First of all, there doesn't have to be a single definition. Here's some other factors that could be part of "value":

- degree of job satisfaction

- how much that sort of work benefits the world

It's very narrow to equate value only with money.

And because I know someone is going to misinterpret what I'm saying, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with equating value with money. It's just a bit sad when that's all value is equated with, and more so when it's just an unstated assumption like in the article.

You can compare all this with how college degrees used to be about more than just getting a job. The goal used to include making the person a well rounded person. These days it seems treated solely in financial terms.