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The differences between student workers and work study students can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a student worker, becoming a work study student takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a student worker has an average salary of $25,735, which is higher than the $24,582 average annual salary of a work study student.
The top three skills for a student worker include customer service, front desk and twitter. The most important skills for a work study student are work-study, customer service, and veterans.
| Student Worker | Work Study Student | |
| Yearly salary | $25,735 | $24,582 |
| Hourly rate | $12.37 | $11.82 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 82,353 | 14,836 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Student workers are students who are employed while also enrolled at the university. They usually work in a department or college where they handle different tasks. Most of the time, student workers are assigned to do administrative activities. Their tasks include sorting mail, sending outgoing mail, manning telephone lines, filing documents, updating records, liaising with other departments, and documenting meetings, among others. Student-workers may also be assigned to handle or assist in university-wide events and activities. They are expected to be technologically savvy so that they can really help out in the department they are assigned to. Student-workers should be responsible, trustworthy, and diligent.
Work-study students are students who do part-time jobs to support their living and educational expenses. Usually, they offer their services in an organization related to their field of study. Work-study jobs are available either on or off-campus, depending on the student's application and the campus or employer's needs. They must be able to display excellent time-management skills to handle and balance work time and school responsibilities. A work-study student should also be fast-learner and open to constructive feedback to improve their job performance.
Student workers and work study students have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Worker | Work Study Student | |
| Average salary | $25,735 | $24,582 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $34,000 | Between $16,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | Denver, CO |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Colorado |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Education |
There are a few differences between a student worker and a work study student in terms of educational background:
| Student Worker | Work Study Student | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between student workers' and work study students' demographics:
| Student Worker | Work Study Student | |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |