>

Honestly, it sounds like this is a "these weren't worth it for me" which is fine.  You are welcome to evaluate these things at however you evaluate them.  Yes, there is turnover with amazon.  Which is why they offer RSUs as it's a way to reward those who hang around.  If you are able to stick around, you can get a decent payout that way.
Similarly, you don't want to go to school, and that's ok.  But for people who do, that's an extra 5k.
Whether or not benefits are a suitable alternative to wages depends on the extent to which they benefit you as an employee. 
One of the major reasons why benefits are offered as compensation is because they allow the employer to provide greater value at a lower price point. Consider something simple like shift meals at a restaurant. The employer can provide the employee with a convenient $20 meal at a cost of $5. The employee saves their own money as they don't have to buy lunch/ingredients and saves their own time because they don't have to prepare their own lunch. If cash were provided in lieu of benefits, the employer would spend the same ($5) but the value the employee gets would be reduced (-$15). 
Taxation is another thing to consider. Benefits are not always taxed while income virtually always is. In the United States a $5,000 tuition reimbursement - like the one offered at Fed Ex - wouldn't be taxed. You'll get hundreds if not thousands of dollars of additional value through the benefits than you would through cash simply because of the tax. >


Taxation is another thing to consider. Benefits are not always taxed while income virtually always is.

In the case of OPs JetBlue example, the benefits are taxed, however airlines price these flights at something like $10. Technically it's part of your pay, so the IRS wants their slice. That slice ends up being something like $3 tho so it doesn't really matter. >

Without knowing your position at those companies, I can't really say if that's a competitive wage or not.
Also, for an 18 year old, tuition reimbursement and 18 an hour may be more appealing than 20 an hour, especially if they live at home with their parents. >

They were customer service/warehouse roles. $18.25/hr is not competitive in HCOL areas. It’s the standard >


not competitive
It’s the standard

Just checking here, but are you saying that the wages they offered weren't competitive because they were "the standard"?
Because that's what competitive means in this context, as in "competitive with the wages offered by other companies as the standard". >

whos to say