This research brief highlights student employment trends and their implications for higher education, and identifies major sources of national data on the subject. Text and tables provide data on: (1) number and percentage of college students employed, by age range, for 1988; (2) changes in the number and percent of employed college students, from 1972 to 1988; (3) percent of students in the work force by family income, by type of institution, and by race/ethnicity; (4) hours worked per week; (5) kinds of jobs held by college students; and (6) average earnings. Data highlights include: the percentage of employed full-time students aged 16 to 24 has risen from 35 percent in 1972 to 46.5 percent in 1988; 62 percent of students of all ages are working; and full-time students who are employed are working an average of 20 hours a week. Implications of student employment are noted, including the growth of part-time study, the growth in duration of study, and lower levels of participation in college activities. Descriptions of three data resources and a bibliography of nine items are provided. (JDD)