These are two totally different fields, and cater better to different mind-sets and personalities. I teach in the Information Technology field. We are about systems admin, networking concepts, hardware engineering, project management, etc. IMHO more people oriented and takes soft skills and a personality to match. E.g. you have to deal direclty with people, often as end users and you have to know how to manage and appreciate ALL personality types. This field IMHO is more interactive and allows for a much broader range of choices as to a career path to follow. As well, IMHO this field doesn't tend to isolate one to a cubicle somewhere. Is it easier than CS? I don't think it is, especially if you specialize in a particular area. Yes CS majors tend to be more math oriented, and if you want to call that "smarter" I would have to disagree. Their mind just works differently. I have seen CS majors try to do sys admin stuff and get lost in the intricate details and the myriad mass of specifications. So just because they may be great programmers doesn't mean they would be great IT people. Different mindset and different personality traits.
Also IMHO there will be more opportunities for jobs for you in the ICT field. CS majors for the most part program, and a lot of that has moved off-shore in recent years. Now that said, there is probably more room and likelihood that a good programmer could make A LOT of money. Especially if they come up with the latest and greatest app. But even just working for someone else, they tend to start off with a higher base pay. But the same can be said with ICT majors. Security and networking are big areas of need, and both (especially security) pay very well for new hires. Specialize in security and you cna nearly write your own ticket, if you are good.
If I were you I would first assess what my personality traits are. Can you be content stuck in front of a screen for the most part, or are you more people oriented? Do you want to always work at home in your pajamas, or would you rather get out in the field and enjoy those around you? I can definitively say this, I have been a technology teacher for going on a decade. I transitioned into the teaching field after 20 years in the technology arena. I have done several years of programming (nothing with compiled languages like C, but mostly ASP, Visual Basic, ActiveX, and the like. I know, true programmers would NOT call me a programmer) But it was enough for me to get a 'taste' of what it is like to be a programmer, and for the most part it drove me nuts. Forget I was making $95 an hour. That was spectactular money but I was making the mistake I see nearly all of my students make and that was judging the job by the salary. Let me tell you from first-hand experience pay means a lot, but it will NOT be your primary motivator as you get older. So re-assess your talents and likes, not your expected pay. Re-assess your study demand considerations, because studying something you despise for one hour feels like an eternity, and cannot be compared hour-for-hour when studying something for which you have an interest. BOTH fields will require life-long learning, so don't assume you go to school, study something and then work happily ever after from there on out. Finally re-assess the demands, and look closely at job descriptions to see where it is at. On any given job board, I think you will find more entry-evel positions in ICT to get you started in your new career. They may not pay as much, but they are not as competitive due to the higher numbers of availability.
Above all, make sure you ae doing something that you like to do. (Yes I know they say do what you love and the money will follow, but sometimes that just isn't practical. If you at least like it however you can find a niche eventually that satisfies you and keeps you moving forward. And throughout it all, remember your priorities will change as you get older. So don't stick yourself somewhere based on salary/benefits alone. Ultimately you may find it is not worth it, no matter how much bacon you are bringing home.
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