Tech investor and entrepreneur Chamath Palihapitiya sharply criticized the U.S. higher education system on Saturday, calling out colleges for saddling students with massive debt for degrees with little practical value.
Palihapitiya Criticizes College Debt And Worthless Degrees
Posting on X, Palihapitiya wrote, "We have too many colleges graduating kids into suffocating student debt and worthless degrees."
He added, "We've created an artificial societal culture that celebrates a ‘BA’ or ‘Masters’ or ‘PhD’ without asking the critical question: ‘In what?'“
Investor Highlights Value Of Skilled Trades Over Advanced Degrees
He urged a cultural shift, emphasizing the importance of practical, economically viable careers.
"For America to thrive, there should be fewer colleges and college grads for the sake of ‘graduating from college' and more people who are economically thriving because they make good decisions upon graduating from high school," he said.
Palihapitiya highlighted skilled trades as an undervalued path, stating, "Mechanic, Nurse or Electrician >> Masters in a fringe degree + $200k in debt."
Experts Raise Alarm Over Student Debt Crisis
Palihapitiya also shared a post by Jay Plemon on X highlighting Bill Ackman's student loan proposal, which suggested universities absorb the first $10,000–$20,000 of any loan loss to discourage degrees with poor economic value.
Palihapitiya said, "Anyways, it's a great idea. I hope it sees the light of day," expressing support for the plan.
Earlier, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg warned that rising tuition and $1.77 trillion in U.S. student debt were pushing graduates into financial hardship, with many degrees failing to lead to clear career paths.
On "The Joe Rogan Experience," comedian Jimmy Carr and Rogan called student loans a major problem, arguing that debt cancellation and practical reforms were needed as many graduates struggle to afford homes despite their education.
Mark Cuban also said college was worth attending for the learning experience, even if students didn't graduate, and advised choosing affordable schools to limit debt.
He highlighted community colleges as a cost-effective start and noted that higher education significantly boosted earnings despite rising tuition costs.
Read Next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: CarlaVanWagoner / Shutterstock.com
