How many hours should a college student work?

To get a better perspective, let's break down the number of hours in a week for your average student.

There are 168 hours in a week. If a student spends 45 hours on class and studying that leaves 123 hours. If a student sleeps 8 hours per night (which they should, but few do), then that's another 56 hours, which leaves 67 hours, or at least 9.5 hours per day for work and play.

However, students should also consider their financial situation and the cost of tuition and living expenses. If a student needs to work more hours to cover their expenses, they may need to adjust their academic workload accordingly and seek academic support if needed. If you find yourself having to work full-time as a student, then consider how that factors into your 168 hours a week including time for school and studying.

To help you get started, we recommend keeping a journal for a few days or a week to record what you are doing each hour as you go through your day. At the end of your week, observe how you spent your time and where you may have room to add additional work hours.

Overall, it's important for students to find a balance between work and academics that works for them, and to seek support from their academic advisors or career centers if they need help.