At the same time, while we are purchasing higher education, there are consumption "benefits" that accrue to us -- the joy of an outstanding lecture, the thrill of watching our basketball team beat our archrival, a night of partying after a mid- term exam, the individual we meet who later becomes our spouse, providing us years and years of happiness.
Economic literature on human capital also makes a strong case that the consumption of higher education by one individual increases the utility of others in society.