As an international master's student in the USA, how many hours can I work per week during classes and what are the typical pay rates for on-campus jobs?

The 20-hour cap applies to on-campus work only, and it covers every qualifying job combined, from a library desk shift to a research assistantship. Off-campus work is a separate, more restrictive category that requires specific authorization such as CPT or OPT tied to your field of study, so confirm with your university's international student office (DSO) before assuming any job counts as on-campus work.

What Counts as On-Campus Employment

• Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA) or Graduate Assistant (GA): often paid as a stipend or tuition-support package rather than a straight hourly wage, and typically the most valuable option since it can include tuition benefits.
• Library, computer-lab or administrative office jobs: generally do not require separate USCIS authorization beyond your F-1 status, though your DSO should confirm eligibility for the specific role.
• Dining services or campus café jobs: among the easiest entry points, though typically at the lower end of the pay range.

Typical Pay Rates

Library and office assistant roles commonly pay $12 to $18 an hour; dining hall and campus service jobs run $12 to $17 an hour; and lab or computer-lab support pays $15 to $25 an hour. At 20 hours a week, that works out to roughly $960 a month before tax at $12 an hour, or about $1,440 a month at $18 an hour. Graduate assistantships usually pay a monthly stipend rather than an hourly rate, and are commonly higher-value than a standard part-time job once tuition support is included.

Why Campus Jobs Are Competitive

Campus roles, particularly assistantships, fill quickly, especially at large universities, so applying immediately after admission or on arrival matters more than the pay rate itself. Availability also depends heavily on your department's funding and the number of positions it offers each semester.

This Information Is Also Available On

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), SEVIS employment guidance for F-1 students. Individual university International Student and Scholar Services offices publish current on-campus employment rules and typical pay bands.

My Advice

Apply for on-campus jobs and assistantships before you land in the US, not after, since department-funded positions are often allocated in the weeks before a semester starts. If tuition support matters more to you than immediate cash, prioritise a TA or RA role over a higher hourly wage job; the tuition offset is usually worth significantly more over a full year than the hourly-rate difference.