Computer-programming employment in the U.S. has reached its lowest level since 1980, according to data from the Current Population Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More than a quarter of all computer programming jobs have vanished in the past two years, the worst downturn that industry has ever seen.

Yet, while coding as we know it is indeed facing disruption, the creative, problem-solving essence of computer programming is likely to remain a largely human endeavor for the foreseeable future.

Learning to code was supposedly the salvation of millions of liberal art majors. But now programming jobs are plummeting. The Post’s Department of Data tries to figure out what’s going on.