"The problem is that you are going into a six figure debt to earn your way into a profession like that."
IMHO, this is to be avoided like the plague...
If your goal is to become truly educated, that is all now available via the internet at little or no cost whatsoever.
"I think we can all agree that we want to be driving on bridges that were built by educated engineers and in an operating room with distinguished doctors. "
Curmudgeon that I am, I will say only that I want the things my life depends upon to be done with consummate skill, however acquired. I care not how many letters follow the name, nor what fancy sheepskins hang on the wall. ;)
Amen to that. I would lean towards online studies as you mention in your first quote.
The letters in ones name don't hold as much weight as the skill applied when doing the job - at least, they shouldn't.