re: The ROI on college investment

My daughter's graduating next semester. Total cost, with apartment, utilities, groceries, car note, insurance, gas, sorority, tuition, books, fees, out-of-state fees, student season tickets, parking pass, etc.. Will run about $225k +/-.

She has a job offer that includes a six-figure salary, four weeks vacation and personal days, up to 2 weeks of sick pay, paid medical/dental, matching 401k, $2400 year for phone and internet service and a $5k signing bonus as well as stock options.

Additionally, they will fully reimburse her expenses to get her master's degree and an automatic $15k boost in pay on graduation.

For her mom and I, who paid for it, the change in who she is now vs. who she was when she was trying to decide where to go to school made it worthwhile. It's our investment in the future of our family past our lifetimes. It's the intangibles of life. Sure, it cut into things we could have done to enhance our home or save for retirement, but we have given her a path forward, without her having to bear the burden of any debt to hold her back.

We can afford it, but we are very cognizant of the fact that the vast majority of people cannot. It is extremely expensive. It is very unlikely that she would be in an expensive sorority and going out of state if we couldn't. Likely going to a lesser school, too, and maybe two years in junior college. But she would be a different person on a different path forward and likely have debt.

Something has to be done, and soon, like in ten years or less, the vast majority of degrees will be earned online and colleges will be so expensive to attend that only those earning in the top 5% can consider sending their kids there.