Student Academic Performance and Compensation: The Impact of Cooperative Education

Summary

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Much of the cooperative education research seeks to document the effectiveness of cooperative education programs. One branch of this research considers the impacts of participation on student performance. This study contributes to that literature by examining these impacts in further depth. Specifically, we examine the effect of cooperative education on grade point average, length of time in school, and starting salary. Statistical analyses show that cooperative education programs have significant effects on all three measures. These measurements are useful not only to students deciding whether to participate in cooperative education programs, but also to university administrators seeking to assess program effectiveness.

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Student Academic Performance and Compensation: The Impact of Cooperative Education

Introduction

Many colleges and universities participate in cooperative education (coop) programs in which students enroll in alternating semesters of full-time study and full-time paid employment. Typically, successful completion of the program requires at least twelve months (the equivalent of 3 semesters) of full-time work with the employer in addition to completion of the student's degree requirements.

The potential benefits to students of participating in the coop experience include gaining a real-world perspective that enhances the student's academic experience, becoming a more mature individual as a result of working with professionals, and improving job placement and salary prospects at the time of graduati...

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