[ontheinternets]

As long as the lifetime earnings are substantially higher, you should be willing to put up the NPV of your annuity (income). As long as you make even one dollar more than you would, you are better off.

If you compare the entire education investment to the return during year one in the workforce, it isn't going to look good.

If you compare the entire education investment to the impact it has on that person's lifetime, e.g. lower unemployment, easier time getting into grad school if the economy goes sour, easier time retraining, and just general high earnings, then the investment makes a bit more sense. I assume if this were a business, Thiel would wonder why education is underpriced.