It's a fact that people who dedicate the time and patience to get a degree make more money generally. When you have a number of guys without that college education at the regionals, well you get the salaries we are seeing. This may anger you but its true. If surgeons were trained straight out of high school to perform specific surgeries, what do you think would happen to their salaries? Also considering how easy it is these days to get a bachelors you would think everyone would be getting one. I've met great people and pilots without degrees but that still doesn't change the facts. Low education levels always brings down salaries, that's not my opinion just the typical trend. And as long as the regionals can fill seats with these guys who are willing to jump ahead and jump right in, we will continue to see the this career go in a downward spiral. One guy on here had it right when they said that everybody wants to achieve things without putting in all the work. He said something close to that anyways and he was right. I mean yea you put in all the work to get that certificate but its about going the extra mile. And I am not saying any of this to offend but it is what it is. Look at most top paying jobs and you'll see that they require at least a bachelors. So college may be a money scheme by corporate thugs or it may be useless all together in your opinion but in almost all societies its a big part of determining how rewarding a job is. And by the way 60-70k a year in our time is not much money at all! So I hope to see a future with more young people who slow it down, get their education and become pilots and then eventually make that instructor to airline pilot leap. And no I am not suggesting an airline degree or embry, unless thats what you want. Well I hope not to get too much negative feedback for posting the truth