Earning while still learning

Decatur (Ala.) Daily: Not only do college graduates get a nicely mounted diploma upon graduation, many get the burden of crippling student-loan debt.

Nationally, student loan debt is estimated at $1 trillion, which means an entire generation of college-educated young men and women are beginning their careers with tens of thousands of dollars in debt to repay. That makes the American dream of owning a home almost impossible for many of them.

But a few colleges across the country have devised creative solutions to alleviating at least some of the debt students carry with them after graduation.

Known as work colleges, they offer students jobs with pay during the course of their education. That pay can be applied toward tuition, or in some cases, tuition credits in exchange for work.

Average debt

According to the Work Colleges Consortium, the average debt of a graduate of their colleges is $12,121, compared with $21,740 for a typical public-college graduate. The average debt for a private-nonprofit college graduate is $27,710, and for a private for-profit graduate, the average debt is $33,050.

The last two totals would make decent down payments on moderately priced homes.