Offering tuition help to retain employees
College can be expensive. The hulking cost of tuition is often a major factor in whether someone decides to pursue higher education. While a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant might not cover the total cost of attending school, many employers help their workers through tuition assistance programs. These benefit programs vary in structure and dollar amounts, but all aim to help employees work toward a degree or certificate. Here are 12 fast-food chains that offer some form of tuition assistance to their hourly employees.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A offers tuition discounts of up to 30% to eligible employees at more than 100 participating colleges, universities and other institutions. Discounts — and how those are applied — vary. The chicken sandwich destination, which has more than 2,600 locations, also has a Leadership Scholarship that gives employees the opportunity to earn up to $2,500 a year and can be renewed for four years. The company’s Remarkable Futures scholarship is also awarded to select employees and can be worth a one-time amount of $25,000, according to the company’s website.
Chili’s Grill & Bar
Chili’s, a fast-casual dining chain with more than 1,200 U.S. locations in 2023, partners with publishing giant Pearson Education to offer the Best You EDU program, which helps eligible employees earn an associate degree online at no cost. While Best You EDU offers associate degree and certificate programs through a partnership with Pima, Chili’s also has per-term tuition reimbursement up to $300 and $700 for undergraduate and graduate degree programs, respectively, according to the scholarship website.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
The chain known for its personalized bowls, salads and burritos at more than 3,200 locations covers or reimburses employees’ tuition up to the IRS limit of $5,250. Chipotle covers 100% of tuition for employees to pursue college opportunities in agricultural science, hospitality and supply chain through a partnership with Guild Education, a company that manages higher education programs. Additionally, Guild offers advising on applications and course selection through 1-on-1 support to its restaurant partners, according to the program’s website.
KFC
KFC offers the REACH Educational Grant Program to eligible employees. The program provides college tuition assistance in the form of a grant — money that doesn’t need to be repaid. Award amounts per academic year range from $3,000 to $3,500 for nonmanagerial restaurant workers; managers can receive up to $4,000. The funds can be used toward a degree from a two- or four-year college for undergraduate and graduate study, as well as at vocational and trade schools, per the company website. Additionally KFC offers workers the opportunity to study free of charge at Western Governors University in Utah, where students can choose from more than 60 online degree programs.
Marco’s Pizza
The pizza chain — which was founded in Oregon, an Ohio city near Toledo, and now has more than 1,000 locations — began offering educational perks to its full- and part-time workers in 2017. Employees can receive up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement per year if they pursue an online degree full time at Bellevue University in Nebraska. Immediate family members of Marco’s Pizza employees are also eligible for up to $2,625 in annual tuition assistance, per the company website.
McDonald’s
McDonalds, a fast-food giant with its iconic golden arches and upward of 40,000 locations around the world, prides itself on giving away $185 million in tuition assistance through its Archways to Opportunity program. Tuition assistance varies from $2,500 for employees in part-time roles to $5,250 in assistance for workers in full-time managerial roles. Employees are encouraged to reach out to their supervisor, per the company website, and can attend a trade school, community college or four-year university.
Papa John’s
Pizza joint Papa John’s, which has more than 5,000 locations worldwide, got in on the tuition discount action in 2019 when it minted a partnership with the online arm of Purdue University–West Lafayette in Indiana. The University of Maryland Global, University of Phoenix and Colorado Technical University have since become partners. The program, known as Dough & Degrees, offers tuition assistance up to full coverage depending on the employee’s classification. For example, the partner university websites list different discounts for corporate employees compared to those working for franchise owners, so employees should check with management to understand the full benefits package available to them. The benefit applies to online programs at nine schools, according to the company’s website.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut offers Life Unboxed EDU, a tuition reimbursement program, to its hourly employees. The benefit is extended to all Pizza Hut employees and their immediate family members, per the company website, which notes that tuition discounts of up to 45% are available. Through Life Unboxed, the pizza chain provides tuition discounts for several online programs through Excelsior University in New York, as well as the ability to transfer credits from company management-level training toward a degree. This pizza joint, which has more than 16,000 locations worldwide, also offers tuition assistance scholarships to employees that range from $500 to $2,000.
Sheetz
This mid-Atlantic convenience store chain, known for selling fast food, offers tuition assistance. The family-owned business, which has 700 locations, offers hourly employees up to $5,250 a year — $2,625 per semester — in tuition reimbursement. Sheetz partners with 29 institutions to provide discounted tuition rates for employees, according to company spokesperson Harry Hammel. Additional scholarship programs are extended to employees’ children, and scholarships also are available for eligible employees or qualifying children through the Big Joe Scholarship Fund.
Starbucks
The Seattle-based coffee chain offers full tuition for Arizona State University’s online program, helping hourly part-time and full-time U.S. employees earn a bachelor’s degree. Under Starbucks’ partnership with ASU, the company reimburses employees’ tuition and fees after each semester. The program is available to all benefits-eligible employees who have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree. Starbucks also offers a Pathway to Admission program that enables workers who are not initially accepted to ASU’s online programs to take up to 10 college-level courses to earn admission. Veterans can extend the education benefit to one qualified family member. The coffee company, which has nearly 35,000 stores worldwide, also offers a $1,000 tuition reimbursement for workers who have been with the organization for six months.
Taco Bell
This popular taco destination provides access to tuition discounts through a partnership with Guild Education. According to the Taco Bell website, employees can get tuition discounts of 5% to 20%. The website also notes that employees can get up to $5,250 in funding a year to pursue an online associate degree, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree. Additionally, college credit based on Taco Bell training may be available from partner universities. Taco Bell also touts academic coaching and financial advising for college through its partnership with Guild Education, as well as the Live Mas Scholarship for restaurant employees.
White Castle
White Castle’s tuition reimbursement program is called ASPIRE and was introduced in 2023. Hourly workers can earn up to $2,500 in reimbursement after 60 days of being with the company. Salaried staff can earn up to $5,000 toward tuition reimbursement after one year of service with the hamburger joint. Tuition is reimbursed upon completion of an education program, according to company spokesperson. Employees may also be eligible for the Ingram-White Castle Foundation Educational Scholarship, which can help pay for part- or full-time undergraduate or graduate studies.
Fast-food restaurants with tuition assistance programs
— Chick-fil-A
— Chili’s Grill & Bar
— Chipotle Mexican Grill
— KFC
— Marco’s Pizza
— McDonald’s
— Papa John’s
— Pizza Hut
— Sheetz
— Starbucks
— Taco Bell
— White Castle
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12 Fast-Food Jobs That Pay for College originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/12/23: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
