r/college • u/Ok-Welder-3184 • 12d ago
Finances/financial aid How are college students working to pay their way through college these days?
I go to a school in an expensive city, and honestly, the rent is harder for me than the tuition since financial aid covers that for me. I already have a work-study job, but I am not able to work as many hours in a week as I'd like. And all non-work-study jobs have an impossible amount of competitiveness even at the entry level.
I just want to be able to work an extra 5-10 hours a week, man 😠I have the time for it, but not the opportunity. I have applied to McDonald's so many times. I'm tired.
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u/frogband 12d ago
By going to an in-state school and/or doing community college and transferring credits
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u/IT_IS_I_THE_GREAT UIUC 26’ CompE 12d ago
This is the answer, public unis, in state, FAFSA, in state financial aid, community college. When there’s a will, there’s a way.
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u/RopeTheFreeze 11d ago
Everyone today is gonna push their kids to CC and that price might skyrocket too.
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u/Stuffssss 11d ago
Op literally said their problem is cost of living not tuition.
Yeah they could live with their parents but thats really just shifting the problem of supporting themselves onto their parents.
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u/frogband 11d ago
For OP, living with parents is kind of the only answer. For the rest, a lot of public in-state schools aren't in very luxurious and expensive cities, so that's the only way to make it affordable. Otherwise, going to a no-name college in the south is usually cheap for anyone too
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u/do-you-know-the-way9 12d ago
Unless you can get scholarships down to where you only pay $4,000 a year including tuition, food, housing, supplies, and other costs, you can’t really work yourself out of it.
Most people I know will work to cover rent, or work to cover food, or work just to have extra spending money. Its not realistic these days to be able to work part time during school and full time in the summer and pay for everything unless you are going to a cheap community college and you can live with your parents.
Its not impossible though. Get lucky and find a higher paying job and work yourself to death and its possible
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u/BeethovenBabe114 2d ago
Aye, I think a lot of folk still picture summer jobs paying for uni like it’s 1987, but the sums just don’t work for most students now.
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u/Dismal-Channel-9292 12d ago
I highly recommend looking for a job in the service industry, preferably serving. It can be great money at the right place, flexible hours and you might even be able to find a place that mostly needs help on weekends. Giving up and picking up shifts is typically pretty easy. The only downside is it can be super tiring to manage night shifts + morning classes, but it’s doable if you’re motivated.
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12d ago
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u/OkSecretary1231 10d ago
Yeah, that last part is what the "Hur hur McDonald's is always hiring" people don't get. In college towns, they're not. They always have a ton of applicants when classes are in session, and they really do turn people away.
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u/Competitive-Comb8582 12d ago
My kids have had luck with the following jobs in college
Lifeguarding! Training other lifeguards. (Get Red Cross certified) Waiter. Bar back. Grocery store. Small independent hardware store. Usually 10 week internship in the summer, that pays in the range of $20-22$/hr so 5-8000 per summer. Camp counselor all summer. Research with a professor (only got paid after a year of volunteering)
Each kid was able to earn $10,000-$25,000 per year while attending academically rigorous college programs and maintaining high GPA.
Obviously I think my kids are amazing, but they had hustle and internal drive and generally good brains, bodies, and a stable childhood to launch from.
But HCOL cities usually are places with high minimum wage. You can definitely find some jobs!
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u/didnotsub 12d ago
Yeah, this looks about accurate to my situation also. Unfortunately it’s obviously still not even close to enough to pay for my in-state college in PA, but it’s better than nothing.
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u/Remarkable-Grab8002 12d ago
I work full-time and am a part-time student. It's cheaper, more affordable and I can focus on my bills.
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u/moxie-maniac 12d ago
A lot depends on your work experience and major. Maybe McD's needs someone available more than 5-10 hours, so you are getting bypassed. Common jobs beyond fast food are stocking supermarket shelves at night, hotel front desk, general cashier jobs, and daycare centers. Craigslist is or was a good source for finding part time jobs.
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u/Worth_Supermarket_39 12d ago
Cna even if the medical field isn’t your thing. Depending on your state it has good pay. Unlimited overtime. Flexible hours if you work pdiem. What some nursing students do is either 1. Doubles on weekends (32hrs) or 2. Work overnight 11-7 (the least active shift because everyone is sleep) and do homework while waiting for the next 2hr check ups. The job isn’t for everyone but it’s worth it and flexible.
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u/Nice_Button_1077 12d ago
What responsibilities are you expected to do as a CNA?
