&gt; You're still a lot better off with a degree because many employers simply won't read your resume without one

This is really what college is about 95% of the time. Does your degree matter to the job you're applying for? Nope! Does your degree matter what college it comes from? Nope! Does your college degree guarantee you'll be considered much more than the person without one? 100% yes.

So, no, college isn't actually required for most jobs, it's just required to be taken seriously.