If I could have been a web developer 6 years ago before college only by interest alone - things would be different. In industry, it is required to have 2-4 years experience or a degree to even get your foot in the door (or a callback).

Also, I feel like people who took the time to get degrees have the groundwork to learn new things faster. Treehouse seems redundant since youtube has videos on every topic that they teach. I don't know...maybe some people learn better with puppets.

The skill itself certainly doesn't require a degree. But, a degree does give you options to pursue other careers if you decide not to be a designer or developer. It never looks bad to have a computer science or related degree on your resume, but not having a degree at all could certainly limit your opportunities. I think the better advice would be to pursue an economically responsible degree while supplementing your skill set with services like treehouse. Just my opinion, of course.