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The perk you can't ignore: how dependent tuition benefits shape recruitment in American higher education.

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Title: The perk you can't ignore: how dependent tuition benefits shape recruitment in American higher education.
Authors: Purcell, Jamorae (AUTHOR), Colson, Tori (AUTHOR), Fox, Faith R. (AUTHOR)
Source: Studies in Higher Education. Apr2026, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p786-801. 16p.
Subjects: Employee recruitment, Employee benefits, Universities & colleges, Family structure, Multilevel models, Employee value proposition
Abstract: Since the great recession, a changing student market, declining governmental allocations, and tight labour market conditions have created budgetary challenges for American colleges and universities. This has resulted in soaring tuition rates and stagnant and declining wages for higher education personnel. However, one unique form of compensation, the dependent tuition benefit, is offered across the industry on a tax-free basis for undergraduate education. The purpose of this study is to assess a dependent tuition benefit's importance in employee recruitment utilising the employee value proposition as a framework. Because the benefit accounts for a larger percentage of compensation for lower-wage employees and employees with more dependents while accounting for a lower percentage of compensation for higher-wage employees and employees with fewer or no dependents, this study examines the relationship between these factors and the benefit's importance in employee recruitment. Multilevel regression analysis is used. Results suggest that family structure has significant implications for employee assessments of this benefit. Number of dependents was a significant positive predictor of the benefit's importance in recruitment. This relationship was moderated by the not married marital status. While individual income was not a significant predictor alone, it became a significant positive predictor of the benefit's importance in recruitment when moderated by the not married marital status. These results offer colleges and universities new insights in curating and evaluating benefit offerings. Suggestions for how institutions may leverage these results and the benefit offering to more effectively differentiate the organisation as an attractive employment option are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: The perk you can't ignore: how dependent tuition benefits shape recruitment in American higher education.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p786-801. 16p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+recruitment%22">Employee recruitment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+benefits%22">Employee benefits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+structure%22">Family structure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilevel+models%22">Multilevel models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+value+proposition%22">Employee value proposition</searchLink>
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  Data: Since the great recession, a changing student market, declining governmental allocations, and tight labour market conditions have created budgetary challenges for American colleges and universities. This has resulted in soaring tuition rates and stagnant and declining wages for higher education personnel. However, one unique form of compensation, the dependent tuition benefit, is offered across the industry on a tax-free basis for undergraduate education. The purpose of this study is to assess a dependent tuition benefit's importance in employee recruitment utilising the employee value proposition as a framework. Because the benefit accounts for a larger percentage of compensation for lower-wage employees and employees with more dependents while accounting for a lower percentage of compensation for higher-wage employees and employees with fewer or no dependents, this study examines the relationship between these factors and the benefit's importance in employee recruitment. Multilevel regression analysis is used. Results suggest that family structure has significant implications for employee assessments of this benefit. Number of dependents was a significant positive predictor of the benefit's importance in recruitment. This relationship was moderated by the not married marital status. While individual income was not a significant predictor alone, it became a significant positive predictor of the benefit's importance in recruitment when moderated by the not married marital status. These results offer colleges and universities new insights in curating and evaluating benefit offerings. Suggestions for how institutions may leverage these results and the benefit offering to more effectively differentiate the organisation as an attractive employment option are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2491747
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges
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      – SubjectFull: Family structure
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      – SubjectFull: Multilevel models
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      – SubjectFull: Employee value proposition
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              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
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