A majority of people go to college to obtain their degree and eventually land the job of their choice. While this process works for many, it isn’t practical for others. Some people have to leave college early, in order to help their family or for financial reasons. Other people cannot afford it in the first place, and instead must go to work immediately after high school. Even if you have had a less-than-traditional path and are currently working, it doesn’t mean that your dream of attending a college is over. In fact, there are many businesses that offer tuition assistance, or complete reimbursement, so you can finally achieve your goals of having a college degree.
With Starbucks’ recent announcement that it will provide free online education to thousands of its full-time and part-time workers, we set out to find other companies that offer to pay for your college degree.
Starbucks
As noted, Starbucks has announced that it will provide tuition reimbursement to its full-time and part-time employees, who do not already have a four-year college degree. In order to be eligible for this program, employees cannot work at one of the “licensed stores”, such as those within grocery stores, but rather it must be one of the freestanding Starbucks stores. Also, the degree must be completed through Arizona State University’s online program. If the employee qualifies, they will be reimbursed for tuition costs at the end of each semester, whereas most companies only reimburse at the end of the year.
It has been reported that over 140,000 of the 190,000 Starbucks employees will qualify.
Boeing
The aircraft manufacturer offers it employees tuition assistance in form of the Learning Together Program. Both full-time and part-time employees are eligible once they have been employed by Boeing for one year, but it is noted that they are taxed for any assistance over the amount of $5,250 per year. The schools must be accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education in order to qualify.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
The automaker provides up to $5,000 in tuition assistance each year for any worker that is taking job-related degree courses. These courses must be first reviewed by the tuition assistance plan administrators, to ensure they are eligible, but they can be taken at any national or regional accredited educational institution.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also has a program dedicated solely to employees’ children, that provides up to $1,500 in tuition assistance each year.
On top of this, any part-time or full-time employee at Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat, Dodge, or Ram dealerships can qualify for tuition assistance for associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees at no cost. The employee must have been employed by the dealership for more than 30 days in order to qualify, and the courses must be completed through Strayer University.
No matter what has stopped you from obtaining your college degree in the past, it is never too late to go back to college. Thanks to companies like Starbucks, Boeing, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and many more, getting your degree while you work has never been more convenient or affordable.