{"id":4183,"date":"2025-01-28T15:13:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T22:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/compt.io\/pillars\/learning-development-stipends-perks\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T09:22:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T15:22:11","slug":"learning-and-development-stipends","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/compt.io\/guide\/learning-and-development-stipends\/","title":{"rendered":"The Definitive Guide to Learning &amp; Development Stipends"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A <mark><strong>learning and development stipend<\/strong><\/mark> is an amount of money given to employees for them to spend on learning initiatives to help them advance their skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning and development stipends for employees have been gaining in popularity over the past few years, especially as a way to both improve employee productivity and increase retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, as more companies seek to understand the <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/the-state-of-learning-and-development-in-2025\/\">state of learning &amp; development<\/a> and find the right solution for their workforce, more questions arise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why we developed the definitive guide to everything you need to know about these education-forward, people-first stipends:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"what_is_a_learning_stipend\">What is a Learning Stipend?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, a definition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A <strong>learning or education stipend <\/strong>is a post-tax sum of money given to employees for them to spend on learning initiatives that are relevant to them and their needs.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Further details on what they are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are also often referred to as educational stipends, learning stipends, or <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/guide\/what-is-a-professional-development-account\/\">professional development accounts<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learning stipends can be given out on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are nontaxable items (which means receipts are required for reimbursement)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They can range in value from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They can be used for a variety of educational opportunities, such as conferences, workshops, online courses, books, and training materials.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some companies even offer creative ways to use the stipend, such as funding parenting courses, language classes, or a new hobby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Professional-Development-Stipend-Examples-2.png\" alt=\"professional development stipend examples\" class=\"wp-image-13058 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Professional-Development-Stipend-Examples-2.png\" alt=\"professional development stipend examples\" class=\"wp-image-13058 lazyload\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"example_of_a_learning_stipend\">Buffer: A Primary Example of a Learning Stipend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here you can see a screenshot from <a href=\"https:\/\/open.buffer.com\/learning-stipend\/\">Buffer&#8217;s $20\/month learning and development stipend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve their learning goals, it wasn&#8217;t just one learning platform or program that Buffer&#8217;s employees used; their team spent money on <strong>15 unique categories.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How could an HR or People Operations professional create a program that supports this diversity of needs? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This perfectly illustrates the power of a perk stipend or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/lifestyle-spending-accounts-guide\">lifestyle spending accounts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile has-primary-background-color has-background\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/employee-request-form.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12710 size-full lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/employee-request-form.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12710 size-full lazyload\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"foster_a_culture_of_learning_and_continual_growth_with_a_professional_development_stipend\">Foster a culture of learning and continual growth with easy-to-manage, visible L&amp;D workflows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>(Compt customers see 90% participation rates!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link elementor-button wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/learning-and-development-product\/\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"why_use_learning_development_stipends\">Why Use Learning &amp; Development Stipends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning and development can take on various forms: coaching, classes, conferences, training, learning through books, and many others. The fact of the matter is one-size-fits-all training doesn\u2019t work anymore. Today\u2019s employees expect learning that\u2019s tailored to their current skills, future career goals, and unique schedules.