Companies that Pay for College
In the Great Resignation era, debt-free degrees have become an increasingly popular way to attract and retain employees. Companies like Chipotle, Lowe's, and Target have upped their game in recent years to offer fully-funded degree programs through education partners like Guild Education. Many other companies offer tuition reimbursement or other funding options to help employees advance their education.
Data shows employees are leaving jobs in search of companies that offer them a path forward. The Pew Research Center reported that two-thirds of employees who quit jobs in 2021 left because there were no opportunities for advancement.
Data also shows that when employers invest in their employees' education, it pays off. A study done by the Lumina Foundation showed that when Discover Financial Services invested more than $7 million in tuition reimbursement, they saw a 144% return on investment. The company saved nearly $11 million on talent management thanks to higher promotion, transfer, and retention rates.
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Education benefits What to look for List of companiesWhat Education Benefits Are Available to Employees?
Tuition reimbursement is the most popular kind of employer funding for college. Eligible employees pay for their education up front and can apply for a refund from their employer. Some policies also allow students to be reimbursed for fees, books, and other costs associated with their program. Family tuition reimbursement or discounts are also sometimes available.
Instead of tuition reimbursement, employers may pay schools up front for the cost of an employee's classes. This makes college more accessible, as employees don't have to come up with a large sum of money beforehand to enroll.
School partnerships are also common for employers who offer education funding. Companies may work with specific colleges to offer fully-funded degrees or tuition discounts to employees. Your employer also may partner with education networks such as Guild Education or Bright Horizons, which work with colleges across the country to offer degree programs for employees.
What to Look for When Choosing a Job for Education Benefits
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a job that will pay for college. Depending on your personal situation and education goals, some benefits may not fit your needs.
One of the most common caveats is limiting tuition reimbursement to specific employee groups. Some companies may only provide the benefit to full-time or salaried workers, which can be limiting for college students who are working hourly or part-time jobs.
Most education benefit programs cover bachelor's degrees, but certificates, associate degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees are not always eligible. Employers may also only cover approved programs at accredited colleges or work with specific partner schools.
Many programs limit tuition funding to $5,250 per year, which is the maximum amount employees can receive without paying taxes on it. Any funding over that limit will count as taxable income.
Interested in companies that can help you pay for grad school? We’ve compiled a list of employers that pay for a master’s degree.
Companies that Will Pay for a College Degree
| Company | Funding limit | Who is it available to? | School or program restrictions | Degree levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dish | $10,000 per year for salaried employees $5,250 per year for hourly employees | Salaried and hourly employees who have been with Dish for 90 days | Limited to approved programs at Bellevue University | Bachelor's and master's degrees |
| Discover | Full funding at some online schools $2,500 per year for associate degrees $5,250 per year for bachelor’s degrees $10,000 per year for master’s degrees | Employees who work at least 30 hours a week | Limited to in-network schools Fully-funded programs available at Wilmington University, Brandman University, and University of Florida Online | Associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees and certificates |
| Marco’s Pizza | $5,250 in tuition assistance per year Immediate family members qualify for up to $2,625 per year | Full and part-time employees and immediate family members | Bellevue University | Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees |
| JetBlue | Majority of cost for a bachelor's degree Tuition discounts for a master's degree | Active employees in good standing with two years of service with JetBlue For the bachelor's program, students must be pursuing their first bachelor’s degree | Bachelor's students finish their degree at Thomas Edison State University Master's students receive discounts at partner schools | Bachelor's and master's degrees |
| UCHealth | $5,250 per year with full funding for specific programs | UCHealth employees | Fully-funded programs include nursing, social work, and behavioral health degrees through Guild Education partner schools Partial funding available for other programs and colleges | High school and college prep classes, clinical certificates, bachelor's and master's degrees |
| Stanford University | $5,250 per year | Regular or fixed-term staff members in benefits-eligible positions for at least one year who work at least half-time | Regionally-accredited schools recognized by the U.S. Department of Education | Associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees |
| University of Pennsylvania | 100% of tuition, and general and technology fees at UPenn for up to two course units each term | Regular, full-time faculty and staff and limited service staff after 6 months in their eligible role Retired faculty and staff are also eligible | Limited to programs at UPenn | Certificates, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees |
| GEICO | $5,250 per year | Associates are eligible on their first day of employment | Available at 220 partner schools and education providers | Individual courses, certificates, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees |
| Qualcomm | Up to 100% of tuition | Unknown | Accredited schools and some massive open online course providers such as Coursera or Udacity | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| Baylor Scott & White Health | Up to $5,250 for clinical degrees and leadership programs Up to $4,250 for non-clinical programs | Regular full-time employees Regular benefits-eligible part-time employee with at least 40 regularly scheduled hours per pay period | Limited to specific schools for Family Nurse Practitioner degrees | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| Fidelity | 90% of qualified tuition expenses up to a maximum limit of $10,000 per calendar year* *In January 2023, this benefit will change to 100% of the cost up to $5,250 per year Covers 100% of the cost for certain certificates | Employees who work at least 30 hours per week, after six months of employment* *Starting in January 2023, employees will qualify after 90 days of employment | Courses must be taken at an accredited college or university and must be approved by management | Certificates, undergraduate, and master's programs |
