The Broken Ladder: How Education Became a Debt Trap, Not a Path to Opportunity This episode explores the growing difficulty for individuals in the low-wage sector to move into the high-wage (FTE) sector through education. Rising tuition costs and shrinking public funding for higher education have left many students burdened with significant debt, which often hinders rather than facilitates upward mobility. The text highlights how disparities in social capital, particularly among minority students, make it harder to translate degrees into well-paying jobs. It also critiques the role of for-profit colleges and current student loan policies, which frequently trap students in debt without equipping them with the skills necessary for FTE employment—a stark contrast to more supportive systems found in other countries. Ultimately, these factors reinforce stagnant wages in the low-wage sector and deepen income inequality. The struggles of individuals like Liz Kelley serve as vivid examples of how debt and systemic barriers prevent education from serving as a reliable bridge to the middle class.