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Non-VA Paid Work-Study Opportunities for Veterans

While VA work-study can be an excellent opportunity to earn some extra cash while you are in school, it’s good to know that there are other, non-VA work-study options. Maybe you want to explore other jobs that are more consistent with your interests or more relevant to your career path. Here’s why these might be worth considering:

• While the GI bill is generous, it isn’t always enough to cover all your expenditures.
• Maybe you’ve used up your GI bill benefits and need to find other ways to cover the bills.
• You have dependents and have family-related costs.
• You’re stretching your education for multiple degrees or saving a portion of your education benefits to transfer to your dependent.

Paid Veteran Work-Study Opportunities: Non-VA

Here’s where paid work-study opportunities come in, and, notably, there is a wide range of them that can help with not just financial responsibilities but also help grow your network and your resume. Another bonus? Some pay significantly more than the VA.

How to Apply

• Start Early. This might be the most critical advice. These jobs fill quickly, and applications generally open before the semester even begins.
• Make the most out of your veteran status and the skills it has provided you with. These may include leadership, flexibility, discipline, and other relevant skills.
• Put out a wide net while you’re looking. Be sure to check any career centers, apprenticeship.gov, LinkedIn, and veteran job boards.
• Don’t forget to ask about credits that you may earn and transfer because you hit the jackpot if you get some of these and a paycheck.  

On-Campus Options

If you still want to work on campus, that shouldn’t be a hindrance. Depending on your school, you could have a bunch of different paths to choose from.

Library Roles: If you are a reader and like the quiet, the library might be the place for you. These jobs may include cataloging, curriculum assistance, and staffing the reference desk.

IT Help Desk Technician: As a veteran, you may have some or a lot of experience in technology. If so, you may be able to apply that experience to assist your fellow students and staff experiencing tech issues.

Student Veterans Resource Center  – Beyond VA work-study, Veterans Centers often have roles funded by the school, private donors, foundations, federal, or state grants. These are great if you’re interested in exploring the provision of veterans services and support as a career, and can be excellent prerequisites for an opening in campus offices, county offices, state, and federal offices.

Security Patrol – If you served in a security capacity, you could be a great candidate for supporting campus public safety. Depending on the institution, these may be part-time or full-time positions.

Facilities and Grounds Crew – There are plenty of facility and maintenance positions in the military. If you have the skills and prefer to work outside in a more active role, this might be a great way to contribute to your campus safety.

Athletics Department Staff – Veterans can be great candidates for athletic departments as a result of the fitness requirements and focus in every service branch. If you’re looking for some ideas on how to break into sports as a career, this can be a good place to start. For more options on ways to land a job in sports, take a look at our article here: Leadership, Teamwork, Adaptability – Careers for Veterans in Sports.

Hours: On-campus jobs have varied hours but typically range from 15-20 hours per week, mostly during regular normal business hours (with some exceptions), between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Pay: This also varies depending on the position, but usually ranges from

$15-20/hour. The hourly compensation amount will fluctuate with the state’s minimum wage range and is often higher in schools in urban areas. These may be supported through a variety of sources, including the federal government budgets, grants, and third-party funders.

Other Federal Work-Study Positions

You may not be aware that there are other federal work-study positions that your school may offer, either on campus or in the community. These are often tied to financial need, but be aware that your military benefits don’t necessarily disqualify you. These positions may be campus-based or connected to campus relationships with non-profits, small businesses, and public agencies.

• Research Assistants: If you want to gain experience in research, you may be able to pursue these jobs to support faculty and grow your knowledge within your department. In some cases, this can lead to instructional positions.
• Community Outreach Coordinator: These jobs are front-facing and ideal if you have served in public affairs and are considering translating those skills into a civilian career. They may also include volunteer management, which may use your background if you served as an NCO.
• STEM Tutor: Any STEM pathway is in high demand in today’s economy. If you served in civil engineering, technology, cyber, signal corps, or in medical, you have a lot to bring to the table in these positions.
• Environmental Project Assistant:  Any background in bio-medical, engineering, utilities, and plumbing may be good prerequisites for these roles.
• Check your school’s financial aid office for eligibility and job listings.

For these, you will need to have a FAFSA application and go through the financial aid office to gauge eligibility. These spots tend to fill fast; you’ll need to be on top of them. Your school may or may not permit you to combine federal work study with the GI Bill.

Hours: They vary widely, but you can generally expect the positions to be from 5-20 hours per week, with some going up to 40 hours per week during breaks. These may also be tied to your financial aid package, so be sure to check in with the office of financial assistance to determine the maximum you can receive.

Pay: No absolute uniformity except that the hourly rate must be at least the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour). The range is between $12 and $22/hour, with the lowest likely in clerical jobs and the highest in areas like STEM tutoring.

Employer-Partnered Student Jobs

With the growing number of schools expanding their workforce development programming, there are more and more partnerships with private companies that hire students for paid positions, often linked to their academic path. These can be internships, part-time roles, or co-op positions that alternate between semesters of work and study. Regardless of the title, taking advantage of these will not only stand out on your resume but also may lead to full-time roles.

Here are a few of the more popular ones:

• IBM Pathways in Technology: This is another opportunity for those with a tech background or interest. These often offer paid part-time tech positions
• Lockheed Martin College Co-ops: Lockheed’s paid positions can help you enhance your skills in engineering, cyber, and logistics.
• Boeing Student Employment Program: This program is designed to provide employment opportunities in manufacturing, supply chain, and aerospace fields.
• Northrop Grumman “Future Technical Leaders” Internships: These internships are in Cyber, intel, and systems engineering.
• GE Aviation Co-ops: Paid mechanical and electrical engineering roles.
• Raytheon: Has a Veteran Engagement Team to improve student access to employment in aviation, cyber, systems engineering, and business operations in collaboration with Hiring our Heroes.

Hours: If you’re looking for more of a full-time experience, these positions may fit the bill. They may be available for fall and spring semesters. Still, the full-time options are more popular in the summer months to better fit a student’s availability and reduce commitment conflicts with their academic obligations. They often run from 10-12 weeks, and some will even provide a transportation and housing stipend for those relocating.

Pay: Jobs at these companies, and others like them, tend to be some of the highest-paid positions, ranging anywhere from $20 – $40 per hour, depending on the type of job.

Locating these can be a little different than the others above. You’ll want to check with your school to identify their employer partners, attend industry-specific job fairs, and look into local professional associations that may hire college interns. Finally, if you still have that security clearance, these positions may have a mandatory requirement, which could expedite the hiring process and land your resume at the top of the pile.

Related: VA Work-Study