like It

This isn’t a small annual reimbursement.

It’s a structured pathway to completing an entire bachelor’s degree.

Good Fit For

Students comfortable with online college who might want to work while earning a degree.

🛒 WALMART + SAM’S CLUB

The “Put the Degree in the Cart” Award

Walmart’s Live Better U program is another standout.

Eligible Walmart and Sam’s Club associates can receive 100% paid tuition and required books for eligible programs.

Options include:

• Bachelor’s degrees
• Career certificates
• Industry credentials
• College-preparation programs
• High school completion
• Short-form career training

Eligible full-time and part-time associates can participate starting on their first day of employment.

Walmart currently partners with schools offering programs in areas such as business, computer science, engineering, supply chain and manufacturing.

One Particularly Interesting Example

Walmart has even created career pathways such as a fully funded associate degree in Optical Science combined with hands-on training toward becoming a licensed optician.

Why We Like It

A student can potentially take an entry-level job and use it as the beginning of a much larger career-and-education strategy.

🎯 TARGET

The “Bullseye on Tuition” Award

Target’s education program is called Dream to Be.

Eligible U.S. team members can access education benefits beginning on day one.

Target says the program includes hundreds of certificate, bootcamp and degree programs through more than 40 schools, with many offered tuition-free.

Available areas may include:

• Associate degrees
• Bachelor’s degrees
• Certificates
• Bootcamps
• Business
• Technology
• Analytics
• Other career-related programs

Target reported that thousands of employees have already graduated through Dream to Be.

Why We Like It

Target is exactly the kind of place many students already consider for a part-time job.

The education benefit changes the math considerably.

📦 AMAZON

The “Your Box Comes With Tuition” Award

Amazon’s Career Choice program helps eligible employees pursue education and job training.

Amazon says it prepays 100% of tuition up to an annual maximum and reimburses approved books and fees.

Programs can include:

• College coursework
• Associate and bachelor’s degree pathways
• Industry certifications
• Career training
• English-language learning
• Foundational skills

There is no lifetime limit on how many years an eligible employee can use the benefit, although annual funding limits apply.

Amazon works with hundreds of education partners around the world.

Why We Like It

Career Choice isn’t designed only to train workers for Amazon jobs.

Some programs intentionally prepare employees for careers outside Amazon, too.

That’s unusual—and very student-friendly.

🏰 DISNEY

The “Yes, Mickey May Help Pay Your Tuition” Award

Disney’s education benefit is called Disney Aspire.

Eligible hourly cast members and employees may have access to programs through a network of participating schools.

Disney describes Aspire as offering:

• Tuition assistance
• More than 100 programs
• Online options
• Multiple participating schools
• Support throughout the education process

Current Disney job postings describe eligible hourly cast members as potentially receiving 100% upfront paid tuition through Disney Aspire.

Why We Like It

For students who already dream of working for Disney, the employee education benefit deserves to be part of the conversation.

🌯 CHIPOTLE

The “Burrito With a Side of Bachelor’s Degree” Award

Chipotle employees can access substantial education assistance.

Chipotle currently advertises up to $5,250 per year toward education goals as well as its Debt-Free Degree program.

Through its education partnership, select programs may be 100% tuition paid.

Options may include:

• Undergraduate degrees
• Master’s degrees
• Certificates
• Bootcamps
• High school completion
• College preparation
• English-language learning

The current program includes hundreds of educational options through multiple colleges and universities.

Bonus

Employees also receive a free meal during qualifying shifts.

College tuition and guacamole?

We’re listening.

❤️ CVS HEALTH

The “Prescription for Lower Tuition” Award

CVS Health offers several education benefits.

Eligible employees may be able to earn degrees through participating universities with no out-of-pocket tuition cost when using the company’s College Education Program.

CVS also currently advertises:

Up to $3,000 annually for eligible degree programs.

Up to $1,500 annually for approved non-degree education options.

Employees working 30 or more hours per week may become eligible on the first day of the month after hire, while employees working fewer than 30 hours may become eligible after 90 days.

Pharmacy Students, Pay Attention

CVS also advertises a PharmD Tuition Assistance Program offering up to $20,000 per year for eligible students in their final two years of pharmacy school.

