Relationships between On-Campus Employment and Academic Performance

Event Center A&B

The worth of a college degree has become arguably essential in today’s competitive job market. Education is often the key to accessing higher paying jobs and opportunities. Many students who choose higher education work while pursuing their degree due to the rising costs of school related expenses. Approximately 80% of students in U.S. colleges are employed while attending school (YouGov, 2013). It is unclear whether employment enhances or diminishes student performance and outcomes. It would seem the more hours students spend working, the less time they have to study, however, there may be an optimum work-school balance, contributing to the academic success of working students. This study seeks to determine the relationship between student employment and academic performance at a regional university in the southwestern United States. Archival data was used to determine whether or not students employed on campus have greater academic performance (GPA, units completed, and percentage of units attempted/completed per academic year) than those who are not employed on campus. Results indicated that students who work on-campus had higher GPAs and greater numbers of units completed, as well as a higher percentage of units attempted/completed per academic year than those who did not work on campus.