Learning While Earning: The New Normal finds that over the last 25 years, more than 70 percent of college students have been working while enrolled.

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

2. 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.

3. 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)

4. One-third of working learners are 30 or older

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

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

7. Nearly 60 percent of working learners are women

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

9. 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)

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

11. 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.

12. For more information:
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See the full report at: cew.georgetown.edu/workinglearners