<br><br>Learning stipends have quickly emerged as one of the best \u2014 and most popular \u2014 solutions for encouraging employees to always be learning. A learning and development stipend, rather than a formal learning platform, has really become the go-to education-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/employee-lifestyle-benefits\">lifestyle benefits solution<\/a> for HR teams because it&#8217;s so much more flexible and effective than the traditional &#8220;we pick the learning process or path&#8221; for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-five-biggest-benefits-of-stipends-vs-other-l-amp-d-benefits-models\"><strong>The five biggest benefits of stipends vs. other L&amp;D benefits models:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stipends are more cost-effective. <\/strong>Traditional learning platforms can be expensive, especially if every employee isn&#8217;t fully utilizing them. When you <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/what-is-a-stipend\/\">offer a stipend<\/a> through <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/stipends-vs-reimbursement\/#stipends_and_reimbursements_arent_mutually_exclusive_concepts_with_compt_at_least\">Compt\u2019s stipend reimbursement model<\/a>, you&#8217;re only paying for what employees are actually using.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>They&#8217;re also more flexible.<\/strong> When designing any stipend, flexibility is the <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/what-are-flexible-benefits\/\">most important factor<\/a>. Stipends are inclusive, remote-friendly, allow for life changes, and are easy to understand for your employees. Not to mention, they can be used for<em> <\/em>anything learning or development-related including, and now especially, <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/resources\/ai-stipend-ultimate-guide\/\">AI-focused adoption<\/a>!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>They facilitate more learning and development.<\/strong> Because you let people pick the best learning resources and styles (e.g. books vs classes) for them, they\u2019re more likely to engage with stipends: this means more usage = more learning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Employees can take ownership of their growth.<\/strong> When everyone can choose the resources that suit their learning preferences, they&#8217;ll be happier with your benefits package overall, and be more invested in their progress. And if they opt-in to share their learning on LinkedIn, it also creates community and connection for those learning the same thing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HR has less burden (plus better insights).<\/strong> Employees&#8217; ability to personalize their professional development experience means HR and management don&#8217;t have to figure out which training to suggest to each employee. On top of that, with <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/learning-and-development-product\/\">Compt&#8217;s Professional Development Pro\u2122<\/a>, employees have access to the latest reviews on learning purchases from peers in related functions (peers can see what others are learning, reviews, and their rating on a scale of 1 to 5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"Unlocking Employee Potential: The Ultimate Guide to Learning &amp; Development Stipends\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9wKuT74aJT8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"the_data_on_learning_stipends_\">The Data on Learning Stipends  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Educational stipends aren\u2019t new by any means. But, increasingly, companies are recognizing the need for upskilling to meet evolving workplace demands, particularly in fields like <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/resources\/ai-stipend-ultimate-guide\/\">AI<\/a> and technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below find stories, relevant statistics, and more from companies that are offering these to their employees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to ADP Research Institute, only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/People-at-Work-2024-A-Global-Workforce-View.pdf\">47% of employees<\/a> think their companies invest in the skills they need to advance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Among millennials \u2014 who make up 35% of the workforce, the largest generational group \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/269405\/high-performance-workplaces-differently.aspx\">nearly nine in 10<\/a> say opportunities for career growth and professional development are &#8220;very important to them&#8221; in a job.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cipd.org\/en\/knowledge\/reports\/learning-at-work\/\">Only one in five L&amp;D practitioners<\/a> strongly agree they are prioritizing the skills their organization will need in the future.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andrew Geant, cofounder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyzant.com\/\">Wyzant<\/a>, believes learning stipends have proven effective at boosting employee retention and even improving their recruiting capabilities in an increasingly competitive market. &#8220;In interviews, potential employees often <strong>cite the learning stipend as a top reason they applied<\/strong>,&#8221; Geant has said.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Among Compt users, they&#8217;re also quite popular \u2014 in our<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/2025-lifestyle-benefits-benchmark-report\/\"> 2025 Lifestyle Benefits Benchmarking Report<\/a>, we found that <strong>1 in 5 Compt users offer stipends for professional development of some kind<\/strong>. And they&#8217;re growing in prevalence year over year \u2014 spending on professional development increased from 13.3% in 2023 to 15% in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"_examples_of_learning_stipends\">7 Examples of Learning Stipends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no one-size-fits-all learning stipend, as every company&#8217;s size, budget, and focus on learning are different. Check out how the culture giants below leverage the flexibility and personalization of learning stipends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-helpscout\">1. HelpScout<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Help Scout has a &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpscout.com\/blog\/employee-compensation\/\">Learn Something Stipend<\/a>&#8221; where each employee is given $1,800 to spend annually on learning.