US MBA programs need to start following the European model: Year-long to 16 month programs tailored to a slightly older demographic (late 20s to 30s) who actually need a degree to move a rung higher in their career. The shorter program length will decrease the costs for students (both in terms of tuition & opportunity costs) and--based on how much travel my friends currently pursing MBAs do during the academic year--is unlikely to hurt academic outcomes.

There are a few MBA ROI calculators online, and for my career I wouldn't see an ROI until ~20-25 years down the line. (For context, I'd probably gain a ~30k salary increase if I were to pursue an MBA.) And that's with consistent salary growth with no sabbaticals or career changes (and any subsequent loss in earning potential) I might want to pursue. I would love to use a year long program to gain some needed financial modeling, HR, and operational skills while taking the time to pursue a business idea, but the traditional programs are not structured to accommodate that. And besides, you don't actually need an MBA if you work in the tech industry until you're in a senior position--VP or C-suite--so there's no direct need for the degree itself until ~10-15 years in the future.