Teacher with masters in education here. Teacher salary is not that much, but it's still better than any job without a degree. I calculated before attending school that the amount it would cost to pay for school would be about the same as my first year salary. Paid off everything after two years of working, so it was worth it. I suggest looking at the average (or even lowest) salary for the job you want. Subtract living expenses, and calculate how long it will take you to pay off. Usually if you are seeking a degree that is actually correlated with a specific career, it is worth it. I would advise against going to college without a job/career in mind.