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-buffer\">2. Buffer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned above, Buffer spends $20\/month on every employee to learn in three main ways: <a href=\"https:\/\/buffer.com\/resources\/learning-stipend\/\">core learning, stretch learning, and holistic development<\/a>, and in 2025 they launched a <a href=\"https:\/\/buffer.com\/resources\/ai-tools-stipend\/\">$250 annual stipend dedicated to AI tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-gong\">3. <a href=\"https:\/\/builtin.com\/company\/gong\/benefits\">Gong<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While the amount given to employees is unknown, Gong does offer its employees an &#8220;education &amp; learning stipend for personal growth and development.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-vts\">4. <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/case-studies\/vts\/\">VTS<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Compt customer, VTS, offers their employees $1,500 annual stipend to support continuing education, with a portion that can be used specifically for health and wellness purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-udemy\"><strong>5. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/builtin.com\/company\/udemy\/benefits#professional-development\">Udemy<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Udemy offers up to $1,500 annually for external learning opportunities after six months of employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-smartsheet\">6. Smartsheet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Smartsheet provides their employees <a href=\"https:\/\/www.builtinboston.com\/2019\/02\/19\/perks-benefits-boston-tech\">$1,000\/year<\/a> to spend on learning-related items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-atlassian\"><strong>7. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/company\/careers\/resources\/perk-and-benefits\/global\/united-states\">Atlassian<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Atlassian provides their people with a &#8220;tuition learning budget.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-185240386378\"\n  style=\"max-width:100%; max-height:100%; width:1000px;height:250px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"185240386378\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLIARGmHBKvJiEn40MWlcWWfR2yc8h0k2g4gZAFTYrH8oEq%2BDIcaT5jawtUGc9xxyHdqrOyJO%2BVad5eRhof7ZQ0E14CPdUQSWXa7lm5q5lkA7Reu17SCLlafiYoVv%2Frr723eiuKF69FF64P51liC0Z2iTTwK0PEyGXAcWyX%2FLeRYjuqxAYofG18ly11Xhm8gGSYKzOsEM6u8%2BqHznDWKmjETIsHhS8h091BgCHpSInA47Lq1qfF0Tz%2FoPljW8b7cAc%2FxuaTT79oEMn7n7osrWpfUCCzqLugE5kBcmLSDpKxPFztpZZYErBttbay9V2yXz6Gcc5WyFf%2Fm4X4M&#038;webInteractiveContentId=185240386378&#038;portalId=3919194\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"Download Annual Benchmark Report from Compt\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/3919194\/interactive-185240386378.png\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill\"\n      onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" \/>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"how_to_make_the_most_of_your_learning_stipends\">How to Make the Most of Your Learning Stipends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>If you <em>invest<\/em> in your people, they will <em>invest<\/em> in you. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>As famous speaker Jim Rohn once said, &#8220;When you invest in people and lift them toward their potential, they will love you for it.&#8221; From career coaching to conferences and books, learning stipends let managers and employees pick the best path for them to reach their potential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are some ideas as to how your employees and your company can get the most out of your learning stipend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Formalize it with process and documentation. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A learning stipend that isn&#8217;t documented and doesn&#8217;t have a formal process only leads to confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We&#8217;ve all been at organizations that haven&#8217;t properly outlined exactly what the benefit is, what&#8217;s covered, and how to take advantage. This leads to more questions for employees and more questions for HR to address.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Eliminate questions, confusion, and lopsided support for only some people by properly documenting how much people have, how it can be used, and how to best redeem this perk. You can document this process on an internal wiki, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/\">Atlassian<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/tettra.co\/\">Tettra<\/a>, or manage the whole process through a perk software like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/\">Compt<\/a> (hey there!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Include it in your job postings. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Job candidates care tremendously about benefits (in some cases,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cutimes.com\/2024\/11\/15\/employees-prioritize-benefits-over-pay-study-finds\/\"> more so than the salary<\/a>). Indeed&#8217;s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/news\/chasing-more-than-dollars-2024-what-is-driving-job-seekers\"> 2024 Workforce Insights Report<\/a>, which explores in-depth what motivates job seekers, finds that the driving force behind more than one-third of workers&#8217; job search is the desire for better benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since so many job seekers hold professional development opportunities in such high regard, why not make your continuous learning stipend a prominent selling point in job postings? Let your potential employees know that you&#8217;re committed to their continued development and you make this possible by giving them a stipend to pick the best methods of learning for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Set a metric for adoption or usage. