1) Average debt for 2017 graduating students was $39,400. Not fun, but not crippling.
2) Also, I didn't say that college was inexpensive. I said it CAN be if you really want it to be. MOST people who rack up that kind of debt do so by choice. We capped my daughter at $15,000 in student loans when she graduates from an elite college, and we are paying a little bit to send her there (great financial need based on our income...income that is pretty good too actually). She could have gone to any number of state schools both in Ohio and other states for free based on academic scholarship money if she wanted to, but she went to her first choice college, and she agreed to take on a $15,000 student loan to pay back when all was said and done in order to go there. Many students want the college experience and don't want to stay at home and go to the local community college for 2 years before finally transferring to a 4-year school.
3) Here in Ohio (not even close to the cheapest state to go to college), it is $3,790 per year to go to Columbus State Community College. So, do that for 2 years and that's $7,580. A typical work-study job while there earns $1,500 per year, so $3000 total, so we're down to $4,580 for the first two years of college assuming still living at home which is what most Community College students do, and that doesn't include any working in the summer. Now, after two years, transfer to Ohio State (CSCC has a partnership with many colleges in Ohio that if you finish 2 years and have at least a 2.0 GPA, you can transfer to that 4-year college. This is a great way for people to get into Ohio State who could not have right out of high school.) Ohio State has a $10,000 per year tuition cost for in-state students. Let's have them do work-study for 2 years at $1,500 per, and the total for a BA from Ohio State is $21,580. This included no summer working and also no tuition break based on family income.
Other cheap state school tuition in Ohio:
Wright State - $8,730
Shawnee State - $6,251
All under $6,000: Allegheny Wesleyan, several different Ohio University, Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, and Miami University branch campuses.
Central State - $3,926
So, can it be done on the cheap? Yep. This doesn't even take into account any academic or athletic scholarships a person might get. Some lower-tier college give pretty good money even for students with a 3.0 GPA.
So, do people graduate with a bachelor's degree owing over $100,000? Yep. Did they NEED to do that? Nope.