If you work in AAA you can make as much or more than your tech job and be doing more interesting work, but of course you have to be good and an expert in some domain to make any decent money. Generalist programmers are not in high demand.
I specialize in rendering, lighting, cameras, and make a good living as a tech artist. My work is infinitely more fun than my old jobs in tech companies doing front-end, and my pay is much higher than it ever was in tech.