Many students don't fit the stereotype of someone who attends a four-year institution full-time and doesn't have a job, Broton says. Rather, about 40 percent of students these days are working in addition to going to school. And nearly 1 in 4 are parents.
Adding to the stress is the fact that while tuition and fees continue to rise, financial aid hasn't kept pace. In the 2017-18 school year, after accounting for grant aid and tax benefits, full-time students at two-year colleges had to cover $8,070 in room and board, on average, while those at four-year public institutions faced an average $14,940 in room, board, tuition and fees.