I'm not college educated, I've made a comfortable living as a coder. It took over ten years of self-teaching in my 20's while working a FT job but I knew this is what I wanted to do. So I agree with the statement but there's more than one way to become educated. Academia is just one way and possibly not the best way.
And even in coding, more companies are slowly requiring formal education as a prerequisite for even applying for jobs. We know someone like you can be just as productive as someone from a great school, but that won't matter if you're cut from the selection process.
I say all of this because there has been a significant upward tick over the last 5 years. Roughly speaking new grads are now making the same as what people with 5 years of experience made 5 years ago.
The interview process is intimidating, but many people would likely be able to get through it if they did a couple months of intensive interview prep beforehand.
Also, consider moving to the Bay Area, or another major city.
That's because the law doesn't allow it.
See "Competition & Monopoly In Medical Care" by Frech, pg. 54 for a detailed discussion.
You can do it, but why? It's easier to just go through the college grinder and pay off your loan over the next decade. Plus you might meet a cofounder.
I was so surprised when my father told me that back in the 80s, in a small city in the interior of Brazil, in a public school, he was taught BASIC as part of the school curriculum.
Over twenty years later, in a prestigious private high school in the capital city, coding was only mentioned once by a school director when shaming students for only using computers for "foolish tasks", while completely ignoring the fact his school didn't give a single coding class, not even as extra curriculum.
Programming should have the same importance status as maths in school, if not more.
It amazes me that it isn't the case, I assumed most High Schools if not grade schools were teaching some programming by now.
I do wish US K-12 teachers were better compensated.
EDIT: readability.
You can work remotely ofc. in this case or even try and change country (which is not always simple without diploma too).