That’s an entirely different level of benefit.

📱 T-MOBILE

The “Can You Hear Me Now? Tuition’s Calling.” Award

T-Mobile says it covers the full tuition bill at several online universities and also provides tuition assistance for eligible full- and part-time employees.

T-Mobile also lists college coaching among its employee benefits.

Why We Like It

Don’t assume meaningful education benefits are reserved for full-time corporate employees.

Part-time eligibility can make programs like this particularly interesting for students.

📦 FEDEX

The “Deliver Packages, Deliver a Degree” Award

Some FedEx positions currently advertise a very straightforward benefit:

Up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement every year.

Even better?

Some FedEx job listings state:

No lifetime cap.

And eligible employees may qualify starting on their first day of employment.

Why That Matters

Suppose a student used the full $5,250 benefit for four years.

That’s potentially:

$21,000 toward education.

Suddenly that part-time job looks very different.

📦 UPS

The “Brown Truck, Green Tuition” Award

UPS offers the Earn & Learn program in select locations.

Eligible employees can receive:

Up to $5,250 per calendar year

with a:

$25,000 lifetime maximum.

UPS also says there are no course-of-study restrictions within this program, and eligibility can begin on the first day of employment at participating locations.

Why We Like It

This is another great example of why students should compare benefits, not simply hourly wages.

🍟 McDONALD’S

The “Would You Like Tuition With Those Fries?” Award

McDonald’s offers education assistance through Archways to Opportunity.

For participating restaurants, eligible employees may receive annual tuition assistance.

Current program information lists benefits including:

Up to $2,500 annually for eligible part-time McDonald’s-operated restaurant employees.

Up to $5,250 annually for certain eligible managers.

Different benefit levels may apply at participating franchise-owned restaurants.

Students may use assistance at approved:

• Two-year colleges
• Four-year colleges
• Universities
• Technical schools
• Vocational schools
• Some graduate programs

McDonald’s also provides education and career advising services through participating restaurants.

Why We Like It

A teenager’s first job could potentially become part of a future college strategy.

That’s worth knowing before applying.

🐔 CHICK-FIL-A

The “Chicken Sandwich Scholarship” Award

Chick-fil-A handles education assistance a little differently.

Instead of relying only on tuition reimbursement, the company offers its Remarkable Futures Scholarships to eligible restaurant team members.

For 2026, scholarship awards included:

$1,000

$2,500

and

$25,000

awards.

Scholarships can be used at accredited:

• Colleges
• Universities
• Online programs
• Technical schools
• Vocational schools

And here’s an especially nice feature:

The money is awarded upfront rather than requiring students to pay tuition first and wait for reimbursement.

Chick-fil-A awarded more than $29 million in scholarships to over 16,000 restaurant team members and community scholars in 2026.

Why We Like It

There’s no minimum tenure requirement for the Team Member scholarship program, although students must meet the current eligibility requirements when applying.

🛒 PUBLIX

The “Groceries + Tuition” Award

Publix offers tuition reimbursement to eligible associates.

And this isn’t limited only to full-time employees.

Publix says associates may become eligible after:

90 days of continuous employment

and an average of:

10 hours of work per week.

Manager approval is also required.

The program may cover:

• Undergraduate education
• Graduate education
• Individual courses
• Online programs
• Technical training

Approved areas of study currently include fields such as:

Accounting
Business
Data analytics
Communications
Computer science
Cybersecurity
Engineering
Economics
Management

and others.

Why We Like It

That relatively low weekly-hour requirement could make this especially interesting for students working during school.

🏦 BANK OF AMERICA

The “Bank the Tuition Benefit” Award

Some employers become particularly interesting once students graduate from high school and begin building careers.

Bank of America currently offers eligible U.S. employees up to $7,500 per year in tuition assistance for approved job-related:

• Courses
• Degrees
• Professional certifications

This is a good reminder:

Employer education benefits aren’t only for traditional college students.

They can help employees continue learning throughout their careers.

🍎 APPLE

The “One More Thing… Tuition” Award

Apple lists reimbursement for certain educational expenses—including tuition—for eligible formal education related to advancing an employee’s career.

