About half of students at California’s public colleges are also working, according to information from California’s Cradle-to-Career data system.

Research has found that while students can benefit from working during college, work may also disrupt their studies.

Similar shares of students work at the California Community Colleges (CCC), the University of California (UC), and California State University (CSU). Just under 50% of UC and CSU students work, compared to 52% of CCC students.

Story Date: October 9, 2025