By other end I mean on the other end of a degree. Students take degrees in STEM with the belief that there is a good job waiting for them when they finish, but it ain't so. I agree with you such students would be wise to take careers in finance, but it isn't in the long term interests of the country for this situation to continue.

The problem is an example of what is happening in STEM (Science, tech, engineering, math). Various folks say we need more students in these subjects, but there aren't so many great jobs on the other end. Not as many jobs, say, as those studying finance and business. The system doesn't really reward people graduating in these subjects (at least not those people going on to create new technologies, as you suggest). That has to change.