This report examines the relationship between on-campus employment and undergraduate student persistence and graduation. Campus employment, in addition to providing financial support, also provides opportunity for meaningful learning experiences and connection to the campus community, similar to other co-curricular experiences.

This report uses student employment data in the system of record for the FA08 through FA18 first-time, full-time cohort , while statistically controlling for other factors associated with persistence and graduation, to examine these associations more in-depth. Associations are further explored by the intersection of underserved attributes (Pell recipient, first generation, and racially minoritized).

In general, persistence and graduation rates plateau at 6-10 hours per week. However, these data do not suggest that working more than 10 hours a week is negatively associated with persistence and graduation.

Working on campus is a promising behavior, with potential to support persistence and graduation across a student’s career, regardless of timing. It is positively associated with persistence and graduation across all years that students are employed, compared to students who did not work during the same time period. Similar to other co-curricular opportunities, working on campus can serve as another experience to support success for all students, particularly for those with underserved identities.