Serious Higher Education: Is it worth it?

It all honestly depends on what you want to do, for what I want to do I could avoid going to university and take an apprenticeship sort of route, which will take the same time, but I'd start off on a salary of 1/2 those who took the degree route. I suppose it's how in depth you will need/want to get into your subject of choice that should decide whether or not you take higher education.