It isn't education, it is debt. If you have a quarter million in student loans your ability to swim upstream with your employer is minimal if any. You probably have a lifestyle that depends on having several thousand dollars a month after taxes and if you are young you have minimal savings or will get every kind of fucked going into your 401k, and your house might be negative equity after closing costs. If you are a high school drop out jobs are a dime a dozen, even if they are shitty. And you probably already have more than one.