Each year, Starbucks attracts well over a million job applications — a staggering testament to its reputation not only as a global coffeehouse giant but also as a company deeply invested in the lives of its employees, whom it affectionately calls partners. According to Chief People Officer Sara Kelly, one of the most compelling reasons behind this immense interest lies in a quietly transformative incentive: the opportunity to earn a fully funded bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University. This benefit, while understated, wields extraordinary influence, offering employees an educational lifeline at a time when college affordability feels increasingly out of reach for many Americans.
For Brea Yancey, a long-serving barista in Washington state with eight years at Starbucks, this educational benefit did far more than reshape her own professional trajectory — it profoundly altered her family’s story. After enrolling in the program, Yancey’s decision inspired her mother, herself a Starbucks store manager, to embark on the same academic journey. What began as a workplace perk evolved into a shared, multi-generational pursuit of higher education, uniting mother and daughter in the realization of a goal that once seemed financially unattainable. Reflecting on the experience, Yancey admitted to Business Insider that until recently she had dismissed the idea of college altogether, deterred by the seemingly insurmountable financial burden of tuition and student loans. Completing her bachelor’s degree, she said, has lifted that weight, providing immeasurable relief and a sense of empowerment for the future.
Yancey earned her degree in interdisciplinary arts and performance, aspiring to a career as a music educator and to share her passion for the arts with future generations. Her mother, meanwhile, graduated the previous semester with a degree in interdisciplinary studies, focusing her coursework in sales, marketing, and project management — disciplines that directly support her leadership role. Expressing pride and gratitude, Yancey spoke emotionally about seeing her mother finish school after having paused her studies years earlier to raise her daughter. Now, the two celebrated together, each carrying the fulfillment of an ambition long deferred.
As tuition costs have continued their meteoric rise nationwide, Starbucks has seen participation in the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP) surge impressively. Kelly shared that since the program’s inception in 2014, enrollment has increased by approximately 60% in the last five years alone. Today, roughly 13% of Starbucks’ U.S. workforce participates as active scholars. That means that in about nine out of every ten Starbucks locations, at least one employee is engaged in university-level coursework through the program — an indication of just how deeply embedded education has become within the company’s culture.
While other major employers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Chipotle have introduced similar educational programs, Starbucks stands out for its generosity and flexibility. Unlike most corporate tuition-benefit models, SCAP covers 100% of tuition costs upfront, requiring no reimbursement or mandatory post-graduation employment commitments. In other words, participation is genuinely risk-free: partners can complete their degrees without incurring debt or feeling obligated to remain with the company afterward. This policy reflects Starbucks’ broader vision of empowerment — an acknowledgment that education, once acquired, is a lifelong asset, not a corporate possession.
The company’s commitment to educational access aligns with a significant cultural moment. As college tuition continues to soar, many young people are reassessing whether higher education is still worth its cost. A Deloitte survey released in May 2024 found that roughly one-third of Generation Z and millennial respondents have chosen to forgo college entirely due to financial constraints. In an era when the average total cost of attending an in-state public university exceeds $108,000 over four years, the appeal of a free degree is unsurprising. Against this backdrop, Starbucks’ program operates as both a powerful recruitment incentive and a genuine social innovation — a rare example of a corporate initiative that meaningfully expands educational opportunity.
Kelly emphasized that the SCAP program was launched more than a decade ago with a simple but visionary goal: to open doors to education for every partner who desired it. In her words, Starbucks views access to learning as one of the most impactful expressions of its commitment to its people. Over time, the program has evolved substantially. Participants can now choose from more than 150 different degree pathways across disciplines ranging from the sciences to the humanities. For employees who do not initially meet traditional university admission standards, the company offers a preparatory route called the Pathway to Admission, which provides foundational coursework and academic support to help them qualify for full admission. Furthermore, Starbucks has extended eligibility to include a “plus-one” benefit, allowing qualifying military and veteran employees to transfer the opportunity to a family member.
The company has even expanded beyond traditional online coursework to integrate immersive learning experiences. This year, participants were offered the chance to study abroad at Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks’ research and development farm in Costa Rica. There, students explore the agronomic and environmental dimensions of coffee cultivation, examining sustainability practices and the future challenges facing the global coffee supply chain. This hands-on approach exemplifies Starbucks’ belief that education should be experiential as well as intellectual.
The advantages of the program ripple outward, benefiting not only employees but also Starbucks itself. Kelly confirmed that turnover among partners participating in SCAP is at a historic low, signaling that this investment in education pays dividends in loyalty and retention. Many baristas have expressed publicly that the educational benefit is a key reason they have remained with the company. Moreover, the program strengthens Starbucks’ internal leadership pipeline: the company’s goal of filling 90% of retail leadership roles through internal promotions depends heavily on the professional growth and development fostered by SCAP graduates.
Yet, despite this clear advantage, Starbucks maintains a remarkably non-restrictive stance toward participants’ future choices. Kelly explained that the company has deliberately avoided imposing any post-graduation retention clause, reiterating that Starbucks’ true mission is to provide access to education that employees can carry forward, irrespective of their career trajectory. By refusing to tether opportunity to obligation, Starbucks underscores that its investment in people is rooted in trust and respect.
As for Yancey, the conclusion of her academic journey marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than an ending. She continues to work part-time as a barista while embracing her newly realized role as a music instructor — a position that directly fulfills her long-held goal of teaching and inspiring through art. Reflecting on her experience, she praised the SCAP program’s adaptability and inclusivity, explaining that the company goes to great lengths to remove obstacles for those who wish to participate. For Yancey, Starbucks delivered on its promise of accessible education, proving that financial limitations or learning challenges should never stand in the way of pursuing a dream.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-free-college-program-enrollment-surges-retention-promotions-leadership-pipeline-2025-12
