Joseph, MO doesn’t say it is a mitzva to get a secular degree for the sake of the degree. It is a mitzva to make a parnasa. Whatever a person feels comfortable with, and whatever his talents are, he should use them to the fullest. If he feels he needs a BA to become an accountant, then fine. If he wants to become a scientist or academic, then he will usually need a Ph.D. If he wants to be a dentist, he will need to go to dental school. It depends on what he feels he will be the best at, and what his circumstances will allow. The gemara says that just as everybody looks different, they all think differently. So everybody chooses a profession and level of education that suits them the best. It really is very simple.
The only difference between the American Chareidi outlook is that nobody thinks it is assur to go to college and makes you feel guilty about your choice of a path. You know yourself the best and you decide. You don’t go around beating yourself over the head and saying I am a terrible person because I had to go to college and I only did it bdieved and I am so sorry for having to do it, and my Rebbeim will all hate me now.
In MO you do what is the best for your talents and try to make a Kiddush Hashem while you are at it, and nobody criticizes you for it or makes flaming speeches against college as they do in the Chareidi world. Parnasa is not Bitul Torah in any way, so there is nothing to feel guilty about.