My latest piece on Forbes.com discusses work colleges – the type of institution where students take a critical role in operations and serve the college in exchange for reduced or even no tuition.
Read the full Forbes article here.
Here is a summary!
Rising costs and uneven career readiness continue to challenge U.S. higher education. One proven answer is hiding in plain sight: America’s work colleges, institutions that integrate work–learning–service so students develop professional habits while materially lowering the price of a degree. The Work Colleges Consortium (WCC) describes a small group of mission-driven liberal-arts colleges where every residential student works a campus or community job as part of the educational program. (Work Colleges Consortium)
Among the best-known examples is Berea College in Kentucky—tuition-free since 1892. All students participate in the Labor Program, typically 10 hours per week, documented on a separate “work transcript,” with aid structured so students receive scholarship support rather than taxable wages. The model underscores the dignity of all forms of work and connects labor progression with growing responsibilities over four years. (Berea College)
Missouri’s College of the Ozarks—often nicknamed Hard Work U—requires students to work 15 hours weekly during the term (plus designated work weeks), applying those hours directly to a “tuition assurance” amount alongside grants and scholarships. Work assignments range across 80+ campus areas, including media, farm, and crafts, designed to build both technical and teamwork skills. (cofo.edu)
At Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, the Work Program combines a minimum of 10 hours per week on one of 70+ crews with formal supervisor evaluations, intentional skill-building, and a stated $3,000 per year contribution toward tuition. Alumni overwhelmingly report that the model improved their problem solving, communication, and job preparation. (Warren Wilson College)
Paul Quinn College—the nation’s first Urban Work College—adapts the model for a major metro context. Through corporate partnerships, students gain paid, resume-ready experience with Dallas-area employers; recent announcements highlight scholarship structures tied to internship placement and collaborations like the City Year partnership to expand paid service pathways. (Paul Quinn College)
The WCC currently lists member institutions including Alice Lloyd, Berea, Blackburn, College of the Ozarks, Kuyper, Paul Quinn, Sterling, and Warren Wilson—each tailoring the work-learning-service core to local context while meeting federal requirements for recognized work colleges. A concise overview from ACE notes that federal funds are allocated through the WCC, with colleges matching those dollars and complying with detailed reporting—an often-overlooked policy backbone that sustains the model. (Work Colleges Consortium)
The through-line across these campuses is simple and powerful: every student works, every job teaches, and every hour reduces net cost. Students graduate with substantive experience, professional references, and a documented record of responsibility—advantages that matter in both employment and graduate admissions. For families, the predictability of work requirements (typically 10–15 hours/week) and the direct offset to tuition and living costs can be decisive. (Work Colleges Consortium)
For readers exploring practical reforms that make college more affordable while upgrading real-world learning, the work-college model deserves a fresh look. It aligns incentives, builds community, and treats meaningful work as a central academic experience rather than a side hustle.