I did my PhD in theoretical chemistry/biophysics in the late 90s. I was funded throughout so didn't have to take on any debt (I was married for the last 3 years

I did my PhD in theoretical chemistry/biophysics in the late 90s. I was funded throughout so didn't have to take on any debt (I was married for the last 3 years). I learnt a lot during those years including how to really think about a problem, design experiments, and collaborate with the bench scientists on the team. I also fell in love with protein structure, got to understand spectroscopy, the electronic structure of vision, and got to run stuff on some of the biggest supercomputers in the US. PhDs require (IMO) a love of your field, lots of discipline, and tons of patience. I never wanted to be an academic and worked in the scientific industry for 8 years at startups and BigCos (5 of them in product management). The last 8 years I've done something else (although a lot of my interest came from my HPC experience) but have never lost touch with my roots. Regrets? None. Every experience has been completely worth it. Many of my friends have done PhDs and postdocs. Some are academics, some lead large research teams, others R&D teams at biotech startups, and some have moved on to different fields like me. Almost none regret doing what they do or the path they've chosen. Sure there is a lot to change with the system and too many PhDs in some fields, but a doctorate was a rewarding experience for me and for a good chunk of those I know who have one.