[SoftTalker]

Cannot imagine going back to school now (in my 50s) or even if I were in my 30s. Who would want, as a mature adult, to sit in classes with a bunch of teenagers or young 20-something kids with all their drama and social media addiction.

If you're earning a decent or better living as a SWE, push yourself to develop that. Do online courses and/or or side projects to learn a new technology, languages, or frameworks if you need to expand your skillset. So much is out there for very little cost.

A degree is a piece of paper that often helps you get your first job. Nobody really cares much about it after that.

Edit to add: there are many times I wonder about paths not chosen. I think I would have loved being a machinist or some other sort of metal fabricator. That's just based on a fascination with it. I'm sure the daily grind of those jobs is often not fun. At some point you have to stop thinking "what if I had done..." and live your life.