The University monitors students' self-reported hours of work as one indicator of its affordability.

The number of students working for pay has risen slightly over the past four years. In 2007-08, about 54 percent of undergraduates worked for pay compared to about 50 percent in 2003-04.

The University considers that working up to 20 hours a week is manageable for students, but that working more than 20 hours a week is excessive. Excessive work hours during an academic term are often associated with reduced course loads and lower GPAs. About 10 percent of students work more than 20 hours a week, a number which has been relatively constant over the past four years.

The University's goal is for students to work at a level that allows them to make steady progress toward completion of the baccalaureate degree (i.e., to work no more than 20 hours per week during the academic year, and ideally less than 13 hours per week). See page 6 of the University's Annual Report on Student Financial Support (pdf) for a fuller discussion.

Source: Spring 2004, 2006 and 2008 UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES). Additional information can be found at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/studentsurvey

You may view or download a table of the raw data used to generate these charts in CSV files, which can be opened in spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.

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