[justjim]

As a general rule, a college degree means more income, that said, much depends on what your major happens to be. An Engineer and a CPA, as examples, will generally earn more lifetime income than a Social worker or art/music major etc. etc. however, a good salesman with ambition and drive (with a high school degree) could make more than all of those so called educated folks. What we are taught at home can never be adequately measured as to how we take advantage of opportunities as they come along in life.

College is more than just courses and grades. You can learn a lot about relationships, success/failures, persistence and independence. The key word here is "can". It's up to each individual. Forty two percent sounds about right.