Why do so few people major in computer science?

That's interesting. The most common complaint in my program from students was that we weren't actually learning how to program. Actually learning how to use a language was considered (for the most part) a "technical detail", and the course was very heavy on algorithm analysis, theory of computation, math, how operating systems function on a theory level, writing a keyboard interrupt handler for a small embedded OS to support backspace (^H) and erase to beginning of line (^U), using threads with locks, etc.

> Computer science is just not very hard, while physics, math, and engineering is.

I think that depends quite a bit on the school you go to. I think the CS program at my school was quite hard compared to the math program. My school was by no means top-tier, and I was very self conscious of that for a while. Then I met a good friend that had a degree from Berkeley's CS program, and over the years I've come to the conclusion that the main difference between his CS program and the one I went through was the quality of the teachers, and I think it was actually a fairly small difference. Much more important seemed to be what you wanted out of the program, and what piqued your interested and caused you to follow it deeper (and good teachers could help quite a bit at this point, as they might have deeper knowledge of specific subjects that could help you).

My point is that I do not believe that CS is necessarily much easier than those programs from what variable experience I have with them, but CS is fairly wide in what it touches, so unless you decide to dive in deeper on a subject, you are likely going to be getting theory plus a survey of what's available. That said, if your school focused more on that actual art of programming than the theory, than might lead to different (but not necessarily worse) outcomes. People go to college for different reasons, and a good many in my class that were complaining about not getting much experience actually programming were looking for college to train them for a programming position immediately after college. That wasn't necessarily what I was there for, but that doesn't mean that a college putting a bit more of that in their program is doing the wrong thing, they're just responding to market realities (i.e. what their students want).

> mathematical theory behind cryptography

In our algorithm analysis class, we had to write a paper on some known algorithm examining its function and complexity. Being security conscious and having an interest in cryptography, I chose Diffie-Hellman key exchange. A lot of the benefit of college is making your own opportunities.

Mine required students to pick at least 1 concentration (1 included software engineering which taught things like software testing)

The programming is incidental to solving real world problems. If your job is to crank out code which envelops someone else's design solution, it doesn't really matter what courses you took in undergrad, as an undergrad education of any kind is just a very broad introduction to many things, in the hope that one will "stick" for employment.

As a self-taught programmer, I think you're downplaying how much you can learn in a CS program. I don't pretend to know as much as a CS major. I haven't spent time learning compilers or DB internals, and probably haven't studied CS algorithms enough to pass an interview at Google or Facebook.

Regarding the CS curriculum, an undergrad EE curriculum is similarly shallow: it's a sampling of many different subtopics that often are only loosely related (E&M, DSP, circuits, control theory, devices, etc.). Undergrads won't be experts in any one of those fields.

Since I graduated (grad school) in EE, I've told myself each year that I'll jump from my EE job to a programming job, since I enjoy programming more. But it's getting harder and harder to justify. Will I be leaving a senior EE position for an entry-level software position? Does that make sense at 30? Why am I the oldest person in the office when I interview at a startup? Why is the interviewer fixating on compilers and database internals?

If I were to do it over, I'd get a degree in CS because that's the most direct route to the job, and education continues on the job. Everything else was a diversion. And you're seeing the grass as greener on the other side of the fence regarding engineering/physics curriculum. Learning how to solve physics problems doesn't make you smarter or a better programmer.

Late 2014 I landed a part-time job in web development, that role then moved to full-time and I transitioned out of the Bachelor program as I was learning more valuable work-related skills at my job or in my spare time.

Since then I've advertised to employers that I'm part way through a bachelor, willing to complete if they believe it's necessary but otherwise not interested. I'm now earning just above the average cited in the article and have no intentions of returning to school.

I know of a few classmates that are in the same boat, they got a part-time job, transitioned to full-time and quit schooling.

In my opinion, the fact I was studying was critical in landing the first job but useless afterwards once I could prove my ability and worth. I doubt people who only completed a degree could compete at technical interviews against people with a self taught background.