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At Compt, we find that ~94% of employees take advantage of their company&#8217;s monthly stipends, depending on the stipend program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Set a utilization, adoption, or participation metric that you&#8217;re shooting for, and then create a process to support that.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>One example of a good process is developing manager training to help find ways to get their team members to take advantage of the programs available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind adoption will vary based on the stipend in question. For instance, a category like Food or Health and Wellness will have a higher adoption rate than L&amp;D because it&#8217;s less of a general interest category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-where-relevant-tie-back-to-a-company-value\">Where relevant, tie back to a company value <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since today&#8217;s labor market is crowded. With three of the six billion companies in today&#8217;s US labor market being hyper-competitive, finding and keeping talent isn&#8217;t easy. By having a clear and powerful mission, vision, and values (MVV), you&#8217;re able to find people who have similar beliefs which will attract them to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Double down on your MVV by investing in it. If you have a value of &#8220;Always be learning&#8221;, then having a learning stipend tied to that really helps you walk the walk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Design your program according to your budget.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you implement an L&amp;D stipend program, you have two major considerations: (a) how much you&#8217;ll offer and (b) how often you&#8217;ll make those payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see from the seven examples we&#8217;ve given above, learning and professional development stipends vary wildly. Some companies, like Buffer, spend $20 per month. Others, like Balsamiq, give $3,000 per year. Among Compt users, stipend amounts range from $100 to $2,000 on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Design your program for maximum utilization.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you implement an L&amp;D stipend program, you have two major considerations: (a) how much you&#8217;ll offer and (b) how often you&#8217;ll make those payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see from the seven examples we&#8217;ve given above, learning and professional development stipends vary wildly. Some companies, like Buffer, spend $20 per month. Others, like Balsamiq, give $3,000 per year. Among Compt users, stipend amounts range from $100 to $2,000 on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the timing, we&#8217;ve found that most companies offer L&amp;D stipends on an annual basis. This allows them to consider larger investments, like a course or conference, the upfront costs of which wouldn&#8217;t be coverable with a smaller monthly or quarterly stipend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Encourage employees to pursue unique learning opportunities.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In one of our recent Getting Personal with Compt episodes, we<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/2025-professional-development-essentials-for-hr-and-their-people\/\"> spoke with learning and development strategist Molly Dennen<\/a>. According to her, employees&#8217; skills and experience go far beyond their hard skills. Each of your team members has broader soft skills and interests that make them dynamic and interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe problem is that we\u2019ve asked people to not be themselves. We\u2019ve asked them to be a very specific version with 15 years of experience using this one program, this one app, this one, whatever it may be. And so we\u2019ve asked them to ignore the other components that make them interesting people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When people approach tasks and challenges at work, they do so by applying what they&#8217;ve learned on their own personal learning journeys. If you&#8217;re solely looking at the textbook hard skills, you&#8217;ll probably miss that nuance. That&#8217;s why, to get the most out of a professional development initiative, you have to allow employees to channel what makes them a unique asset to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"what_people_buy_with_their_continuous_learning_stipend\">What People Buy with their Continuous Learning Stipend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we mentioned above, you can keep your stipend&#8217;s spending as open or closed as you want. We find that the more you let your team decide what&#8217;s best for them, the happier, more productive and empowered they will be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>In short? It&#8217;s best to make it as open as possible.