and perhaps c) are considered careers for people older than 35

just wondering, when an engineer is promoted to manager, is he no longer a STEM worker? and isn't he no longer employed in the field of his educational background?

I'm noticing a bit of an exodus from programming to traditional engineering disciplines also, though primarily over working conditions, not mainly pay. One specific concentration is people leaving the game industry to do non-game simulation work at places like Lockheed. The pay is comparable and the environment is much nicer for someone over 30. Game companies complain they can't find enough good talent, but don't seem willing to own up to their role in driving away good talent.

Not to mention the seemingly large number of programmers in the HN community that go the entrepreneurial route. Even if not giving up programming completely, the demands of running a business can significantly cut into the amount of programming work that can be done.

If there was adequate compensation on the traditional job side, making that move would be a much more difficult decision. Everyone has their price.