How Rising Costs are Changing Student Work

If you’re a college student or even just someone who remembers the college grind, it’s hard to ignore how much things have changed over the past few years. It feels like everything’s gotten more expensive—groceries, rent, transportation—and let’s not even get started on tuition. For many students in 2025, just covering basic living expenses has become a serious challenge.

The rising cost of living for college students has forced them to work more hours than ever just to pay for rent, food, and other essentials. This shift is affecting the balance between work and study, and it’s making student life a lot harder.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at how the rising cost of living for college students is changing how students approach work and study—and what can be done to ease the burden.

Related:

The Rising Cost of Living for College Students

Let’s break down the rising cost of living for college students in 2025. Here’s a snapshot:

Rent and Utilities

Room and board costs have risen significantly, increasing 14% more than inflation from 2010 to 2020, with some public universities now charging more for housing than tuition. Nationwide, rents have jumped 33% since the pandemic.

Groceries

You’re probably seeing your grocery bills creeping up by 20-25% since 2020. Things like snacks, coffee, and basic food staples have all gotten pricier.

Transportation

Whether you’re relying on public transport or driving your car, commuting is getting more expensive. Public transit fares went up by about 10%, and car-related costs—gas, insurance, parking—are on the rise too.

Tuition-Related Costs

Tuition increases might not be as sharp as in the past, but the extra costs—textbooks, lab fees, and other hidden expenses—are still climbing.

And all of this? It’s happening while student aid and typical wage growth have struggled to keep up. Federal financial aid, for instance, hasn’t been keeping pace with the rising cost of living for college students, which means that many students are falling short of what they need to make ends meet.

The Impact on Work-Study Balance

Most college students have to work to cover tuition, rent, food, and other expenses. But before, working 10-15 hours a week was already enough to cover a bit of rent or buy some food.

These days, it’s a whole different story.

Today, it’s pretty common for students to work 20+ hours a week, sometimes even more. And while some people might think that’s no big deal, it’s starting to feel like the new normal, even though it’s causing a world of college student work-study balance problems.

More hours on the job mean less time for homework, sleep, and overall well-being. The result? Higher stress levels, lower grades, and burnout.

What’s also interesting is that many students are moving away from traditional on-campus work-study jobs. Instead, they’re opting for off-campus jobs that offer better pay, but those come with their own challenges.

It’s a tough balance to strike, and unfortunately, education isn’t always the priority when survival is at stake.

Work-Study vs. Off-Campus Jobs in 2025

The student financial stress in 2025 is only intensifying, which urges many students to take on a few off-campus jobs. Non-traditional student jobs, like off-campus positions, can pay better than on-campus ones, but they have their downsides, too.

Here’s a quick work-study vs part-time jobs comparison:

Work-Study Jobs

Pros: Flexible hours, usually right on campus (so no long commutes).
Cons: Low pay, fewer hours, and often not enough to cover all costs.

Off-Campus Jobs

Pros: Higher pay (often minimum wage or more), more job variety, and full-time hours available.
Cons: Less flexibility (you’re working shifts), and you have to deal with commuting.

As the cost of living keeps rising, more students are jumping into off-campus work, even though it means sacrificing flexibility. For example, in Orange County, North Carolina, the updated living wage is $16.60 an hour, according to officials at Orange County Living Wage. However, students working on campus at UNC Chapel Hill typically earn between $8.80 and $10.50 an hour, as reported by the Carolina Union.

How Employment Affects Academic Performance

College jobs and academic performance are more closely related than you think. Here are some findings from ResearchGate:

Key findings:

Working fewer than 10 hours a week has a positive effect on both satisfaction and GPA.
Working more than 11 hours a week leads to a decline in satisfaction and GPA.

Why?

Juggling schedules is tough: Balancing shifts, classes, and assignments can get overwhelming, and it’s easy to fall behind.
Classes get skipped: Late nights or weekend shifts sometimes mean you just can’t make it to class, and that adds up to missed lessons and material.
Campus life takes a hit: The more hours you work, the harder it is to join clubs, study groups, or campus events—things that actually make college feel richer.

Food and Housing Insecurity Among Working Students

Due to uncontrollable inflation, food insecurity among students is becoming more common, along with housing challenges. Even if you’re working hard, it doesn’t always mean you can afford the basics.

According to surveys, about 1 in 3 college students have experienced food insecurity. This is a huge challenge that goes beyond just financial strain; it impacts physical and mental health, too.

In addition to food insecurity, student housing costs in 2025 are also another problem. Here are a few quick facts:

Student housing rents outpaced multifamily rents over the past 2 years.
Multifamily rent growth: +2.5% (2023) → -0.3% (2024).
Student housing rent growth: +5.0% (2023) → +4.3% (2024).
Concern: Rising rents are hitting students hard, a group especially dependent on affordability.

While some colleges have implemented food pantries, emergency housing funds, and subsidized housing, these resources are often stretched thin. Plus, many students can’t get the help they need in time.

Strategies Students Are Using to Cope

So, how are students coping with all this? Balancing inflation and college affordability is very tricky, which is why many students are getting creative:

Freelance or Remote Work: Whether it’s tutoring, freelance writing, or even creating content for social media, many students are finding flexible work online.
Living with Family or Roommates: With rent prices soaring, many students are moving back home or sharing apartments with multiple roommates to make rent more manageable.
Part-Time or Online Degrees: For students balancing jobs and family obligations, online or part-time programs give them the flexibility they need to continue their education without overloading their schedules.
Budgeting and Time-Blocking: Many students are learning to budget more effectively, often using time-management tools like time-blocking to organize their day.

What Colleges and Policymakers Can Do

The recent working college students statistics have urged many colleges and universities to expand their initiatives. In turn, it has become easier for students to stay in school.

Expand higher-paying work-study jobs. Schools should offer more work-study positions that pay above minimum wage and allow for more hours.
Increase emergency grants and micro-scholarships. Small financial aid packages can make a huge difference in a student’s ability to get through tough times.
Adjust aid for regional cost-of-living differences. Financial aid packages should reflect the different costs of living in urban vs. rural areas.
Strengthen career services. Schools should connect students with better-paying jobs that offer more flexibility and align with their long-term career goals.

For policymakers, proposals to raise Pell Grants, incentivize campus employment, and offer housing subsidies could go a long way in easing students’ financial burdens.

Future Outlook for the Work-Study Model

So, what does the future look like for the work-study model? Honestly, the current system might not be sustainable much longer. With more students working long hours just to survive, schools may need to redesign work-study programs to be more flexible and pay better.

There’s also potential for hybrid work-study programs and even more opportunities in AI-driven jobs as the workforce evolves. More flexible academic calendars and remote learning options could also help students balance work and school more effectively.

Conclusion

The pressure on students to earn a living while pursuing their degrees is only growing. Here are a few time management tips for college students with part-time jobs:

Prioritize tasks. List out what needs to get done daily and tackle the most important items first.
Use a planner or app. Keep track of classes, shifts, and deadlines in one place to avoid last-minute stress.
Set boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say no to extra shifts or activities if they’ll cut into study time.
Make use of small windows. Even 20–30 minutes between classes can be used for review or quick assignments.
Communicate with professors and employers. Let them know your schedule—most are more flexible than you think.
Protect downtime. Schedule rest just like any other commitment to avoid burnout.

The balance between work and study is shifting in 2025. Higher education institutions and policymakers must adapt to meet the needs of students. By supporting students with better resources, work opportunities, and financial aid, colleges and policymakers can help ensure that earning a degree doesn’t come at the expense of mental health or academic success.

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How Rising Cost of Living is Changing Student Work–Study Balance in 2025