I don't want to nit pick, but even 2500 hours a year is only 52-53 hours a week with 4 weeks off for vacation every year. Use the 2900 figure and you're still just barely over 60 with a month for vacation. Not a bad deal to make ~4x the median US salary.

I understand what you're saying though. It's a lot "easier" to go to school for four years, make $90-120k and have $0-40k in student debt than it is to go to school for a decade, make $125-175k and have $80-150k in student debt. But truthfully, when you have that kind of buying power you can live like a student for just two more years and completely pay off your debt (or very close to it). Software developers usually don't have that kind of buying power. Outside of the Valley and NYC an entry-level developer may only make $30k a year. Even a $200-300/mo student loan payment at that income is tight.