Going to school and pursuing the career of your dreams can be the beginning of an exciting new chapter in life.

It might also be your first step on a long path of student loan debt—so long you might wonder how you’ll ever be able to pay it all off.

Take Vanessa and Chris Christman, two public law librarians in California featured in a recent LifeInc. blog post, “Loving the job, but hating the student loan debt.” They owe more than $150,000 in combined student loans, and they’re struggling to pay it off, despite making more than $100,000 a year.

In all, LifeInc. reports, Americans owe about $865 billion in student loans, exceeding credit card debt.

Is student borrowing getting out of control?

In 2010, the average debt for students who took out loans rose to $25,250—up 5 percent from a year earlier, according to a recent report from The Project on Student Debt. Check out the report’s interactive map showing student loan debt levels by state.

Many schools are changing their financial aid policies to reduce costs for students and families. Here’s a list compiled by The Project on Student Debt, plus a link to the group’s public policy agenda aimed at reducing the risks and burdens of student debt.

If you’re thinking about going back to school, find out about the many financial aid options that might be available to you, including grants and scholarships that you won’t have to pay back, plus work-study opportunities.

More helpful tips on financing your education:

Know what common mistakes to avoid when filling out financial aid forms.

There are also lots of day-to-day expenses that can add up fast, so check out these five college budget busters you shouldn’t ignore.