Don't forget some people get free rides through college (I did), so they only have to pay for food for 4 years. Also, 25k a year seems a bit optimistic, IMO.
My parents paid for my schooling, so I had a free ride of sorts too. This obviously changes the numbers a great deal, and should certainly factor into decision making.
$25k a year is $12.50/hr. With proper job hunting, this shouldn't be too difficult to find with a high school education.
