That's comparing Apples to Oranges. More like Apples to Cars. The US spends more as a % of it's GDP and more $/capita than any nation on earth on higher educat

That's comparing Apples to Oranges. More like Apples to Cars. The US spends more as a % of it's GDP and more $/capita than any nation on earth on higher education - and sends a considerably larger share of it's population to college than most other nations, certainly any European nations where college is free. The % of young people going to college has increased dramatically from 1950 to 2016. And FYI - if you join the Army today, you can still get your education subsidized :) 'Raw' dollars debt doesn't help us understand the picture that much, moreover, if everyone in America started going advanced degrees, that would also increase student debt, but that would be a good thing, no? Americans are on the whole much wealthier, and the opportunity that young people have today vis-a-vis 1950 is so much that it's basically unthinkable back in the 1950's. That said, it's not so good for working class people without jobs, and little job stability.