Sorry, but I'm gonna disagree with you based on my experience. Overwhelmingly, college graduates are lazy, don't know how to use the softwares for our profession and basically just paid for that piece of paper. I have seen the best employees be from on the job training hiring practices. My husband even says he will hire someone with actual experience over a degree and pay them well.
Statistically, the median income for men with a bachelor's degree was $66,200 in 2011. (Census Bureau)
Median income for men with a high school diploma but no degree was $40,050.
Of course, Bill Gates was a dropout, and countless art majors are working at the Waffle House.
It may not be true at your company, but nationwide the odds are still drastically in favor of the guy who hangs in for a degree.