For the past twenty-five years, around 70 percent of college students have been holding down a job while enrolled. But high tuition fees and other expenses have made it impossible for today's students to work their way through college to earn enough to avoid debt from paying for their education. Students from low-income families suffer the most: only one in two high school graduates from low-income families goes to college, and many opt not to attend because they don't think they can manage the costs. Nine liberal arts colleges have found a balance in offering access, affordability, and workforce development for their students, specifically those from low-income families. These institutions are known as work colleges, as defined by the United States Code of Federal Regulations. At work colleges, students fill campus jobs (and, in some cases, community-service positions) in exchange for reduced tuition. The comprehensive work-service-learning programs at these institutions have a rich history of providing students with the means to earn a college degree and to become deeply prepared for future career success. The labor programs also reduce overall campus operational expenses, allowing the colleges to continue offering attendees reduced costs for their education. Work colleges have been around for more than a century, and while each is unique, with their workforce development, mentorship models, and creative cost-reduction strategies, they are all doing what so many higher education institutions in our country are aiming to accomplish: providing their students with an affordable liberal education that offers the continued promise of lifelong success.