How to hire a work study student

Work study student hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring work study students in the United States:

There are a total of 289,022 work study students in the US, and there are currently 14,836 job openings in this field.
The median cost to hire a work study student is $1,633.
Small businesses spend $1,105 per work study student on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
Syracuse, NY, has the highest demand for work study students, with 43 job openings.

How to hire a work study student, step by step

To hire a work study student, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a work study student:

Here's a step-by-step work study student 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 student job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new work study student
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a work study student do?

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.

Learn more about the specifics of what a work study student does

Post a work study student job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

Before you post your work study student 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 student 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?

You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a work study student to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a work study student that fits the bill.

This list shows salaries for various types of work study students.

Type of Work Study Student	Description	Hourly rate
Work Study Student	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$7-17
Administrative Clerk	An administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments... Show more	$12-19
General Office Clerk	A general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization... Show more	$11-18

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Work-Study
- Customer Service
- Veterans
- Front Desk
- Computer Lab
- PowerPoint
- Administrative Tasks
- Alumni
- Windows
- Scheduling Appointments
- GPA
- Word Processing
- FAFSA
- Telephone Calls
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Follow all HIPPA policies and procedures.
- Retouch images for the workshop posters using photoshop.
- Help with photography, Photoshop and video production.
- Post media about opportunities in mathematics (e.g.
- Maintain a high GPA and academic performance while working.
- Make phone calls regarding FAFSA deadlines and career services.
More work study student duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your work study student job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A work study student salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

For example, the average salary for a work study student in South Dakota may be lower than in Colorado, and an entry-level work study student usually earns less than a senior-level work study student. Additionally, a work study student with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

Average work study student salary

$11.82hourly

$24,582 yearly

Entry-level work study student salary

$16,000 yearly salary

Updated January 21, 2026

Average work study student salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Colorado	$32,210	$15
2	Nebraska	$26,807	$13
3	Massachusetts	$26,535	$13
4	New York	$26,349	$13
5	Oregon	$26,318	$13
6	Arizona	$26,274	$13
7	Minnesota	$26,071	$13
8	Ohio	$25,795	$12
9	North Carolina	$24,602	$12
10	Iowa	$24,561	$12
11	Indiana	$23,910	$12
12	Illinois	$23,853	$11
13	Michigan	$23,813	$11
14	Utah	$23,347	$11
15	Texas	$23,279	$11
16	Florida	$22,856	$11
17	Missouri	$22,836	$11
18	Virginia	$22,433	$11
19	Georgia	$22,360	$11
20	Kansas	$18,335	$9

Average work study student salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	University of California	$32,193	$15.48	12
2	Metropolitan Community College	$31,863	$15.32
3	Oregon Health & Science University	$31,117	$14.96	5
4	Denver Public Schools	$30,814	$14.81	8
5	Southwest Key Programs	$30,512	$14.67
6	Trinity Health	$30,361	$14.60	14
7	Mayo Clinic	$30,015	$14.43	3
8	Bridgewater State University	$29,756	$14.31	1
9	Bryant & Stratton College	$28,855	$13.87	23
10	Raritan Valley Community College	$28,355	$13.63	2
11	Monroe Community College	$28,141	$13.53	17
12	UnityPoint Health	$27,658	$13.30	19
13	Dodge City Community College	$27,532	$13.24	10
14	Metropolitan State University of Denver	$27,175	$13.06	9
15	Central Oregon Community College	$26,959	$12.96	36
16	Phoenix Union High School District	$26,920	$12.94
17	Stratasys	$25,923	$12.46	1
18	St. Charles Community College	$25,776	$12.39	9
19	Shaw University	$25,770	$12.39	3
20	UCLA	$25,747	$12.38	21

Writing a work study student job description
A work study student 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. Below, you can find an example of a work study student job description:
Work study student job description example
The clerical assistant is responsible to the administrative assistant for the General Education, Online Learning, and Dual Enrollment Division, performing a variety of support functions. The clerical assistant will function mainly to assist the dean, faculty, and staff with daily responsibilities and tasks.
Job duties include, but are not limited to:

+ Assist the division dean, faculty and staff as needed.

+ Keep workrooms and assigned classrooms clean, organized and stocked.

+ Empty recycling in assigned classrooms and offices.

+ Clean whiteboards and tables in assigned classrooms.

+ Maintain office supply and CTL inventory and lists.

+ Keep CTL storage areas organized.

+ Prepare CTL technology for checkout and restock equipment when returned.

+ General office duties as assigned including, but not limited to, typing, filing, shredding.

+ Sort and deliver incoming mail, prepare out-going mail.

+ Deliver inner-departmental mail and notices to other offices and buildings across campus.

+ Produce copies as requested.

+ Direct outside guests, students and staff to appropriate locations on campus.

+ Other duties as assigned.

To be eligible for this position, candidates must be a current student AND be receiving Pell, be registered for 6 credit hours and have unmet need for the current term. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please see Financial Aid. The

successful candidate must also meet these qualifications:

• Experience using computer programs including Windows, Word, Excel, and Outlook is required.

• Experience using Publisher, PowerPoint, Camtasia, YouTube, and Adobe Acrobat is preferred.

• Must be able to effectively and responsibly use the internet.

• Preferred ability to type at least 30 words a minute.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills are required.

• Professional manner and attire is required.

• Knowledge of general office procedures and etiquette is required.

**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).
Post your job
To find work study students 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 students they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level work study students 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 student job on Zippia to find and recruit work study student candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
During your first interview to recruit work study students, 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.
Send a job offer and onboard your new work study student
Once you've decided on a perfect work study student candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.
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.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new work study student. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.
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 student?

There are different types of costs for hiring work study students. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new work study student employee.

You can expect to pay around $24,582 per year for a work study student, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for work study students in the US typically range between $7 and $17 an hour.

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Hiring work study students FAQs

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Updated January 21, 2026

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How to hire a work study student