You can do really really well without a degree, but you can also do really well with a degree too. Degree is obviously going to open up more options in places you might otherwise be able to live. Degrees in nursing, accounting, a teaching certificate, etc can land you a good job in an out of the way place like where I live. And you can hunt/fish to your hearts content and work a mere 40 hours a week or get summers off to pursue other things like commercial fishing or fish guiding. Making 100k a year is only part of the equation and if you can live and play on 50k you can live in some great places.
