Work vs. Borrow Calculator
Use this calculator to compare working versus borrowing for college
Maybe you’re thinking about working while in school to pay for your education. You could save yourself some debt later on, though you might be quite busy while earning your degree or certificate. Before you go down this road, consider your options. Studies show that students who work more than 15 hours per week while in college tend to graduate later or not at all. In other words, the stress of working a job and going to school is a recipe for burn-out. Here’s a tool to help you compare whether working more is worth it in the long run.
How to use
- Enter the following into the calculator:
- Your hourly rate of pay in the wage field in each case
- Hours you expect to work under each case
- Amount of student loans you expect to borrow in each case
- Your expected first-year annual income after graduation (only for “Work less, borrow more” scenario)
- Resulting values will automatically calculate as you enter your information