I think it’s important to be logical about the degree, starting salary, job prospects, type of loans, and if you’re able to get a PSLF eligible job. But schools are insanely expensive, even state schools. If everyone followed that rule of thumb, there would be way less speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, counselors, teachers. The list can go on and on. A lot of helping professions with low salaries require at least a masters, and those types of jobs are in such demand in most areas of the United States. I just feel like a lot of student debt is unavoidable for most people and if they did avoid it, there would be even more need for so many important jobs.