Implementing the Federal Work-Study Program: A Resource Utilization and Cost Study at Six CUNY Colleges

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle

Federal Work-Study (FWS) funding is allocated to institutions and then sub-allocated across campuses, giving providers discretion over eligibility, award amounts, job matching, and compliance processes. This research brief studies the administrative resources required to implement FWS at six CUNY colleges, presenting a detailed cost analysis using an ingredients method. Estimates focus on staff time and on-campus resources, excluding most student- and federal-incurred costs, and examine how costs vary across campuses and which factors explain the variation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Key Findings From the Study

Fixed Costs and Scale

Personnel and Coordinator Time

Student Job Connection Work

Technology-Driven Cost Differences

Setting and Context

CUNY Student and College Profile

FWS Funding Scope and Study Design

Site Selection and Study Period

R E S E A R C H B R I E F Community College Research Center | July 2026 Implementing the Federal Work-Study Program: A Resource Utilization and Cost Study at Six CUNY Colleges By Veronica Minaya, Adela Soliz, Judith Scott-Clayton, and Amy E. Brown Unlike most federal student aid, which is awarded to students based on a formula, Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds are allocated to institutions and, in multi-campus systems, then sub-allocated across campuses. Because allocations are based partly on historical factors (Smole, 2006), even within a single system some two-and four-year institutions receive more FWS funding per eligible student than others—differences that may translate into variation in implementation, costs, and, potentially, impacts ofthe program on student outcomes. The allocation structure gives institutions substantial discretion over how FWS is administered, including who receives an award, award amounts, how students are connected to jobs, and how campuses comply with federal requirements. Delivery of these components involves a set of operational activities that require staff time, coordination across multiple offices, and, in some cases, dedicated software. (To help offset costs, institutions may claim an Administrative Cost Allowance [ACA] from campus-based funds, which can reduce dollars available for student wages [ACA, 34 C.F.R. § 673.7, 2026].1) Yet the administrative resources required to manage and operate FWS—and how they vary across institutions—remain unknown. This brief addresses this gap by examining the administrative resources required for FWS ata selection of CUNY colleges. We begin by describing the FWS program’s core components. We then present a detailed cost analysis of administering FWS at six City University of New York (CUNY) campuses, using the ingredients method (Levin et al., 2018; see Appendix A, available in a separate document, for data sources and costing procedures) . Consistent with a provider (campus) perspective, our estimates focus on staff time and other on-campus resources and exclude federal transfers and most student-incurred costs (e.g. , commuting or time), which would be included under federal, student, or societal cost perspectives. We address two research questions: (1) What resources are required for community colleges and universities to administer FWS? (2) How do costs vary across campuses, and what factors explain that variation? Our findings reflect the administrative systems in place during the fall 2022–spring 2024 study period. Because CUNY is expected to transition to Workday in January 2027, some administrative, HR, and payroll processes described in the brief may become more automated over time.2 Implementing the Federal Work-Study Program: A Resource Utilization and Cost Study at Six CUNY Colleges Key Findings From the Study 1. Fixed costs make per-student costs sensitive to scale. Implementing FWS involves meaningful fixed administrative costs, so the annual administrative cost per student worker depends on program scale and take-up. Across six campuses, the average annual cost was $955 per FWS student worker ($529–$1,703 per student worker per year). 2. Personnel dominate costs. Personnel accounts for 91% of provider costs in the estimates. Much of these costs are for FWS coordinators, whose time allocation varies with program scale (about 24.5 hours/week on average, and higher for high-scale programs). 3. Connecting students tojobs is a heavy lift. FWS coordinators spend most of their time on moving students through the paperwork-to-placement pipeline, collecting /reviewing eligibility documents and contracts, matching / onboarding students into jobs on time, and then keeping the payroll/timesheet process running. 4. Technology is a key source of cost differences. Some campuses use dedicated systems (e.g., for job postings and timekeeping), while others rely more on manual workflows, shifting resources toward staff time for data

FAQs

How does Federal Work-Study differ from other federal student aid?

FWS funds are allocated to institutions and then sub-allocated across campuses, rather than being awarded to students by a formula based on individual need.

What cost components account for most provider costs in the study estimates?

Personnel dominate provider costs, accounting for 91% of provider costs, with significant time from FWS coordinators.

Why do FWS implementation costs vary across CUNY campuses?

Costs vary due to differences in administrative scale, coordinator workload, the paperwork-to-placement pipeline effort, and technology use versus manual workflows.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle