Dear Class of '13: You've been scammed - Brett Arends's ROI

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How high will it go? Try this: The College-Industrial Complex says that degrees are still worth it because those with B.A. degrees will earn a lot more over the course of their lifetimes, and should pay for that. They point to U.S. Census data showing those with bachelor's degrees earning on average $26,000 a year more than those with just a high-school diploma.

Using that logic, they could justify charges approaching $500,000 for a college degree.