What you say is true, but there are plenty of smart people who start in the trades and then leverage their way up to making millions in business for themselves. When I said I had plenty of friends who were successful without a college degree, I was specifically thinking of auto mechanics. While I'm the typical "developer" type you reference, my main hobby is classic sports cars (which started during my time at college, coincidentally). From that hobby I know quite a few "high school only" folks who are now independently wealthy and fully satisfied with their lives, from building up automotive businesses.