20 Companies That Pay for Grad School

Almost any professional career is benefited by a master’s degree. Whether you’ll need the graduate school cred to even be considered for the job or you just want to set yourself apart, the extra time in school can go a long way. If nothing else, another degree might pave the road to a salary bump or even a promotion. But a lot of us are rightfully panicked about the cost of more school, and one of the most obvious questions for graduate school hopefuls is, “How much will it cost?” and, just as stressfully, “Is it worth it?”

Stress levels over graduate debt are, after all, well founded. According to a recent Business Insider report, post-graduate students account for around 14 percent of students in higher education but have amassed 40 percent our national student debt, a byproduct of loan-happy federal programs that are enticing students with the possibility of future loan forgiveness. There’s some consolation in knowing you’re not alone in racking up student debt, but there’s also a potentially better way to foot the bill for that post-grad degree: get your boss to pay for it.

Companies have good reason to invest in their employees’ education, and while there are plenty of types of professional development, there’s almost nothing as valuable to both parties as a post-graduate degree. And while employer-sponsored education isn’t a new practice, it’s definitely becoming more common.

Check out our list of 20 companies that pay for grad school below:

1. Starbucks expanded its education assistance program to cover a full four-years worth of online study through a partnership with Arizona State University, meaning you could get your bachelor’s degree for free while slinging java.
2. Bank of America has a tuition reimbursement program for up to $5,250.
3. Best Buy offers up to $3,500 a year to employees for undergraduate studies and up to $5,250 for post-graduate study as a part of its Tuition Assistance Program.
4. Intel will cover any and all of your reimbursable education costs including tuition and books, and they offer a substantial internal training program.
5. Proctor & Gamble will pay for 80 percent of its employees’ education costs up to $40,000.
6. Gap’s Tuition Reimbursement Program only applies to coursework relevant to an employees’ job or future career growth, but the clothing company doles out up to $5,000 a year for your educational cause.
7. Chevron will help you pay for your education to the tune of 75 percent of the cost.
8. Disney’s assistance for employees in school isn’t outstanding — $700 per credit with additional support for books and course materials — but it’s something.
9. Boeing has a substantial tuition reimbursement program, but the terms are complicated.
10. Apple reimburses up to $5,000 of its employees’ educational costs a year.

Here are 10 more companies that will help you work your way through school. Click on the hyperlinks for more information.

11. AT&T
12. Barnes & Noble
13. Coca-Cola
14. Nike
15. Walmart
16. Target
17. Google
18. Gap
19. Johnson & Johnson
20. Verizon

If you’re working for a smaller company, tuition reimbursement might not be a benefit that’s explicitly laid out in your contract, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth asking. Especially if you’re a key player (or want to become one), you should feel comfortable making a case that your employer covering your education costs is a deserved perk. Besides, it’s a smart investment for them too.