Work and Race Matters: Examining the Relationship Between Two Critical Factors of College Completion at Four-Year Institutions

Research on college completion for students who work during their undergraduate education often approaches the topic from a financial perspective focused on aid and income status. This study takes a different approach by exploring the intersectionality of student employment and race, in relation to six-year bachelor's degree attainment. Based on a nationally representative sample of students attending four-year institutions in the United States and using propensity score matching procedures, the results highlight positive as well as negative associations of employment on bachelor's degree attainment, where the associations vary by race and the intensity of employment.