We knew we loved Starbucks (Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, anyone?) but when we learned that the popular coffee joint will start offering their employees a free college education through Arizona State University’s online program this fall, spending exuberant amounts of money on coffee made us feel that much better.
Truth is, a lot of everyday companies are offering their employees benefits that rival Google’s nap pods and free lunch, and Facebook’s frat atmosphere.
And face it — at the end of the day, would you rather get a free lunch or a free college tuition?
Exactly. We didn’t think that was even a question. Here are six other companies whose benefit policies may surprise you and make you stop lusting over those Google slides.
Whole Foods:
Yep, the superstore is so much more than organic strawberries and all-natural products. First and foremost, the company has been on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies To Work For” for 17 years straight (who knew Whole Foods even existed then?) and the average annual wage was about $40,000 (in 2013). Another bonus? The company has an open policy when it comes to salary — employees can look up any other employee’s salary (including CEOs’). Talk about fairness. You can read more here.
UPS:
The shipping and logistics company is serious about your education. In 2012, the company gave $24 million in tuition support for 14,000 students. UPS even has tuition reimbursement available for part-timers. Not too bad. For more information, click here.
Trader Joe’s:
First and foremost…unlimited discounts on Cookie Butter. Secondly? Part-time employees can earn $20 an hour with full benefits. Even better? Store managers reportedly can earn up to $130,000 a year. Did we mention the matching 401Ks as well? Don’t regret that degree that’s earning you $35,000 — just look for the nearest Trader Joe’s and get your life. Read more here.
Apple Store:
With all the pain in the ass questions those saviors in blue shirts answer, they deserve the $5,000 a year in tuition help the company offers many employees. Read about Apple’s policy here.
Home Depot:
Home Depot doesn’t just help build houses, they’re helping their employees build an education. According to the Huffington Post, if the company sees your degree as relevant to their business, they’ll help you out with tuition as a sales associate. Reportedly, Home Depot will reimburse roughly half the cost of tuition, up to $2,500 dollars a year. Read more here.
Target:
Because they know you can’t walk or work in the store without leaving with $100 worth of products a day (How does Target ALWAYS get us like that?!) they also offer tuition reimbursement options. Read about it here.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
