<p>@GLOBALTRAVELER - Correct. Degrees are often still tied to more senior level positions, particularly management. Even the most well paid programmers I know (of the ones without a degree) still acknowledge the benefit of having a degree. Mastering programming skills will certainly land you a high paying job with or without a degree, but the fact remains that many OTHER types of jobs will be available to those with degrees - those master programmers without degrees don’t have many options as far as other jobs go.</p>