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Does the Federal Work-Study Program Really Work—and for Whom?

By Judith Scott-Clayton & Yang “Rachel” Zhou
In this brief, the authors discuss current research regarding both the effectiveness of the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program and its equity in terms of the distribution of funds. The authors highlight findings from recent CAPSEE research which suggests that the program does positively influence students’ college attainment and post-college outcomes. The evidence also suggests that these impacts may be greatest for low-income students and students at public institutions. The authors then discuss how the current process for allocating FWS funds to institutions leaves these very students—those who are most likely to benefit—with the least access to the program. The authors conclude with implications for policy, including potential channels that might be used to maximize the effectiveness of the program.
Download brief
March 2017
  • Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment (CAPSEE)

Related Publications

June 2017

Federal Work-Study: Past Its Prime, or Ripe for Renewal?

July 2015

Should Student Employment Be Subsidized? Conditional Counterfactuals and the Outcomes of Work-Study Participation

February 2012

What Explains Trends in Labor Supply Among U.S. Undergraduates, 1970-2009?

Additional Resources

For more policy briefs and fact sheets, visit CCRC’s Policy Resources page.

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