Here Are The Staggering Odds Of Getting A Job At Starbucks

The company just announced it will cover college tuition costs through an online program at Arizona State University. Starbucks also offers health benefits to employees who work more than 20 hours a week.

But getting a job at Starbucks is staggeringly difficult.

"Last fiscal year we had 4 million applications and hired 50,000 people in the U.S. for hourly retail positions," a spokesman told Business Insider.

That means Starbucks accepts just over 1% of its applicants.

Starbucks might receive even more applications following the announcement it will pay for college tuition, Starbucks book author and blogger Melody Overton said.

"The typical age of a barista seems to be about 19 to 24, and that is the age where people are thinking heavily about their education," she said.

Once people get hired at Starbucks, they tend to keep the job, she said.

"From what I can see, turnover is lower than any other similarly situated industries," Overton said.