I've found the stigma depends a lot on the area of the country. I used to live and work in New York, and there was a huge cultural stigma to not having completed college. There even seemed to be a stigma against people who owned their own companies doing electrical work or plumbing that were doing quite well. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule, and not everyone felt that way.

Now that I'm in the Texas panhandle, most people appreciate skilled workers possibly even more than college degrees.