I'm thinking the solution will be political, not economic. Once there are enough people in enough pain that it turns them into single-issue voters on this issu

I'm thinking the solution will be political, not economic. Once there are enough people in enough pain that it turns them into single-issue voters on this issue, someone will create taxpayer-funded relief. If it's a Democratic-led solution, it'll probably be in the form of massively expanded support for universities that eliminates the cost entirely, or reduces it to what one might be able to reasonably earn/save at a minimum wage job. If it's a Republican-led solution, it'll probably be in the form of creating a tax-deferred savings account for college, combined with subsidized work-study program. Both parties will probably agree to bail out degree holders who can't pay after a certain number of years. They will probably also force cost cutting reforms on schools.