Part-Time Work to Help Pay for College

Studies show that working 10-15 hours a week can help you budget your time and you may actually do better in college!

But working more than 20 hours per week often has a negative impact -- with poor grades as the consequence.

Working may enable you to borrow less money for college AND gain valuable work experience -- a good idea as long as you find the right balance of work and academics.

On-Campus Work

Most colleges or universities hire students to work on campus in various jobs.

You may be hired as part of a financial aid award (typically called work-study) or because you have certain skills the college needs.

Benefits of on-campus work:

• Transportation is usually not an issue —- you’ll spend a lot of time on campus anyway!
• Your supervisor will know you are a student with academic responsibilities and may be more willing to work with your class schedule than an off-campus employer.
• You may work in the academic area of your major, gaining valuable experience and good references for future employers.

Examples of where you might work:

• Library
• Academic department
• Science or computer lab
• Dining hall
• Campus post office
• Admissions, financial aid or other administrative offices.

The financial aid office at your college or university can give you more information on available options.

Internships

Internships are a valuable way to gain experience in your chosen field of study and boost your employment opportunities following college.

Internships may:

• Be for a few hours per week for experience, with no pay;
• Be a full-time job during a semester or summer, with or without pay; or
• Be part of a cooperative education program between an employer and the school that offers you a chance to work full-time for a semester to get on-the-job experience, academic credit and a salary at the same time.

Your academic department at your college or university can give you more information about these possibilities.

Off-Campus Work

Many employers close to colleges and universities are eager to hire college students on a part-time basis. How many wait staff and sales persons have you met that are also college students?

Before looking for a part-time job off-campus, consider:

• Transportation — not only how you will get to work, but how long will it take? Is the pay worth the transportation expense?
• Work schedule — Will the work schedule accommodate your class schedule? Will you be expected to work when you need to study?
• Do you have good time management skills to balance your class, work and study demands?
• You’ll probably earn more money in an off-campus job, but typically the work schedule is less flexible. Your employer expects you to be there, no matter what exam may be coming up.