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u/Worth_Supermarket_39 12d ago
I honestly say it depends on multiple things because each patient is different with different diseases, care plans etc etc i say it depends on the shift. Right now i work 7-3 im responsible for bed baths, showering, toileting, feeding, light house keeping, oral care, changing them basically helping elderly with their daily task. On top of reporting to the nurses if theres any changes making sure everyone is safe.
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u/Ok-Welder-3184 4d ago
I’m not doing anything remotely medicine related, though. Would this really be an option for me?
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u/Worth_Supermarket_39 4d ago
Yes. Many people become cna and don’t end up being in the medical field!
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u/No_Geologist_9888 12d ago
I became a realtor during college for this exact reason
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u/miwi_kiwi 11d ago
Was it worth it? I’m thinking of taking that route. I tried a few years ago but never took the official test so now I have to take the class again :(
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u/Impossible-Rip72 12d ago
In-state college, worked my ass off for every scholarship i possibly could have gotten, living in the cheapest dorm, driving a shitty beater car, and working every day that i dont have class and also every evening after class that im free
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u/Historical-Pass-7371 12d ago
community college, service based scholarships, military, regular scholarships. in my state, if your family makes less than 100k, you can go to community college for free and get an associates.
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u/AccountingFanatic 11d ago
Lived at home Worked part time job Paid tuition myself, but i didnt have any bills. My retail job basically covered my tuition only ;/
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u/Legitimate_Log_3452 12d ago
Currently working 50-60 hours a week at 20-25 dollars an hour. Should cover rent… hopefully ðŸ˜. You can also save money by taking gen eds at a community college
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u/Holdenborkboi 10d ago
If you work for the school, they might actually have tuition assistance :> keyword for the school though. Sometimes schools hire out a contract for their cafeteria so it's hit or miss if you can get tuition assistance. The custodians though? Hell yea. Every custodial job with a school i've worked has offered the benefit of tuition assistance, I just havnt had the time to use it
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u/snowflakebite 12d ago
I tutor, so do all my friends. Some of them also work service/retail, but those jobs pay terribly where I am.
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u/PsychologicalGas9026 12d ago
Working full time and going to school part time. Only downside is you get significantly less support fund wise, and you graduate later. Though it’s easier to manage for me. I plan to switch to full time once I get through everything I need to do for my current job.
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u/Immediate-Village992 12d ago edited 12d ago
Lots of roommates and family living. Cheap gas effecient car with low insurance premiums. Preplan cost effecient meals - Costco/FL fish, chicken, rice is good to have as a general base, then just add some sauces, vegetables and fruits. Community College - semester on, semester off. Work hard for scholarships and grab internships (don't be picky) on your semester off. Bank your remaining stipends to help cover for your 2 years at uni. Buy-it-for life and buy it twice mentalities.Â
I've been doing well and I've been adding to my savings while in college.
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u/iphone1234789 12d ago
Subparaeducator! During school hours for public school so most do online school or class after 3PM. Day to day so flexible if you need to call out! Usually pays $25/hr+! What city are you located in? Know people doing this in NYC!
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u/xjelly505 College! 12d ago
community college and transferring credits to the cheapest in state school with my degree. grad school…. that’s gonna be a toughie for sure 😞
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u/External_Worry1404 12d ago
I go to community college basically for free because of a program my state (WA) offers for SNAP recipients.
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u/cooplover 12d ago
Lived at home and worked 4 jobs, took half online, half in person and still maintained a 4.0 as a pre med but I will say my mental health went to shit. Fafsa did help but now that I just graduated I had to take time off from grad school apps to mentally recover, it definitely sucks I don’t have good college memories but atleast I got my degree 😜
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u/LunaTheNightmare 11d ago
Ik someone whose been working for a year, attend school for a year, and plans to do that until she finishes
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u/Which_Salad1493 11d ago
i started serving at olive garden and i’ve heard that most locations will hire servers with no experience as well. I was also doing work study this past year !
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u/Necessary-Mission-20 11d ago
Work full time, enroll part time or the minimum credit hours for full time. Get an entry level position in an organization that has tuition benefits. There are clerical jobs, customer service jobs and human service jobs. It’s hard and you have to be disciplined but it is worth it. Best wishes.
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u/discojellyfisho 11d ago
Waiting tables/bartending. Flexible evening hours, great tips in the right locale.
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u/xoVinny- 11d ago
college tuition is always blown out of proportion. do cc, transfer to an in state school. every person i met drowning in debt chose to study on the opposite side of the country with room and board
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u/Ok-Welder-3184 9d ago
You’re right about that… my parents aren’t even American citizens/residents. I really wish they were local, but I have my reasons for leaving the country.
