No degree needed but the lazy need not apply. (Score 1)

Absolutely. Will it happen right away? No. You've got to be willing to work at it. It's taken me nearly 10 years to get the IT Manager position I have now, but I have no degree. I've been through plenty of not so great jobs along the way, but always with a goal in mind. Don't be discouraged if it seems like you are being overlooked for jobs you want or have hit a wall. My greatest strides have come in the last 3 years. 3 years ago I was sitting in a cubicle answering phones and walking clients through software installs. Today I have quadrupled my salary and have my dream job. My family and I are finally reaping the benefits of a lot of hard work. In the beginning take whatever meaningful work you can get. Potential for experience to be earned trumps salary starting out. I've also found that there are basically 2 breeds of employers - ones who put all their stock in degrees and ones who hire based on reputation and experience. IMHO those who look solely at a degree and deem you qualified/unqualified for a job are idiots. Many college graduates don't know the first thing about running a network. Conversely some of the most intelligent people I have ever known dropped out of college or never went at all. I don't think a degree ever hurts if you can afford it or have a scholarship or some financial assistance, but it's not the end all be all of the IT world. It's really just a matter of patience and finding the right employer - someone who hires based on track record vs fancy papers. Or as so many other comments have noted - work for yourself. No papers required. All that matters is results. Good luck.