More Employers Offer Employee Tuition Reimbursement

In 2009, only 34.9% of employers offered tuition reimbursement to all employees. This increased to 45.3% in 2010, and again in 2011 to 51.7%.

Thirty-two percent offer reimbursement to management employees. Tuition reimbursement is offered to technical and professional employees at a rate of 31.7%, compared to administrative employees at 30.6%. Hourly employees are offered it the least, 25.8%.

“The National Center for Education Statistics has projected that between 2009 and 2020, enrollment of adults between the ages of 25 and 34 in post-secondary degree granting institutions will increase by 21%, and enrollment for adults over the age of 35 will increase by 16%,” said Amy Kaminski, Director of Marketing for Compdata Surveys, in a press release. “As more working adults seek higher education to further their careers, they will be looking to their employers as a source of financial aid.”

The amount companies are willing to reimburse employees for their education varies by industry as manufacturing and distribution companies average a reimbursement maximum of $4,689 per year. Utilities employees may receive reimbursement up to $4,227, while companies in banking and finance reimburse employees an average $3,869 each year. Health care organizations offer $3,104 annually for reimbursement, while those in hospitality offer the lowest reimbursement maximum, $2,757.

Sixty-five percent of organizations impose work requirements on employees receiving tuition reimbursement. On average, employees are required to work 15 months, post-reimbursement. In addition, nearly 87% of employers have course requirements, which must be met in order to be reimbursed for education.