How to hire a work-study assistant

How to hire a work-study assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step work-study assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a work-study assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new work-study assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a work-study assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your work-study assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a work-study assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A work-study assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, work-study assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of work-study assistants.

   Type of Work-Study Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Work-Study Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$8-16
   Work Study Student	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... Show more	$7-17

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Financial Aid
   • Data Entry
   • Customer Service
   • PowerPoint
   • Front Desk
   • Alumni
   • Computer Lab
   • Library Materials
   • Windows
   • Office Equipment
   • Technical Assistance
   • FAFSA
   • Veterans
   • Telephone Calls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
   • Create metal screens for the expo center windows.
   • Operate multi-line phones, fax machine, copier.
   • Disperse all checks administer to the SPC community.
   • Remove trash, vacuum carpet, clean windows, operator cleaning equipment
   • Stay up to date on the federal loan and FAFSA guidelines.

   More work-study assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the work-study assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A work-study assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a work-study assistant in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level work-study assistant. Additionally, a work-study assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average work-study assistant salary

   $12.12hourly

   $25,211 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level work-study assistant salary

   $18,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average work-study assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$32,634	$16
   2	Colorado	$31,142	$15
   3	Massachusetts	$29,923	$14
   4	New York	$29,767	$14
   5	Connecticut	$28,582	$14
   6	Oregon	$27,630	$13
   7	Nebraska	$27,027	$13
   8	Michigan	$27,016	$13
   9	Washington	$26,274	$13
   10	Ohio	$26,254	$13
   11	Tennessee	$25,376	$12
   12	Virginia	$24,998	$12
   13	Indiana	$24,976	$12
   14	Texas	$24,875	$12
   15	Iowa	$24,599	$12
   16	Illinois	$24,475	$12
   17	North Carolina	$24,120	$12
   18	Kansas	$23,926	$12
   19	Florida	$22,764	$11
   20	Georgia	$22,486	$11

   Average work-study assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$36,631	$17.61	1
   2	PowerSouth Energy Cooperative	$34,876	$16.77	4
   3	Stratford School	$34,142	$16.41
   4	State Bar of Michigan	$33,322	$16.02	9
   5	UC Merced	$32,624	$15.68
   6	Gettysburg College	$31,421	$15.11
   7	Kaiser Permanente	$31,356	$15.07	14
   8	Southwest Key Programs	$31,101	$14.95
   9	LifePoint Health	$30,648	$14.73	13
   10	Denver Public Schools	$29,933	$14.39	2
   11	Bucknell University	$29,360	$14.12
   12	Bryant & Stratton College	$29,022	$13.95	27
   13	Austin Community College District	$28,226	$13.57	3
   14	Rutgers University	$27,817	$13.37	30
   15	University of Pennsylvania	$27,649	$13.29	12
   16	UnityPoint Health	$26,787	$12.88	6
   17	Trinity College	$26,310	$12.65
   18	Central Oregon Community College	$26,189	$12.59	32
   19	Metropolitan State University of Denver	$26,157	$12.58	9
   20	Bridgewater State University	$25,780	$12.39	11

4. Writing a work-study assistant job description

   A work-study assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a work-study assistant job description:

   Work-study assistant job description example

   Athens Technical College in Athens, Georgia, is seeking qualified candidates for a Federal Work Study student to serve as a Clerical Assistant in the Social Work Assistant Program.
   The successful candidate will be an enrolled Athens Tech Student.
   
   The Duties of this position will consist of:
   
   General and moderately complex office clerical and administrative work including typing or transcribing documents and basic computer work using Microsoft Office software
   
   General office clerical work requiring some independent judgment such as
   
   sorting, indexing, cross referencing, and filing
   
   Making information boards and signs and posting them
   
   Assisting with activities and events including greeting and assisting students on advisement days, career days, and other program and campus events
   
   Copying, collating, putting packets and notebooks together for trainings, meetings and events
   
   Answering phones and making phone calls
   
   Running errands on campus
   
   Assisting in maintaining supply list and storage space
   
   Operates various office machines including, photocopiers, scanners, telephone, and related equipment
   
   Skills & Requirements
   You must be eligible to receive financial aid, be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours and have unmet need for a FWS position.
   
   To apply, click "Apply To This Job" and submit your application. Please be sure to indicate that you are a current ATC student. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
   
   **Employment is contingent based upon successful completion of appropriate background checks.
   
   As set forth in its student catalog, Athens Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, veteran status, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law).
   Qualifications
   
   As set forth in its student catalog, Athens Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, veteran status, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law).
   
   The following individuals have been designated to coordinate the college's implementation of nondiscrimination policies:
   Jessica Felts, Director of Student Support Services, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator, Office K-614A, 706/355- 5081 ; Sherri Heath, Director of Human Resources ; Title VI, Title VII, Title IX Coordinator (Employees), Office K-514, , 706/583-2818; and Lenzy Reid, Vice President of Student Affairs, Title IX (Students) Office H-774, 706/355-5029, , 800 U.S. Highway 29 North, Athens, GA 30601

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find work-study assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any work-study assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level work-study assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your work-study assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit work-study assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit work-study assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new work-study assistant

   Once you've found the work-study assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a work-study assistant?