Depends on the field you are getting into, but for the most part, a Bachelor's is the minimum requirement now. If you are in the STEM field then a bachelor's means nothing and you will have to pursue higher education.
Unpopular opinion here but I would say that for most things, a college education is good only to show that you are capable of showing up and putting in work to accomplish a goal while going into debt to prove you are able to do so. Most people do not go into jobs in their field of study and many end up in jobs that a high school diploma is more that adequate for. I feel that most people would benefit more from life coaching that teaches the process of getting a loan or to budget money.
There are obvious fields in which higher education is obviously appropriate and I don't mean to take anything away from that. I only mean to say that we put a lot of people through college that end up in trades where the majority of that education does little for them and brings little to the table for an employer.
I personally have a post-grad degree and will likely pursue a second. I will encourage my kids to at least pursue either a bachelor degree or trade school.
It always depends on what you want to achieve, what you are willing to sacrifice to achieve it, and where. In the United States, a bachelor's degree seems to be a privilege but in my home country, quality education seems to be a privilege. In the US, having a degree is just proof that you spend four, five, or even six more years after high school specializing in something. That proof is supposed to make it easier to get a decent-paying job, but that's not always the case. From my perspective, higher education is necessary only if you take advantage of it and constantly practice the knowledge you have acquired, otherwise I don't see the point of swimming in debt. A degree from a good college automatically makes you a desirable prospect because it builds confidence in your abilities, but it doesn't guarantee you'll get the job you want, because experience is more valuable. Otherwise, a high school diploma or equivalent also gets you a job, but most high-paying jobs require a bachelor's degree or years of experience as a minimum. In other words experience is worth more than a diploma in many cases, but ironically you need that diploma to get experience.
This is a really thought-provoking question. The landscape of education and job requirements is continually shifting, especially with the rise of remote work and technology-driven roles.
For some positions, especially in specialized fields like healthcare and engineering, a formal degree is pretty much non-negotiable. On the other hand, there are plenty of jobs, especially in tech and digital marketing, where skills and experience can outweigh formal education. In fact, this article at https://www.bestonlineuniversities.com/what-are-the-best-degrees-for-remote-work/ offers some insights into degrees that are especially useful for remote work, which is becoming increasingly prevalent.