| Whirlpool | Unknown | Unknown | Programs must be accredited | Undergraduate and graduate degrees |
| Chipotle | $5,250 per year 100% of tuition funded at specific schools through Guild Education | Full and part-time employees An employee must work for at least 15 hours per week for four months to become | May be limited to programs offered through Guild Education | High school and college prep classes, certificates, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees |
| Elevance Health | $5,000 per year for full-time employees $2,500 for part-time employees Tuition discounts and scholarships for graduate programs available at partner school | Any full-time or part-time employee who works at least 20 hours per week and has been employed at least six months | Tuition discounts available at Western Governors University for master's students | Associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees |
| Best Buy | $3,500 for undergraduate programs or $5,250 for graduate programs minus the amount you receive from scholarships, grants, and other funding | Active, full-time Best Buy employees after six months of employment | Nationally accredited schools recognized by the U.S. Department of Education Online schools must be members of the National University Continuing Education Association Must be job-related | High school and college prep classes, first-time associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees Other courses must be job-related |
| Abbott Laboratories | $7,000 per year for undergraduate programs $10,000 per year for graduate classes | Employees with at least one year of full-time business experience | Limited to business-relevant classes | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| Gap, Inc | Up to $5,000 per year | Full-time employees in good standing after at least one year of employment This includes employees at the following Gap companies: Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix | Courses taken at a regionally or nationally accredited institution | Certificates, associate, bachelor’s, and master's degrees |
| Intel | 100% of tuition assistance for eligible schools and programs Up to $50,000 per program | Unknown | Job-related degrees Tuition for Teaching program available to employees receiving their first teaching certification in STEM to become a public school teacher | Undergraduate and master's programs |
| Comcast | $5,750 per year for undergraduate programs $8,000 per year for graduate programs Full tuition grants available for some colleges Tuition discounts for family members available at some schools | Full-time employees with at least six months of employment | May be limited to programs at partner schools | Associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees |
| McDonald’s | $3,000 per year for full-time managers or staff at participating franchises $2,500 per year for restaurant crew members and part-time employees at participating franchises | Full-time managers or staff who work at least 30 hours per week Restaurant crew members and part-time employees who work an average of 15 hours per week | Limited to approved schools accredited by the U.S. Department of Education Includes technical and vocational schools | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| HCA Healthcare | $5,250 per year Full funding available for some clinical programs Scholarships and $50-100 in student loan assistance per month also available | Full and part-time employees with at least 90 days of employment | Tuition discounts available at Galen College of Nursing and Western Governors University May be limited to partner schools | High school courses, English language classes, certificates, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees |
| Pizza Hut | $5,250 per year for salaried, full-time corporate employees 45% discount on undergraduate tuition and 15% off graduate tuition at Excelsior College for salary or hourly employees | Tuition reimbursement available to salaried, full-time corporate employees Equity or franchise, salaried or hourly employees and their immediate family members are eligible for tuition discounts | Excelsior College | Certificates, professional development courses, associate, bachelor’s, and master's degrees |
| Target | 100% of tuition covered for select degrees through Dream to Be program $5,250 per year for undergraduate degrees $10,000 per year for graduate programs | All full and part-time employees eligible for Dream to Be program Limited eligibility for traditional tuition reimbursement program | Dream to Be program limited to partner schools through Guild Education | High school completion, college prep classes, English language classes, bootcamps, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees |
| Home Depot | $5,000 per year for salaried employees $3,000 per year for full-time hourly employees $1,500 per year for part-time hourly employees | Salaried, full-time and part-time hourly employees | Courses must be approved and offered by an accredited college, university or technical school | Certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees |
| State of Florida | Tuition and fee waiver for up to six credit hours per semester, limited to $5,250 per year | Full-time, salaried employees | State colleges and universities in Florida on a space-limited basis | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| Disney | 100% of tuition paid Reimbursement for books and fees | Full-time and part-time hourly employees through Disney Aspire program | Limited to partner programs and schools, largely online | Undergraduate and graduate programs |
| Papa John's | Up to 100% of tuition paid for corporate employees Reduced tuition for franchise employees | Corporate team members and franchise employees | Limited to online partner schools | Associate, bachelor's and master's programs |
| T-Mobile | $5,250 per year for full-time employees $2,500 per year for part-time employees 100% of tuition paid at some online schools | Active full and part-time employees in good standing after 90 days of employment | Full tuition benefit limited to Ashford University, Capella University, Colorado Technical University, Kaplan or University of Phoenix (UoP) | Undergraduate and graduate degrees |
| Boeing | Up to $25,000 per year No annual limit for eligible STEM degrees and courses | Unknown | Limited to Boeing-approved fields of study Master's and doctoral students must remain at the company for 2 years | Certificates, courses, master's, and doctoral degrees |
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