It is clear that a person can enjoy success, financial or otherwise, without necessarily completing a degree program. This is the bottom line. I believe a stronger case can be made for character development, life enrichment, ability to work collaboratively and in diverse community, and personal enrichment. But on a purely financial basis the rewards of a degree are substantial. It should be noted too that a professional degree-holder, M.B.A., Ph.D., J.D., M.D., etc., on the average will make four to five times the monthly income of the person without degree preparation.
Education is expensive but pales in comparison to the cost of ignorance.
Frontloading the investment in education is a positive first step toward personal satisfaction and happiness. If you think the price of education is expensive, try the price of ignorance. Your pay for education once. You pay for ignorance every day the rest of your life.