The exact benefit will depend on eligibility and the program involved, so this is one students should investigate carefully when considering Apple employment.

🔨 HOME DEPOT

The “Build a Career While You’re Building Everything Else” Award

Home Depot currently lists tuition reimbursement among the benefits available for many eligible positions.

The benefit can vary by:

• Position
• Full-time or part-time status
• Location
• Employment classification

So students should ask for the current tuition-reimbursement details before counting on a specific amount.

Here’s the Big Lesson

Most students compare jobs like this:

Job A: $16/hour

Job B: $17/hour

Easy.

Take Job B.

Not so fast.

Suppose Job A offers:

$5,250 per year toward college

and Job B offers:

nothing.

If you worked 15 hours per week for 50 weeks, that extra $1 per hour at Job B would equal roughly:

$750 more in wages.

But Job A could potentially provide:

$5,250 in education benefits.

Now which job pays more?

Exactly.

Your Hourly Wage Is Only Part of Your Paycheck.

Students: Ask These Questions BEFORE Taking a Job

When interviewing for a job, don’t simply ask:

“What’s the hourly pay?”

Ask:

Do you offer tuition assistance?

Is it available to part-time employees?

How long do I need to work here before I’m eligible?

Is there a minimum number of hours I need to work?

How much does the company provide each year?

Does the company pay the college directly or reimburse me afterward?

Do I have to attend certain schools?

Are only certain majors covered?

Can the benefit be used for community college?

Can it be used for trade or technical school?

Does it cover certifications?

Does it cover books and fees?

Do I have to remain employed after finishing the course?

Those questions could be worth thousands of dollars.

Tuition Assistance vs. Tuition Reimbursement

These two terms sound similar, but there’s an important difference.

TUITION ASSISTANCE

The employer may pay some or all of eligible educational costs directly or provide funding before the student pays the full bill.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

You may have to:

pay first

complete the course

submit documentation

and then receive reimbursement.

That can matter tremendously for a student who doesn’t have several thousand dollars sitting in a checking account.

Whenever possible, ask:

“Do I have to pay the tuition upfront?”

Don’t Forget Financial Aid and Scholarships

Employer tuition benefits don’t necessarily replace:

• FAFSA
• Grants
• Scholarships
• State aid
• College merit aid
• Institutional aid

Instead, the employer benefit can become another piece of the college-funding puzzle.

For some students, the winning combination might be:

**Employer Tuition Benefit

• Scholarships
• Grants
• Family Contribution
  = Much Less Borrowing**

Now we’re talking.

Build an Employer Education Strategy

Here’s a fun challenge.

Before accepting your next job, research three employers near you.

Create a simple comparison:

Employer	Hourly Pay	Tuition Benefit	When Eligible?	Part-Time Eligible?	Schools/Programs
Company A	$	$
Company B	$	$
Company C	$	$

Then ask:

Which job actually pays me the most?

Not just this Friday.

Over the next four years.

Parents: This Changes the Summer-Job Conversation

Instead of saying:

“You need to get a summer job.”

Try:

“Let’s find a job that helps you earn money AND helps build your future.”

Maybe that means:

Working somewhere with tuition assistance.

Finding an employer that offers certifications.

Choosing a company with advancement opportunities.

Getting experience related to a possible career.

Or finding a workplace that offers scholarships specifically for employees.

A teenage job doesn’t need to be random.

It can be strategic.

One More Thing: Don’t Choose a College JUST Because Your Employer Will Pay

A free degree isn’t automatically the right degree.

Students should still ask:

Is the school properly accredited?

Does it offer the major I need?

Will the degree prepare me for my intended career?

Will credits transfer if I change schools?

Does my profession require special licensing or accreditation?

What happens if I leave the company?

Free is wonderful.

But useful + free is even better.

Your New College-Funding Question

The next time you see a:

HELP WANTED

sign, don’t only wonder:

“How much does this job pay?”

Ask:

“What else will this job pay FOR?”

Maybe it’s tuition.

Maybe it’s a certification.

Maybe it’s career training.

Maybe it’s a scholarship.

Maybe it’s the first step toward graduating with dramatically less debt.

Because sometimes one of the best college scholarships isn’t called a scholarship at all.

It’s called an employee benefit.

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