A concern I often hear from homeschooling parents is this: “My teen can’t possibly work their way through college because wages are just too low.” On the surface, that feels true. When you picture a student earning minimum wage at a random job, the basic math does not add up. But the strategy isn’t to use basic math; it’s to use creativity.
The objection to working during college comes from imagining the wrong kind of job. If the plan is to patch together minimum wage shifts at a coffee shop or grocery store, you are right: it will not cover college tuition in full. But what most families don’t realize is that many companies have designed benefit programs that pay 100% of college tuition, even for part-time employees.
In Creative College Funding (Chapter 5), we go deep into working your way through college. I love to talk about these “moving at the speed of budget” strategies because two of my husband’s four degrees were paid for this way! His last two degrees (MBA and doctorate) were free for us and resulted in pay bumps both times. Thank you!
Working your way through college is an intentional strategy you can use by taking a job with built-in tuition benefits. The key is not the hourly wage, but the tuition program tied to the job. The wage is just the cherry on top.
To maximize these benefits, here are five key points every family should consider when selecting a job with their teen:
- Select an employer that offers direct-to-college tuition payments instead of reimbursements. These programs ensure tuition is paid in full rather than relying on hourly wages, scholarships, or loans.
- Choose an employer that covers tuition from DAY ONE. Even companies that don’t offer benefits immediately often do after 3 months. This means teens who just graduated high school can begin working in the summer in time for fall enrollment.
- Look for employers that extend benefits to part-time workers. Your teen does not have to commit to a 40-hour work week to access full tuition coverage; most benefits kick in at 10-15 hours..
- Match the job deliberately to the goal. The right job is not a random paycheck. It is a strategic choice that provides both income and full tuition coverage. There are dozens of colleges offering hundreds of majors that have partnered with thousands of employers. The money is REAL.
These criteria turn a part-time job into a complete college funding strategy.
4 Employers Your Teen Should Consider
Target – Provides 100% tuition coverage for part-time employees from Day 1.
Walmart – Provides 100% tuition coverage for part-time employees from Day 1.
Chipotle – Provides 100% tuition coverage for part-time employees from Day 1.
Starbucks – Partners with Arizona State University to cover 100% of tuition for online bachelor’s degrees at ASU, available to part-time employees after three months.
If you’d like to learn a smarter way to pay for your education, my new book, Creative College Funding: How Smart Homeschooling Families Get Through College Without Debt, is dedicated to this topic!
I’ve always been willing to find creative ways to get through college without debt, and my family is on degree #14 without debt. You can do this too!
