The Effect of Part-Time Employment on Academic Achievement

Part-time employment is increasing among high school students. Does this phenomenom affect academic performance? In an attempt to examine this relationship, data were collected at Moore High School, Moore, Oklahoma. Information included employment status, number of hours worked per week, extent of extracurricular activities, and ACT test scores of the 477 high school juniors who were enrolled in regular required English classes. The sample included 196 nonemployed students and 281 employed students. This study found no significant differences in accumulated GPA in the two groups. However, nonemployed students scored significantly higher on the ACT test. The only variable that showed a significant difference in school-related activity was extracurricular activity involvement. Employed students had fewer extracurricular activities, with girls reporting less participation than boys. The findings of the study do not show that employment among students has any significant negative impact on academic achievement. Also, students in the survey tended to view their part-time employment in a positive light. The authors believe that teachers need to be aware of these conclusions and more supportive of employed students.