If concerns over high student loan debt are preventing you from pursuing a higher education, one solution could be working for a company that’ll pay for your education, such as Amazon, Disney, or Walmart. Certain employers limit assistance to $5,250 per year—the maximum that's considered a tax-free benefit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), with higher amounts taxed as income—others cover everything.

1. Amazon

Most full-time and part-time hourly Amazon emplo🔥yees in the United States get access to the Amazon Career Choice program following a 90-day waiting period. This program offers pre-paid college tuition and reimbursement of books and fees, up to an annual limit.

The Career Choice program can be used virtually or on-campus at more than 400 education partners to earn an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or certificate.

2. Boeing

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing offers extensive college tuition support globally through its Learning Together Program (LTP). For science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, the LTP covers up to 100% of tuition, books and fees, paid directly to the school. For other programs, Boeing has annual limits, such as $15,000 for bachelor degrees and $25,000 for graduate degrees, among other workforce development offerings.

LTP access starts from the employee's hire date and can be used at over 300 partner schools, though students still have to meet a minimum baseline work schedule. Boeing also offers benefits like 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:scholarships for employees’ 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:dependents, in addition to reimbursing certain exam fees or even part of the cost to obtain a pilot's license.

Boeing also allows student loan payments made by most non-union employees to count, alongside their match-eligible contributions, toward its 10% 401(k) match.

3. Chipotle

After working at Chipotle for 120 days and averaging at least 15 hours per week, employees can become eligible for Chipotle's array of college education financial support.

In particular, Chipotle has partnered with education platform Guild to provide employees with access to a variety of learning programs. One option is Chipotle's Debt-Free Degree Program, where you can earn a tuition-free degree—such as a bachelor's or master's—at over 20 schools via Guild, in areas including business, technology, culinary arts, hospitality, and agriculture.

Another option includes Chipotle’s Tuition Reimbursement and Assistance plan, which provides up to $5,250 per year toward eligible undergraduate or graduate programs, either within Guild or through select external programs. Family members can also be eligible for some education assistance if you don’t use the full annual limit, such as for getting a GED.

One advantage of going through the Guild catalog is that required books and fees at select schools are covered as part of this annual limit. Additionally, if you make student loan payments, Chipotle provides a 401(k) match of up to 4% of your salary.

4. Discover

The 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:credit card company Discover offers U.S. full- and part-time employees education benefits through its Shine Brighter U program, starting from the first day of employment.

As with Chipotle, this program is also administered through Guild and offers some tuition-free associate's or bachelor's degrees in areas like business and technology at partner schools. Otherwise, the program provides up to $5,250 per year for undergrad degrees and up to $10,000 annually for graduate degrees. Assistance also extends to areas like college prep and certificate programs.

5. Disney

Disney Aspire is the media empire's college tuition program that's available to U.S. part- and full-time employees after 180 days of employment. While the program used to be more comprehensive, on Nov. 27, 2024, it introduced an annual funding cap of $5,250 at several partner schools, with other schools "not currently subject" to the cap.

Still, employees can access a variety of program and degree options through Guild, including for undergraduate degrees, English language learning, and high school equivalency credentials.

Additionally, Disney offers up to a 2% 401(k) match (technically 50% of an employee's contributions up to 4% of salary) for student loan payments after one year of service.

6. Home Depot

Depending on the type of employment, Home Depot's Tuition Reimbursement Program can pay you back for some tuition, fees, and other expenses. Specifically, the program reimburses up to 50% of the cost of obtaining an undergraduate or graduate degree, up to an annual limit of $5,000 for salaried employees, $3,000 for full-time hourly employees, and $1,500 for part-time hourly employees.

The program also has these reimbursement limits for electrical and HVAC trade school coursework, language proficiency courses, and some IT certification programs. In addition, it will reimburse 100% of the costs for an American Heart Association CPR/AED certification, Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer (CKBD) certification, or Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, with the latter two subject to annual maximums of up to $1,575 and $160, respectively.

Additionally, dependents of hourly employees may be able to win $2,500 scholarships from Home Depot’s Homer Fund.

7. Papa John’s

Papa John's offers its Dough & Degrees educational assistance program to corporate employees. To be eligible, you have to work at least 10 hours per week and have been employed for at least 60 days.

While the program only offers online programs, you can earn a fully paid, no-upfront-cost undergrad or master's degree in some cases, or access to a certain number of free credits. The Dough & Degrees program can also provide college credits for on-the-job training.

8. Starbucks

Unlike some companies' college 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:tuition reimbursement programs, Starbucks partners with only one college—Arizona State University (ASU)—as part of its education assistance program. The Starbucks College Achievement Plan covers 100% of tuition and fees for ASU's online program to earn a bachelor's degree. Wh💃ile expenses like textbooks aren't included, the program can be fully free, considering ASU provides open-source materials for the program.&n꧋bsp;

To access this program, you must not yet have a bachelor's degree, and you also must be a "benefits eligible" employee in the U.S. This eligibility, which also includes other benefits like health insurance, varies by role, hours, and location. For example, part-time employees in the mainland U.S. are eligible for benefits on the first day of the second month after having worked at least 240 hours over three full months in a row; in other words, you can be eligible about five months after starting at Starbucks if working about 20 hours per week.

9. Target

Through its partnership with Guild, Target's Dream to Be program offers U.S. full- and part-time employees access to tuition-free offerings from over 40 schools in areas like business management, IT, design, etc. Employees can earn undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, certificates, and more💝.

For programs that aren't covered as part of Target-sponsored tuition, the company still pays up to $5,250 per year for undergraduate programs and $10,000 per year for master's degrees within Guild. These costs can include required books and fees.

10. T-Mobile

T-Mobile's tuition assistance program provides up to $5,250 per year for full-time employees and $2,500 annually for part-time employees who attend a “regionally accredited” school. The wireless provider also has some partnerships with universities to offer full tuition coverage.

This benefit is available after 90 days of employment, and the benefit is paid directly to the schools.

11. UPS

UPS’ tuition assistance program, Earn and Learn, provides up to $5,250 per year with a lifetime maximum of $25,000, without any course restrictions.

The Earn and Learn program is available immediately at select locations for all part-time, non-management union and non-union employees within the UPS small package network, in addition to non-union freight workers.

12. Walmart

While only available for select under bachelor's degrees and certificates, Walmart's Live Better U program provides full coverage for the cost of tuition and books for both full- and part-time Walmart and Sam's Club employees, starting from the first day of employment. These online programs are administered through Guild.

The Bottom Line

These are just a handful of companies that will help cover the cost of a higher education for their employees, but there are many additional businesses that offer similar benefits. The exact details will likely vary between companies, however, so it’s worth taking a close look at what your employer (or one you’re considering working for) has 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:available.