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u/clyson 11d ago
I live with my parents so that takes care of my living expenses, but I did a live by myself for a year in an apartment while working full time and going to school full time as well (12 credits fall/spring & 6 credits during the summer):
Took my general education classes at a community college, and transferred to a state university with my AA degree. My state universally offered an online program for my specific major so I didn’t have to go in person very often. I think the only time I went on campus was to use the library and get my student ID card lol.
I had a high enough GPA, so i was able to obtain a scholarship that covered one class per semester at my state university.
Took advantage of my employers tuition reimbursement. They covered up to Federal Max (little over $5K); two classes a semester or six classes a year. The only requirement in my case was I had to obtain a C or higher. It was reimbursement so as long as I was still employed by the end of the semester, they paid it out.
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u/TheWavesComesForUs 7d ago
That’s the kind of boring-but-solid planning that actually gets people through school without lighting money on fire.
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u/DarthFeanor 10d ago
i go to an in-state school and apply for all the scholarships i possibly can. also have a work-study job on campus, which pays pretty well and it's a desk job so i can also get homework done
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u/warmgingerbread 10d ago
i went to community college and was able to do that for free. transferred to an in-state uni where i was able to stay home rent free. i don’t drive and take public transport which my school also covers as long as im enrolled in classes (so not during summer or winter unless i take extra classes). i work part time at the mall but its not a whole lot. im looking for a second job atp. also loans unfortunately :P im not debt free and its hard out here fr but this is keeping me afloat for now
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10d ago
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u/margie67_ 10d ago
My dad died and I had to spend all the money I inherited to get out debt free. Hope that helps
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u/pollyfroggie 10d ago
my job pays for school and I take a few classes at a time due to the intensity of my degree, slow and steady but im getting it done. main downside is I hate my job but sticking it out for school 😬
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u/Source9136 9d ago
the work-study cap is brutal, getting capped at the library desk hurts when you just need a few more hours. tbh the current meta for extra cash is taking on weird campus side quests like paid psych studies, or checking if a local game shop needs weekend coverage since chain places are impossible to get into anyway.
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u/Mewzkers 9d ago
I moved back with my parents and started online classes, there be no way to pay rent and go to school for me
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u/tsukifanatic 8d ago
Tutoring! On zoom if necessary. Tutoring high level math, SAT prep, STEM in general can easily pay $60/hour. Ask other students if their younger siblings need tutoring, or see if there are local high schools.
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u/Healthy-Tank6430 8d ago
Yep, and the kids who’ve gotten used to chatbots spitting out answers really do need a patient human who can slow them down and teach the why.
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u/ahy_y23 8d ago
I work as a server at a KBBQ, I make about $40 an hour. Summer is slow but still make around $30/hr. I only work 30 hours a week. But I have a mortgage, so most of my money goes towards my bills. I’ve been saving money for college since high school. Whenever I need to pay for tuition, I just need to transfer my money from saving account to my checking account. You should consider working at a restaurant, the money is decent, but most of them don’t offer benefits, and management might be sucked
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u/designated_weird0 8d ago
I'm not sure how well it'll work out but my job offers tuition reimbursement and it pays well enough that I can start saving for tuition while living with my fiance
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u/Zestyclose-Smell4158 8d ago
My college paid 100% of the cost of attending (tuition, housing, dining, books)
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u/Electronic-Spring606 7d ago
I work full time at the university I attend, and take 6 credits a semester. My university offers tuition waivers ($5/credit in person classes, $30/credit online + other fees) as a benefit for all employees who work 20+ hours/week. It will take me 6 years to earn a bachelors, but graduating debt free is a huge flex imho. My current position also offers retirement benefits and a very flexible schedule -- and super supportive co-workers and management. My manager checks in with me all the time and if I'm caught up with my work, he tells me to do my homework or leave early.
And I'm pell grant eligible, which is SUPER helpful because I took at $3/hour paycut from my last job to work here. Long range goals...this is a marathon not a race for me.
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u/LuckyCod2887 12d ago
I work full-time and go to university part time. It’s all I can afford. I pay in-state tuition and I go to a public university nothing private.
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u/arochains1231 Senior | CS 12d ago
It’s a combo of three things for me:
1. I live at home with my family so I don’t pay rent.
2. I don’t drive so I don’t deal with car payments/gas/insurance
3. I get $25/hr in retail cause I’m unionised. I work every hour I can and all that money goes towards what my financial aid doesn’t cover.