More than 4,000 Starbucks Employees Attending College Free

If you’re looking for an affordable way to get into college, getting a job at Starbucks might be the answer. 

More than 4,000 Starbucks baristas are already attending college for free. 

This comes a year after the company partnered with Arizona State University’s online program to cover the cost of their tuition. 

The option is open to employees who don’t yet have a bachelor’s degree.  That’s around 100,000 of Starbucks 150,000 employees. 

Employees are not obligated to study business or remain at Starbucks after graduation. 

The company says the most popular degrees workers are seeking are in Psychology, Organizational Leadership, Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies and Business. There is a customized retail business degree for those who wish to continue their career at Starbucks. 

Tuition prices at Arizona State University can total around $15,000 a year, depending on the program. For eligible workers, ASU covers 42 percent of that cost with Starbucks covering the rest.  

Around 200 Starbucks employees are set to complete their Bachelor’s degrees in May. Around a dozen employees have already graduated because they had credits transfer from other programs. 

Starbucks began offering two years of free college to workers last year, before expanding it to four years. 

The company plans to spend $250 million to help 25,000 employees graduate by 2025.