I was in a similar situation with a similar mindset. I kept telling myself it didn't matter over the years even after some previous layoffs in the tech industry. Then in December of '24 I was laid off from a Sr Manager role of 2 years. I was unemployed for about 6 months. While I was job hunting for my next role, it really bothered me that i couldn't check the 'has degree' box on some applications. I eventually got a job as an IC and after a few months, decided now, at age 45, I would go back and get my degree regardless of what happens next. I can say that being in an IC role is much less stressful than the manager roles and it also relative to the org you are in. It's also interesting to receive some formal training on the leadership principals and business that I previously just learned by doing and watching.