Learning While Earning: The New
Normal Anthony P. Carnevale, Nicole Smith, Michelle Melton and Eric Price October 28, 2015

Overview • Combining work with
ongoing learning is the new normal among college students. • More then 70 percent undergraduate and graduate students work while enrolled in college. • One-third of working learners are 30 years old or older.

Who are Working Learners? We
define working learners as students who are simultaneously working while enrolled in postsecondary education or training programs. We categorize working learners into two groups: 1. Young working learners (ages 16-29) 2. Mature working learners (ages 30-54)

One-third of working learners are
30 or older

More than half of working
learners are in the sales and food/personal services occupations

Young working learners gravitate towards
sales and office support while mature working learners are more concentrated in management

Nearly 60 percent of working
learners are women

Business is the most popular
major for both young and mature working learners

More people are working full-time
while in college • Over 50 percent of mature working learners work at least 40 hours per week • About 40 percent of undergraduates and graduate students work at least 30 hours per week • After completion of a Bachelor’s degree, young and mature working learners work similar hours (majority 40-49 hours)

Working learners and students who
do not work both face rising school loan debt

Conclusion • Learning while earning
is the new the normal for college students both young and old. • After graduating, working learners have added to their resume and are upwardly mobile and more likely to move into managerial positions.

For more information: Email Us
| cewgeorgetown@georgetown.edu Follow Us on Twitter | @GeorgetownCEW Find us on Facebook | Facebook.com/GeorgetownCEW See the full report at: cew.georgetown.edu/workinglearners