I’m even questioning what is the worth of college anymore. Assuming you got into a good college, what does that get you?
As you know lots of graduates are not finding jobs that makes all the effort worth it. Like graduate college and still end up working retail.
Most tests I taken, even in the states, are all based on memorization. That is after all the traditional mark of education.
I don’t work illegally. You only need qualifications for work permit sponsorship. If you have an open work permit you can work everywhere except full time at public schools.
I currently work full time at a cram school and part time at a public school. I’ve worked part time at a few public schools, these are the best jobs but are inconsistent if you don’t have credentials for full-time employment.
Full-time teachers at privates schools are supposed to have teaching credentials but no one checks if you have an open work permit. I never took these offers though. Either cos it was a low ball offer or I didn’t like the person interviewing me. I’ve subbed at a few though.
I’ve always had more job offers than time. I’m pretty proactive but also there are probably less than 5 native English speakers with open work rights in Miaoli City so I’ve always had my pick.
It opens doors, but there’s no promises.
That, of course, depends on what you do, and what a (likely) ceiling in earnings you might expect. But generally, a college degree in an area like TL has has expressed interest in (engineering), has a pretty freaking good ceiling for a normalish job.
There is no ceiling to how much one can earn. Only how much one is willing to earn.
Earning money doesn’t require a degree.
Again, there’s no ceiling of earnings.
Of course a degree is needed for some specific jobs simply because without a degree you’re unlikely to have the skills for that job.
But generally anyone with half a brain and no degree can make the same amount of money as someone with a degree. Just not necessarily in the same fields.
Someone with a degree and no brain will likely earn less than someone with half a brain and no degree.
Plenty of millionaires are degree-less or have irrelevant degrees.
It’s all relative 
But this is getting off topic 
either way the OP should ditch his employer
I mean, in theory, yeah, you could be on the verge of toppling Elon Musk on the world’s richest list. In reality, not so much. Unless you’re really telling me you’re just not willing to have as much as Elon. 
Plenty more have degrees.
Yeah, if you live frugally and invest for 6 decades during a boom post war economy (and where prices were still cheap), you too might have multiple millions working as a gas station attendant / janitor, so why make it easier on yourself to get ahead by having a degree that will make it easier to get a higher paying job? ha.
Because it doesn’t make it easier to get a higher paying job? It makes it easier to get a specific job.
And you have to lose 3-4 years of a full time wage and pay the tuition. Most people doing normal jobs would be better off working for 3-4 years and improving their skills in the job. Getting promotions. Working through their industry’s changes while some poor guy is at uni studying.
I got ahead by going to work and my boss paying for my education and improving my skills on the job. No huge student loan debt.
Few average people would see a return on investment in terms of money earned. Although some people may be happier with the field they work in.
You’re making excuses for yourself not to earn more money. You don’t need to live frugally nor live during an economic boom. Stock markets are the biggest wealth creators in history and have never lost money in the long term (over a 30 year period but generally 10 is fine).
You just need to be consistent, which is all that guy really did. His frugality was a bit crazy especially in his old age but that’s what he wanted.
Degrees aren’t the answer to making more money. You can make more money without one… if you want to.
Mind over matter
Just a quick example but public school teachers around my age in Australia earn around $75,000 a year (roughly) and it requires a minimum of 4 years study and a student loan debt of roughly $70,000 as well.
I have a Diploma (AQF level 5) which my boss paid for and a few AQF level 6 units which I paid for. I have a job offer of $85,000 - $100,000 a year depending on performance for a 4 day a week job and only $20,000 of student loan debt.
I’d say I got ahead more than the degree holder.
Lots of jobs that pay well do. For many people, the surest path to higher pay is a degree. The research is clear, people with degrees earn more over their lifetime than people without. There are outliers, ok, but most people don’t win the lottery.
Oh, i see you address some of this below
There are other things to consider. I have a job I enjoy very much, working fewer hours and getting paid well per hour, than my family members without degrees (closest possible comparison). And I will continue to move up, which is difficult for them.
Yes, and yes
I don’t disagree that it helps 
I disagree that there is a ceiling to anyone’s earnings, this simply isn’t true.
And I disagree that degrees are the surest/best/only way to earning more money.
Each to their own!
Perhaps but statistic’s don’t tell a whole story. For example the CEO and founder of my company has a Veterinarian degree but owns and runs a travel agency. And whether those people get a return on their investment is a harder question to answer.
The question is more about why job you do than what degree you have. Plenty of high paying jobs don’t require a degree, plenty do.
What? How do you even jump to that? I make a shit ton of money. 
See, I agree that’s decent without a degree (but I wouldn’t even call that good without a degree), but I’d call that not a great ceiling (are you not willing to earn more?). Like you said, it’s relative. I just saw the charts this week from my company, and the engineers in my division average just short of $145k (USD). That’s average, across salary grades. The last job I interviewed for (which I turned down because it didn’t move the needle) I received an offer north of $250k with $300k in equity grants (in GA!). Possible, but not nearly as likely without a degree.
Have you any idea about Australian wages? The median income is $65,000 for the entire workforce degree or no degree.
There is a ceiling to everyone’s earnings, but of course degrees arent the only factor. A person’s ability to say goodbye to a bad workplace without fear, because if their personality, and find a better job, because of their networking skills, are examples that differentiate us and dictate our ceiling and apply to the OP I think
I never said the only way. The research is clear on this point, and has been across countries for many years
I’ve never worked in the field that my first degree is in, doesn’t mean it is isn’t helpful. Probably the versatility to graduate in one area and be successful in another is a sign of intelligence
Well, not if you just look at the money in and out
We’re talking increasing the ceiling, not averages!
Is that after taxes or gross salary?
But there is no ceiling. The only thing stopping anyone from earning more money is themselves. There is no actual ceiling. There’s no maximum wage. No 100% tax bracket.
This is not a ceiling, it is a choice to make.
I don’t believe people choose their personality, and it can be a ceiling when it stops one from moving up
But you thinking that $100,000 is not a good wage shows that you don’t know much about the Australian workforce.
Only 14.9% of the entire workforce earn over $80,000 it is a good paying job no matter how you look at it. 5 weeks paid annual leave too and only 4 days a week.
Nothing stops someone but themselves.
Gross base salary, not including bonus or 401k contribution / match (10%)
What does all this have to do with buddy being a square peg trying to fit into a round hole at his cram school?
Nothing really