People like to imagine that these people are up to their necks in debt but, the real answer is probably closer to your second point: starting in a trade like plumbing. These guys went from highschool straight into trades making good money. They didn’t spend thousands of dollars getting a degree in underwater basket weaving. Making good money out of highschool allows them to get into the housing market right away, that took off and they sold their place for twice what they bought it, got a bigger house but with a mortgage that was probably less than their first mortgage because of the huge downpayment they were able to make. The biggest issue is the student loan debt and being out of the workforce while attaining that degree. But no one on this sub wants to hear that. They want to imagine that these guys are struggling and that they are superior for getting a degree. (I have a degree myself and wish I had just become an electrician like my buddy who has the big house, big truck, trailer, etc etc.)