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In our 2025 Benchmarking Report, we analyzed <strong>more than 2,500 claims<\/strong> from professional development vendors to understand what today&#8217;s employees truly prioritize. Here are the top  categories Compt users have purchased through their stipends:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Books &amp; eBooks (hard copy, audio, and Kindle)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Certifications related to their professional field<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conferences and networking events<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Career coaching services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Membership fees for professional organizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Online courses (e.g., Udemy, Coursera, or a Udacity Nanodegree)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Subscriptions (e.g., Babbel, Blinkist, LinkedIn Learning)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tools and productivity software<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The costs associated with graduate degree programs, local meetups, and workshops are other examples of expenses your employees can potentially cover with their stipends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What makes Compt so special<\/strong> is that you can also use it to manage ad-hoc learning and development requests for<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/employee-tuition-reimbursement\/\"> tuition reimbursement<\/a>, and<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/types-of-employee-reimbursements\/\"> other reimbursements<\/a> for things like courses, classes, and<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/guide\/professional-certification-stipends\/\"> professional certifications<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"examples of professional development stipends\" class=\"wp-image-13933 lazyload\" style=\"width:672px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"examples of professional development stipends\" class=\"wp-image-13933 lazyload\" style=\"width:672px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/professional-dev-stipend-categories.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\" id=\"other_popular_types_of_perk_stipends\">Other Popular Types of Perk Stipends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A perk stipend makes it possible for companies to offer more perks, with less money and ensure that they are personalized to meet the needs of their people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are some of the popular types of stipends:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/perk-stipends-everything-you-need-to-know\">General perk stipend<\/a>: Companies combine one or more of the stipends below to create a general perk stipend that allows employees to pick from many spending categories.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/health-wellness-stipends-perks\">Health &amp; wellness stipend<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/remote-work-stipends-perks\">Remote work stipend<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/equipment-stipends-archived\">Equipment stipends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/meal-allowance-food-stipend-guide\">Meal or food stipends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/cell-phone-reimbursement-stipend\">Cell phone stipend<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/pet-care-stipends\">Pet care stipends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/employee-travel-stipends-vacation\">Travel stipends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Experience stipends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/charitable-giving-stipend\">Charitable giving stipend<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Commuter stipend<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Student loan stipends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compt.io\/employee-bonus-programs\">Employee bonus stipends<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-your-l-amp-d-workflow-working-for-you-or-against-you\">Is your L&amp;D Workflow Working for You, or Against You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our new <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/learning-and-development-product\/\">professional development module <\/a>streamlines requests, approvals, and budget tracking, eliminating complex workflows and empowering employees to grow and develop. Sound like something your team could use? We&#8217;re just a click away! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-182760281353\"\n  style=\"max-width:100%; max-height:100%; width:1000px;height:250px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"182760281353\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJtvrctCTRRrYC5DkuC8HE%2FkYlvuug2Y392gh5LfGGQllhqr6vz9uIOpPtWHdcUIenl4Szvxe0ieVBWN4P2mwnyTomSXWTxaRODSguM1H%2FHpjNqD3fNNufuUBklCJFcwVUk0Xp2AG0cig3rBaqDUqZD9xIURVbTaYNQAsaXxah7opbnCkv2itA9xt2ziHGSxR%2FQK64%3D&#038;webInteractiveContentId=182760281353&#038;portalId=3919194\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"Learning-Demo-CTA\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/3919194\/interactive-182760281353.png\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill\"\n      onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" \/>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Originally published in 202<\/em>0, this post has been recently updated for clarity and relevance for our readers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A learning and development stipend is an amount of money given to employees for them to spend on learning initiatives to help them advance their skills. Learning and development stipends for employees have been gaining in popularity over the past few years, especially as a way to both improve employee productivity and increase retention. But, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11591,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"guide-category":[48],"class_list":["post-4183","guide","type-guide","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","guide-category-lifestyle-benefits"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Learning &amp; Development Stipends: A Complete Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to drive employee productivity and satisfaction through the right L&amp;D program in the definitive guide to learning &amp; development stipends.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/guide\/learning-and-development-stipends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Definitive Guide to Learning &amp; 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