Hello everyone! I'm new to the site and I am already finding it a wonderful resource, so I figured I would consult you guys with my latest predicament. Hopefully you can help me!

I am a college student, currently working towards a business degree. Photoshop has been a major hobby for me for a few years now. I have started to really enjoy photo retouching/restoration and I am currently working to establish a portfolio and start doing freelance work.

I am now considering going to art school. More specifically, The Art Institute of Seattle. They offer an Associates Degree in Photography, and a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design.

I am thinking that Photography would be the closest degree to the retouching/restoration line of work, since they offer Digital Imaging classes. However, only getting an Associates Degree is kind of a scary thought. I am trying to think about all of this as realistically as possible. I realize that this is a big decision and one that could possibly destroy my future.

So I guess my questions are mainly directed towards the professionals already in the field:

Is an Associates Degree the standard for this line of work? Or is it a must to have the Bachelor's in order to succeed?
Is there any sort of reliable job market for a digital retoucher?
Is this the right way to get into the business?
Can I actually make a living out of this, or am I just kidding myself?

Any help/opinions are welcome. I am in desparate need of guidance!

This doesn't answer your question, but if you're thinking "can I earn a living at this" instead of "I must do this, whatever it takes" you might want to think twice about entering an artistic profession. This is not meant as criticism in any fashion, it's simply something I wish someone had explained to me 30 years ago.