Soldato
I've got a 2:1 in natural sciences from Durham, which is pretty serious by anyone's standards. It's been useless to me. I could have got the job I have now (tax accountant) by starting on an apprenticeship and working my way up. I'd have had three years of money instead of three years of debt, and I'd be three years further ahead in my career.
I'd hazard that most degrees aren't any use to the jobs people have ultimately ended up doing.
Pretty much, I studied Demography for 3 years but now I'm just about to finish AAT L4 and start ACCA. Which I could have done without the degree, but perhaps I wouldn't have got my current job working in the bursary at a private school (who're paying for my training) if I didn't have the degree?
It's hard to quantify the value of three years of networking, professional skill development, international trips, etc. University is what you make of it and I think judging it purely on the economic outcome (course x leads to job y earning z) is shortsighted... much like the current fees system.