How Much Should College Students Work?

A recent study by Keenan Hartert, a professor at Minnesota State University Mankato, highlights the potential dangers of overworking. His research suggests that students working more than twenty hours a week are at a significantly higher risk of failing their courses.

Hartert’s analysis of student performance over three semesters found that those working long hours had lower attendance and worse test scores. Students who worked more than twenty hours a week had a higher failure rate, with half of them failing his class, compared to just seven percent of those with higher attendance rates.

Jennifer Zuccolo, Vice President of Student Affairs at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, also sees the correlation in students. “They’re often caught in this, like [question of] ‘Do I go to work, or do I go to school?’ if they’re feeling exhausted,” she noted.

As universities continue to see more students working through college, there is a growing call for institutions to provide better support. Experts suggest universities should offer more flexible academic resources, such as extended office hours and recorded lectures, to help students manage both work and study effectively.

Learn More

• How much should college students work? A Mankato professor looks at link between too much work and failing grades.
  (startribune.com—March 30, 2025)