I went back to school and got a doctorate in botany. Now I am a staff scientist at a large state university. Working in tech gave me a lot of financial success, but it wasn't something I was passionate about.
Mind you, then I went back to software development because I needed the money. Still doing some research with my colleagues in my spare time.
Fortunately, being someone who is able to complete a PhD is appealing so some IT employers, even if it's a different field.