According to CNBC, Stephanie Thomas, a 49-year-old certified financial planner in Raleigh, North Carolina, used student loans, parental help and part-time work to pay for college more than 25 years ago, graduating with about $20,000 in debt that she later repaid on an income-based plan. She and her husband saved in 529 college savings plans for their daughters, and her youngest daughter, Ainsley, 16, is taking dual-enrollment classes in high school so she can finish with an associate's degree and enter a four-year school as a junior.

The article said dual enrollment rose 9.6% from the prior year in the latest spring 2026 report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. It also said average tuition and fees rose 74% at private four-year institutions and 101% at four-year public colleges between 1995 and 2025, after inflation, according to the College Board. By the 2025-26 academic year, average annual room and board, tuition and fees reached $25,850 at four-year in-state public colleges, $45,780 for out-of-state students and $60,920 at four-year private colleges.

Sallie's How America Pays for College report found that nearly half of families borrow to pay for college, while parent income and savings cover 39% of costs, student income and savings cover 10%, and scholarships and grants cover about 27%. Education Department data released last month showed about 9.3 million federal student loan borrowers were in default as of June 30, up from around 6.2 million in 2016. The article also said entry-level job postings in the U.S. have fallen 35% since January 2023, according to Revelio Labs, as families weigh the cost of college against uncertain early-career prospects.