the question in the way it’s asked is seriously flawed.
this is the root of the issue.
for some, the debt is worth it. for some, it isn’t.
higher education decision making cannot be generalized anymore.
there are simply so many career paths and options that exist now, career & flipping is expected for most graduates, college course switching, etc
it’s a continuous journey to learn who you are as a human, what you want to do, what you’re good at, and how you can make a living. And so many of the next generation of the workforce wants to make an impact as well.
so at the end of the day, the decision for if college is worth it or not has to be made by the single individual.
it’s got to be a process of reflection, third party perspectives (that aren’t only being paid by higher ed), and self awareness.
did they have the intention to network and build relationships while at college? if not, it’ll probably be a large waste of money.
did they attempt trial an error at life- taking a stab at new things that the college experience offered? this would give them further clarity on who they are, what they’re good at, and what they want to do.
so the answer to this question, it massively depends.