Well don't forget about all those desk jobs that people spend a lot more time and money training (college and unpaid internships) vs a pilot, only to later get stuck at $45k working 55 hours a week glaring at a computer screen complaining about life. A few will get lucky and be able to take on more stress and hours to make 100k as a manager but most never get to that level.
Although it's a good idea, one does need college to be a pilot even at the major legacy level (Airways). But for some reason the grass always looks so much greener if you've never been over to the other side of the hill to find out it's the cow dung fertilizing it.