I haven't read through all the replies here yet, so I apologize of this is a repeat. However, I tend to think the value of a college degree really depends on how your going to use it. In some fields, it is a necessary point of entry. In others, it matters little. Suffice it to say that statistically speaking, most holders of a degree will earn more over their lifetime than those who don't. That isn't to say that there aren't people out there who never finished high school who make buckets of money, but on the average, you will likely earn more.
However, as has been pointed out, don't go in to huge amounts of debt to acquire that degree unless it is something that will pay off well once completed, like computer science, health care, or something else that may be in high demand fields.
At one time I wanted to be a teacher, but looking at their earning potential turned me away from it. When I started college I wanted to be a cartographer, but they asked me to sign a paper that I may never be employeable with such a degree, so I switched to business. In a strange twist of fate, with all the GPS systems and mobile apps out there, the foundations of cartography would have set me up up for a pretty nice job these days, but 25 years ago it wasn't so. Which actually goes to point out a issue that the best paying jobs in the next 10 years didn't exist 10 years ago. Predicting market trends to be in the right spot at the right time is almost akin to voodoo, but with enough research on growing fields, youcan shifts odds in your favor.
My business degree has served me well and allowed me to advance in the corporations in which I've worked. Is it an end all be all, no, but in a highly competitive applicant market, it has provided me with an edge.
If you really set on going on your own and being a small busienss person, a marketing education can be very useful. It helps understand some ofthe background in consumer behaviours, attitudes, and market research that can help you set the foundations of success for a business.
