Chipotle Cultivate Education (2026)
What Chipotle's own page says about Cultivate Education debt-free degrees, field by field, with the gaps marked so you know what to ask HR. Checked 2026-10-14.
“After 120 days of employment, employees are eligible to pursue degrees from leading nonprofit, accredited universities.”
Cultivate Education debt-free degrees: the published terms
| Run by | Chipotle with Guild Education |
|---|---|
| Annual dollar cap | Not stated on the employer's pageNo dollar cap published. The release says 100% of tuition costs up front for the listed degrees. |
| How it pays | Tuition covered up front |
| Part-time eligible | Not stated on the employer's page |
| Waiting period | 120 days of employment |
| Who is eligible | All eligible employees, including crew members, after 120 days of employment |
| What it covers | 75 types of business and technology degrees at launch |
| Repayment if you leave | Not stated on the employer's page |
Note: Source is a 2019 press release and no current official benefits page was found. Treat every term as possibly changed.
How much of it is tax-free
Under a written educational assistance program, an employer can exclude up to $5,250 a year from your wages; anything above that is wages unless it qualifies as a working condition benefit (IRS Pub. 15-B, Educational Assistance). Chipotle does not publish an annual amount, so whether you go over $5,250 depends on your program's cost. Ask HR how amounts above the limit are reported.
Run your amount through the tuition reimbursement calculator
What to ask HR
Chipotle's page leaves 3 of 7 terms unstated. Ask for the written plan, and these:
- What is the annual limit, and is there a lifetime maximum?
- Are part-time employees eligible, and is there a minimum number of hours?
- Do I have to repay anything if I leave within a set time?
Keep reading
- Chipotle Tuition Reimbursement (2026): What It CoversOur full guide to Cultivate Education debt-free degrees.
- Tuition reimbursement: the 2026 rulesThe $5,250 limit and the working condition rule, with sources.
- All employers in the databaseFilter by cap and part-time eligibility, or download the CSV.
- Course ROI calculatorWhether a program is worth your time.
Other employers
Sources and date checked
Every number and rule on this page comes from the pages below, read on October 14, 2026. If a source changes, this page can be out of date until it is rechecked.
- Chipotle Debuts Debt-Free Degrees For All Employees (newsroom.chipotle.com, Oct 15, 2019)
Every field and the quote on this page.
- IRS Publication 15-B (2026), Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits
The $5,250 annual exclusion for educational assistance and the working condition rule.
Not tax advice. This page is general information built from IRS publications, not advice for your situation. Plan rules, state law and your own facts can change the answer. Confirm with your plan administrator or a tax professional before you act.