We’ve all heard it before.

“Back in my day we paid our way through college on a part-time job,” many of us hear from our grandparents.

That may have worked 60 years ago but will it today?

Not likely, a recent study reports.

Textbookrush.com found the cost of attending a public, 4-year school has increased 259% over the last 40 years.

In 1974, those working for the $2 minimum wage would have to work just over 27 hours a week to pay for college.

Today, that same student would have to work over 94 hours a week – and that’s just to cover in-state tuition.

The report looked at average in-state tuition costs, state hourly minimum wages and time available for students to work.

It found South Carolina students must work:

• In-state, on-campus: 94.3 hours

• In-state, off-campus: 95.87 hours

• Out-of-state, on-campus: 125.12 hours

• Out-of-state, off-campus: 126.68 hours

That’s based on:

• In-state tuition: $7,906 a year

• On-campus housing: $12,605 a year

• Minimum wage: $7.25 an hour

On top of a course load of 12 hours a week, the average SC student would work 106 hours a week. That’s over 15 hours a day, 7 days a week and doesn’t cover groceries, gas or utilities.

States whose students must work longer hours to pay for school were Pennyslvania, New Hampshire, Virginia and Indiana at up to 159 hours weekly.

Least working hours needed were in Arizona, California and Washington at up to 81 hours a week.

Find the full report at https://www.textbook-rush.com/blog/post/is-it-possible-to-pay-your-waythrough-college-in-2019/ .