A degree is something you get for finishing. A lot of people have very little to claim they have actually completed that has meaning to an employer. But a degree is one of them that is a gold standard. A degree also signifies you've given a certain subject a lot of thought. So do certifications, previous work experience community service, awards and more.
Surprise, if you are somebody who can work smart and knows how to complete things, you are more employable than somebody who doesn't. And if you also stack on that a lot of other good qualities, skills and finished work you're an even better candidate. And if you're personable and work well with others, even better.
A more appropriate sentiment would be you didn't get much out of your degree because you changed careers. (Many people do that, no news there) But others respect the work they have done in the past and how to synthesize what they've learned from specialized and general studies to apply elsewhere.
Everybody knows college is expensive. It's not a mystery. The costs are laid out there. But it's also quite easy to develop alternative paths to completing a degree in a specialized field and not get into enormous debt. One is to do fantastic and apply to a ton of scholarships. Another is to do community college work, get the degree there (something finished) and also work and save money. But I can tell you there is a point where you can do part time college, part time work and find it really draining. it's good to complete things in a lump sum.