Balancing Books and Paychecks 

By Sarai Dillard

After a long day of classes at Xavier University, Zade Colly heads straight to his shift at a nearby McDonald’s. By the time he clocks out hours later, the campus is quiet, and the library lights are glowing in the distance. His classmates are asleep, but Colly opens his laptop to begin reading for the next day. It’s a schedule that he has gotten used to. That nightly juggle of sleep, schoolwork, and a paycheck is how Colly gets by. 

“I don’t really have the option to not work,” said Zade Colly, a sophomore chemistry pre-med student. “This is how I pay for things and keep myself enrolled.”

Colly is not alone in this experience. A 2025 study from Trellis Strategies, a non-profit research firm that specializes in post-secondary research, found that nearly 70 percent of U.S. college students work while they are enrolled. For many students, the choice isn’t really a choice at all. 

Rising tuition, housing costs and everyday expenses continue to pull students into the workforce, even when they have full course loads that require most of their time. At Xavier, where annual tuition is nearly $28,000 before fees and housing, many students say working isn’t optional.

Although financial necessity makes getting a job necessary for so many college students now, the job market for students after graduation has other students looking for opportunities while enrolled.

For Kofina King, a business major who interns with a New Orleans based company (You need to give me the name of the company), the challenge is less about financial survival and more about finding a place in her desired career field. She spends many afternoons a week creating schedules, and making reports, while also trying to manage her coursework.

“Sometimes I leave my internship and realize I still have three assignments that are due that night,” King said. “But I’m doing this because I know that it will be worth it later. I want to walk into the job market already having some real experience, not just a degree.”

King said the professional experience has given her confidence, but the time she has left for schoolwork can feel insufficient at times. King said she has occasionally had to complete homework during her lunch break or review class notes on her phone between tasks at the office. Even with the struggle, she said she wouldn’t trade the opportunity that she is given.

“Yes, it’s overwhelming, but it keeps me moving, and it keeps me focused,” she said. “It also helps me see what I’m actually working towards.”

Some students try to find balance by working on campus, where schedules and workload tend to be more flexible. Lauran Dean, who works as a desk assistant through a campus internship program (What program?), said that relationship with her employer is important to her.

“My supervisors understand that I’m a student first,” said Dean. “If I need to study during slower moments, I can.”

She also said the proximity to her classes makes all the difference. She can go from class to her shift in a short amount of time. It saves on the travel time that her classmates who work off campus often lose in their schedules.

Even though she has a supportive environment, Dean admits that her schedule fills up quickly. She will spend weekends studying for math or catching up on assignments after a week of bouncing between obligations.

“A lot of us don’t have the luxury to just focus on school,” she said. “So, we squeeze things in wherever we can. I don’t even really have the opportunity to just have fun.”

Still, many testify that the experience is molding them in ways that are meaningful. Colly said his job has given him discipline and patience, even on days where he feels exhausted. King said that her internship has helped her to see new possibilities that are in her field.

“We’re trying to build a future while paying for the present,” said King.

With the cost of college continuing to rise, the trend shows no signs of slowing down. Working students — once a subset — are now a defining part of campus life nationwide. At Xavier, that reality is felt every day.

Colly, adjusting his backpack as he prepares for a late-night study session, was able to sum it up simply.

“I’m tired, yeah,” he said. “But this is what it takes. I’m doing it because I want something better for myself and my family. That’s what pushes me to keep me going.”