From what I have read in the internet the much larger difference is that in Germany there are lots of other ways than going to college/university: As the exampl

From what I have read in the internet the much larger difference is that in Germany there are lots of other ways than going to college/university: As the example with apprenticeship or going to a Fachhochschule (a little bit similar to university, but much more school-like in sense of strict organization and mostly focused on "applied subject"; "Fachhochschule" is often translated with "school of applied science", but I prefer the traditional translation "engineering school", though Fachhochschulen don't offer just degrees in engineering). Fachhochschulen were originally conceived by industry because they complained that at that time they considered the education that universities offered as too theoretical. Also apprenticeships of course finish with a certificate (which is often well-regarded for apprenticeships that are more intellectually challenging) and Fachhochschulen also finish with a degree (though the Fachhochschul degree is considered as "a level below" than a university degree). TLDR: Just because university is affordable in Germany does not imply that most people want to go there. There are lots of other options such as apprenticeships or Fachhochschulen (and some more exotic options that I won't go into) which can be a much better choice. If people in the US complain about the high cost of university/college education: Why don't they simply conceive such alternatives, too?