> my interpretation is that degrees are only the best option when your target industry doesn't have good standards for training/mentorship Incomes held stagnan

> my interpretation is that degrees are only the best option when your target industry doesn't have good standards for training/mentorship Incomes held stagnant through the rise of degree attainment, so I'm not sure that is a sound interpretation. Degrees have no effect on income. What we do know is that more capable people, for lack of a better description, are more likely to go further in school and in the workplace. The ostensible explanation here is that the most capable, those most likely to end up in high level positions (C-level, managers, etc.) which typically pay more than other jobs and where union membership is unlikely (often forbidden, even), are also more likely to have degrees. More data is welcome, though.