Which degree route would be best?

[dfrecore]

I think that the most important thing is to have a plan and minimize risk.  There are many people in the world who pick unhappy careers, make a lot of money and then retire happily.  If you can take it, this might be a good option.  Taking on a lot of debt for a degree with poor job prospects is probably an unacceptable risk, but if you keep costs low, you can make it work.  Just save money and invest in low-cost index funds.

There is no way in hell I would pick a career that made me unhappy.  That's nuts.  You have 20-30-40 years, 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week doing something you hate?  No thank you.

There is a TON of space in between choosing a low-paying career that you love, and a high-paying one that you hate.  Find something between those 2 things and you're fine.