I think a previous poster mentioned the number of commercial certificates issued last year. Here's some stats from AOPA... AOPA Online: General Aviation Trends

Also, another poster said they had $250,000 in college loans! I know it's getting more expensive, but those students or soon to be students - try a year or two of community college, online classes, certificates/ratings at a close FBO, work while going to school, etc. Then if you need to, spend a couple of years at Embry, UND, whereever. The way the industry is now, it'll take forever to pay that off (all subject to change in 5 years of course).