Because you're cherrypicking people to whom a college education in a certain country and field has been highly beneficial.

And actually in large parts of the world, trade schools pay much better indeed.

Reality is that while our society got much more educated the ratio of blue vs white collars hasn't shifted significantly in many decades in most of the world.

Now we find the reality when we need our car adjusted or a plumber at home and we find that the hourly rate is insanely higher than that of an average college graduate.

But I guess on HN where most people have STEM degrees and have found great jobs indeed with their education this does not resonate.

But an average lawyer in France or Italy will never make the money of the average plumber (but stats show that a bit less because those trades often avoid paying taxes entirely) till late in his career (at which point the plumber has built more wealth).