School is the easy part; make sure you're cognizant of exactly how much debt will be realized once you graduate, including the interest, how long it will take to pay back, etc. Graduating at 40 isn't the end of the world, but the reality is you probably won't be retiring at the average retirement age.

For perspective, I graduated when I was 30, amassed ~$70k of school and CC debt, got a job paying $60k in an area of the US that has below average cost of living, and I still only have ~$300/ month left over after the dust settles. I'm still driving the same truck I had after graduating high school, and I'm not yet investing in retirement.

I'd be curious to know if you come up with the same numbers, but my calculations tell me that:

• Starting from the day I entered school and assuming a non-aggressive student debt payment, I will finish paying back my debt at the 15 year mark (10 years after graduation), and begin investing in my retirement at that point.

• The 20 year mark is the crossover point where my retirement funds will match the retirement funds of a person making average US wages with no debt who started funding their retirement the day they left high school.

• After 40 years, my retirement package will almost be double that of the average US worker.

• The crossover point where my cumulative investment in other things (salary not going towards retirement) occurs at ~7 years.

• After 40 years, my cumulative investment in other things will be more than double that of the average US worker.

Also, according to my calcs, assuming you get a 5% raise/ year (3% wage increase + 2% inflation), start at 60k, have debt to pay back, and assuming you work for a period of 25 more years, your retirement fund will be slightly more than what the average US worker earns in 40 years.