At this point technology should make the actual education part of college virtually free. Maybe each student pays $50 a class for content production, grading and profits to an online provider. What’s not free is boat loads of administrators, counselors, brand new buildings, safe spaces, and a plethora of other hand holding services/parenting for the youth today which isn’t free. Then you have the government adding layers financial aid and accreditation in an attempt to keep higher education a monopoly enterprise that artificially reduces supply and has no limitations on cost.

The private sector jobs sector could end us of this cycle if they stopped being lazy and evaluated candidates based on their ability to do the job. If they used testing and interviews or even internships rather than relying on a crutch of must have college degree would improve things greatly. But that doesn’t CYA or help with short term make a quick buck thinking.