The real issue is the "four years spending $40,000, $50,000 in tuition without earning income". Education is essential for the meaningful progress of society and humanity, we can't let a "tough economy" stand in the way of long-term thinking. We also can't let greed stand in the way of bright young minds realizing themselves. Education needs to be free, thorough, and challenging, that way the minds that crave it will have unrestrained access to it, and those who don't can go ahead and pick a trade job, but not because of an empty wallet, but because that's what they genuinely want.