[nu_throwaway]

id argue that with an investment you can compare like to like alternatives and can use a greater degree of objectivity.

there are far more variables to consider in higher ed (student loan debt, opportunity cost of time, unemployment, alternative education experiences, etc) so looking at it as an outflow of cash with a predictable return is misleading at best.

no college has a monopoly on information and there is no proprietary info gained (other than network from elite schools). in a sense the knowledge component of a degree can only approach a value of zero as time goes on. the experience aspect is of course subjective and very important to some.

[oneplane]

And that's why people use the word 'investment' without knowing the meaning of the word.