Presented By: Danhong Chen, Sam Houston State University
Co-Authors: Mark Hainline, Sam Houston State University
Tim Pannkuk, Sam Houston State University
Philip Saucier, Sam Houston State University
Kyle Stutts, Sam Houston State University

Over the last decade, college tuition has experienced an average annual increase of over ten percent. Students often resort to multiple funding sources such as family contributions, work income, scholarships, and other financial aid to meet the escalating costs of higher education. This study aimed to investigate the roles of family financial support and taking a job in shaping the academic success of college students. A sample of 206 students in the School of Agricultural Sciences at a four-year college reported their FAFSA results and job status on their scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year. Approximately 53% of the students made work commitments while pursuing their college degrees, with approximately 29% working less than or equal to 20 hours and nearly 24% exceeding 20 hours per week. Two sample t-test results did not show significant differences in estimated family contribution (EFC) in the previous year and overall GPA between students with jobs and those without. The ANOVA results unveiled significant differences in overall GPA among students with varying weekly work hours (0, 1-20, and more than 20 hours) (p<0.05) but no significant difference in EFC across various levels of working hours. Multiple regression results further indicated that students who worked between 1 and 20 hours per week achieved higher GPAs than their non-working counterparts (p<0.01). However, working more than 20 hours per week and EFCs were not significantly associated with GPAs. With mixed findings in the past, family financial support emerged as a non-significant contributing factor to academic success in this study. Consistent with prior research, part-time employment was found to alleviate students’ financial burden and improve their practical knowledge and motivation for academic achievement. However, as an excessive commitment, working more than 20 hours per week might adversely impact classroom engagement, thereby not contributing to academic success.