That's not the point, though you're right. The point is that $100k is still a lot of money when the median is ?$47k. What are all these people doing instead of accepting a measly $100k to be software engineers? I don't think 4100k jobs are so easily available in the US that people are just turning up their noses at it, but that there may be other reasons (like lack of appropriate skills) for the lack of supply. Of course more people will try to enter the profession if salaries are allowed to rise to a market equilibrium, but SW engineering skills aren't a simple commodity that people will just automatically acquire in accordance with the laws of perfect competition.

Too bad that bubble popped.