Additionally, there is some perceived value in a having the degree. In a perfect meritocracy, if Alice and Bob have similar skills and experience, they should be treated similarly in the professional world. However, if Alice went to college but Bob was purely self-taught, the real world may well hold its prejudices against Bob.
Here is a personal anecdote of mine, which may be relevant to you. Not long ago, I finished a 4-year bachelor's degree in 3 years. On my resume, it lists a 3 year time span for this. I regularly get recruiters (both official company recruiters and 3rd parties) asking me whether I actually finished school, whether I was in a proper 4-year program, and the like. This leaves me in an awkward situation, and I am forced to clarify my circumstances.
People often joke about the value of a piece of paper, but sadly there may be some degree of truth to this one.