Well my daughter just graduated OSU this year. I paid all the bills. It was 10-11K/semester for 4 years. That is tuition at ~6k and 5k (may have those reversed) for either the dorm or an apartment (apartment her last 2 years was actually cheaper - food definitely was).
The entire deal for us was about $80-90k. We’ve asked her to give us back 1/2 when she can instead of taking loans (I don’t want it, but she committed and it seems to have made her more responsible).
I can see how if someone lived from home or shared rent with a few others that they could get it down to about 50K for the 4 years. If they worked part time and made 20-25k/year for all 4 years, I definitely see them being able to do it without debt. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility. 30K for 3 years would do the same thing.
The math doesn’t work. Lets say you make $10/hr and work full time. Well $10/hr is $20,000/yr. In 4 years you would earn $80,000 BEFORE taxes. Lets say after taxes that $80,000 is really $60,000. Again, the math does not work.