How are you as a 30+ year old adult actually affording going back to school for 1-4 years?

I keep seeing people say they are going back to school as an adult.

I sincerely don't get how they afford that for 2-4 years as an adult in the USA.

Are most independently wealthy, looking for lifelong debt servitude (how many people can really afford 10 years of $500+ a month), or having parents/partners pay?

Did I miss something. Are they hiding it. Like by my rough math it's around 50k+ to just live a year. Then probably 50k+ to go to school. Unless you plan to be a high flying Dr, lawyer, or whatever I don't see that being paid down in this lifetime.

I also notice (and maybe there is a better place to post this) that I see women saying they are doing this more than men.

Please provide examples of actual things and not assumptions where possible! Always helps to have real life scenarios without judgement

Oh and how did your employer feel about it? Or how did you navigate that? With mine it's like they pay for it but at the same time don't ask don't tell awkward.

Also have had times where it affected your work? I have taken classes while working and hit burnout and it's not pretty with the company. They don't care the why. But then maybe it's because I have a demanding intense job with semi fluid hours (sometimes meetings at 6 am or 6 pm for example)