Saying "20x" return is meaningless without considering time. 1% growth will have a "20x return" if you're willing to wait 300 years. So no, a "20x return" is no

Saying "20x" return is meaningless without considering time. 1% growth will have a "20x return" if you're willing to wait 300 years. So no, a "20x return" is not necessarily good. What I've said is that the return from a degree program is less than half of a moderate investment return in the stock market. It's a very simple point I'm making here. You don't need to get confused with inflation - it applies similarly to both scenarios and drops out of the equation. Turning $150k into $3m over 45 years could be described as "average market performance." Turning $150k into $1m over 45 years using a degree could be accurately described as "a below average performing investment."