Well, the simple answer is that $9-10/hr will not sustain a family or in many cases any kind of eventful life. With rent, food, health care and gas at record prices, a higher hourly rate is almost necessary. $1600 a month, before taxes, would barely pay my rent! I guess if you are married or want to live with roommates for the rest of your life, you might be OK. But, you don't want to wake up one morning when you're 40 and realize, "This isn't going to sustain me, I need a better future!" Now, this just speaks to the "have a high paying job" portion of your question.

It is true that college graduates do earn more:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Figure01-earnings_by_degree.gif

But, this is not to say that you NEED a college degree to be successful. I never went to college and I have found that I make a very competitive salary compared to those of my friends who did earn a degree. I guess the only drawback is that it took me much longer to get where I am at because I had to start at the bottom and slowly work my way up. Often times, because of intership programs or companies considering education in a field as experience, you can come in at the "journey level" rather than an apprentice.

But to me, it sounds like you are more upset with the pressure to succeed. I mean, are you really complaining about making more money? I seriously doubt you would choose the low wages over a higher salary if offered. So you need to analyze who it is that's causing this so called "pressure." In my mind, pressure doesn't exist, it's an external force that we have the ability to heed or ignor altogether. If it is coming from your parents, do they do it because they are worried and want to see you successful? Is it from your friends and are they just giving you a hard time because they make more money than you or do they really care about your future?

I have a friend that is very bright and could easily be making way more money, he just lacks motivation. No matter what anyone tells him, he fears change. So, he's 27, living at home, working at Burlington Coat Factory full time. One day he's going to wake up and realize that his situation isn't going to change unless he changes it. He couldn't afford to move out if he wanted to! He couldn't start a family, he's in a way stuck and restrained by his economic situation. Those that love you and care about your future, may have a similar insight.

Higher education is crucial and plays a pivotal role in your professional life. It helps you build a rewarding and successful career for yourself. A college degree more specifically implies that you have the expertise and command in a given discipline or subject. Even case studies have proved that your pay and level of job is directly influenced by your education. Therefore, if you want a lucrative career and do not intend to get stagnated, education is essential. That's why so much emphasis is laid on college, which eventually results in a high paying job. Don’t take this as pressure because this is a fact which cannot be denied. I have seen my career growing because of the education I received at CollegeAmerica.