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Companies that Help Employees With College Tuition


The process of finding financial aid and funding sources for college tuition usually includes the FAFSA, federal loans, scholarships, and grants. You may not know that your employer may offer help with college tuition. Some do so as a regular perk or benefit for all workers at the company. Others do it as a way to cultivate exceptional employees by advancing education and knowledge that they can use at work specifically.

How Does Tuition Reimbursement Work?

Some businesses offer tuition reimbursement in an employee benefits package along with 401(k) retirement plans, healthcare, paid time off, and other perks. If you work for one of these companies and take college classes at the same time, they will pay a certain percentage or monetary value of your tuition costs. In most cases, it will not cover very much. Also, tuition reimbursement may be eligible for federal taxes if it exceeds the annual limit, which is currently $5,250.

Dozens of Employers Who Help With College Tuition

While this is not at all an exhaustive list of all companies that help employees with college tuition, it represents some of the most well-known and largest around.

Telecommunications Companies: Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile

Transportation Companies: UPS, FedEx, Carmax, Jet Blue, Ford

Food-related Companies: Smuckers, Starbucks, Chipotle, McDonald's, Papa John's

Financial Institutions: Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Fidelity, Capital One

Retail Companies: Best Buy, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, CVS, Whirlpool, Wayfair

Entertainment Companies: Disney, Showtime

Research Criteria for Tuition Assistance

If your employer did not make this list, you can ask your human resources department or your boss directly if they offer this benefit to workers. When you do so, research precisely how their program works and what type of classes they pay tuition for. In some cases, companies and organizations only reimburse expenses if your degree program or individual coursework will benefit them in some way. In other words, you must take classes that advance your ability to perform your job duties successfully. This is especially prevalent for smaller companies that require a certain type of certification from you.

These companies help employees with college tuition for a variety of reasons. If your employer is not on this list, that does not mean they offer no help. Speak with human resources and explore your options before making final decisions about whether you can attend college or not as an adult student. You might just be surprised about the options available to you.