The root issue is that many jobs require a degree and don't need one. Why? There is a circular, self-aggrandizing loop in which states and universities have nurtured this problem to the detriment of people who want to contribute across many fields. > Step 1. Universities and professional associations lobby the government for standards. > Step 2. The government mandates an occupational license for [field] and requires a degree from an accredited program to obtain it. > Step 3. The accrediting bodies set the curriculum and certify universities to... > Step 4. Universities sell now-mandatory degrees to students who want access to the field, financed by debt. > Step 5. The proceeds of Step 4 pour into Step 1. We should fix *this*. Maybe you shouldn't need a bachelor's degree to be a PK-5 teacher or a social worker, as all 50 states now require. A librarian used to be an apprenticeship program, but now requires a Master's degree! As of 2024, Registered Dietitians now must have a Master's degree to even take the test for a state license. (It used to be a Bachelor's degree and an internship.) Cui bono? In this way, higher education has become a shadow legislative body because state governments demand a license and then delegate the writing of the specifications to the education industrial complex.