For another: physics/math isn't a stepping stone to technical roles. Physics from ivy league/new ivy is. A B.A. in English from brown is closer to a quant job than a physics degree from New Mexico Tech is. Hell at least NMT is, in the non austerity days, a path into a defense lab. There's half a dozen of state schools (in new mexico alone) offering STEM degrees that most people don't even know are schools.
For another: physics/math isn't a stepping stone to technical roles. Physics from ivy league/new ivy is. A B.A. in English from brown is closer to a quant job than a physics degree from New Mexico Tech is. Hell at least NMT is, in the non austerity days, a path into a defense lab. There's half a dozen of state schools (in new mexico alone) offering STEM degrees that most people don't even know are schools.