Programming is one of the few "hard" jobs that is demanded in very large quantities. There are roughly 1.6 million people working as programmers in the US[1]. That is approximately as many as all engineering professions combined (the largest individual engineering profession is mechanical with 285k). It is roughly 50% more than all life, physical and social sciences combined.

[1] https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#17-0000