As the cost of college continues to rise, public discourse around higher education has sparked debate about whether the investment is worth it. Considering that college graduates' salaries have been outpaced by the costs of a degree, it's no wonder that consumer confidence has waned. Any other economic exchange would warrant such scrutiny, so it's essential that we view college in market terms, not just as a social chevron.

But what is the economic exchange between higher ed and would-be students? Prior generations were indoctrinated with the belief that a college degree promised a "good job" and good-standing status in society. However, the democratization of technology has reduced barriers to entry and created new opportunities for budding entrepreneurs and savvy creators to subvert these traditional paths and still obtain similar benefits that would typically come with having a degree. Some even argue that these outcomes are more likely to be achieved without the debt that so many students must accrue to get the degree and realize its potential benefit.

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