I **DOES** PAY HANDSOMELY!!! We have lived it! ( Yes, I am shouting. I would like other Freepers to hear this.)
My own homeschooled kids entered college at that ages of 13, 12, and 13. The two younger graduated with B.S. degrees in math at the age of 18. The older of these two earned a masters in math at 20.
Think about the extra earnings those extra 4 years in the workplace represent! Four extra years ( depending upon whether you consider their entry-level pay or final years before retirement) add up to a hefty quarter of a million to possibly) 1 MILLION dollars.
The oldest was a nationally and internationally ranked athlete and only went to college part-time. He still finished his B.S. degree in accounting at the same age as his government schooled contemporaries....but...He now works part-time ( while getting a master in accounting) as a coach and makes $60/hour!
As for the cost of homeschooling, even in the days before computers in the home, we rarely spent more than $200 to $300 on textbooks and supplies. We **SAVED** at least that amount in the school clothing we did not need to buy.
A person's teens and 20's are when his energy is at its peak. The more of that period are spent in advancing a career, the better off he'll be. Also, if people are financially established by mid 20's, it makes it more likely that they'll marry and have kids in their peak fertile years. Delaying marriage and kids until 30 is killing the middle class. Plus many couples decide to only have one kid because of college costs.