Should i chose a career path based on viability or interest?

That depends on the relative value you place on money and the things it can provide for you (such as housing, travel, transportation, recreation, ...) and your own sense of personal satisfaction and happiness.

Unless you're fortunate to pick a career that's both highly personally fulfilling and very lucrative, you'll probably have to make a trade-off. The extremes are picking something that makes you feel very personally fulfilled but leaves you dead broke, or picking a career that's very lucrative but which you find personally unfulfilling (or worse, soul-sucking). In between these two poles are where you want to be - but exactly where depends on you. Each person has a different trade-off they're willing to make between these two things ... for some money and the things it can provide you are more important than personal fulfillment; for others they're happy to trade down to a lower standard of living in order to do something they find personally fulfilling and rewarding.

So there's no "right" answer to your question. I would encourage you to think about how you value each of these things, explore the kinds of job and opportunity prospects you might have in each field, and go with what makes you feel most comfortable.

And recognize that you're not locked into either path. You could for example pursue a degree in both (or major in one but minor in the other). If you find that your initial choice ends up being less to your liking than you'd thought, consider switching after a few years. You have time to explore what's the best fit for you.

As has been stated already, physics and mathematics are well regarded backgrounds for anyone wanting to get into software development. Not least in videogames, for instance, where physics simulation is a vital component of many game engines and in-depth knowledge

I'd also suggest not to limit your learning to just your formal education. Nothing's stopping you from pursuing one interest in your spare time - and having something to show to potential employers that shows you have expertise beyond the field of your study can't be anything but a plus.

Keep in mind that the careers that you might associate with one major (computer science) are likely available to folks who pursue the other major (physics).

If you pursue physics, you can certainly fashion an experience that prepares you for work in engineering or software engineering in the future. A physics major either through physics courses themselves or through additional computer science classes can provide an adequate background for software engineering.

These things aren't exclusionary. You can pursue your interest in physics . . . and get a job in software engineering, but maybe you find a software job that really values the mathematics skills you develop (and love) from physics. Or maybe you get a job at SpaceX writing software. Or maybe you get a job writing software for widget manufacturers that pays you so much that it provides you the resources you need to pursue your amateur telescope project you've been dreaming of. There are endless variations here.

Find something you can stand to do every day, over and over. Physics and computer science are both ideal, due to the depth and many layers of complexity.

It is possible to find a good job incorporating what you want to do. It might start off as a compromise and hopefully get better as you learn more and can specialise.

Hello Jared,
What a thoughtful question! It is important to remember that what may be viewed as the most viable option today may shift in a few years so I agree with previous suggestions on following your true interests. Success will come when you care about what you do and what you study. If you have the opportunity to study both, you will be more competitive in the marketplace when you complete your education.
Best of luck!
Sofia

While going to school, you want to keep your future options opened. So study what you like, but make sure to get a solid grounding in sciences and math. Don't neglect writing though, as being able to write well is useful in any career.

There are many people in software engineering today, who were not Computer Science majors (my major was mathematics).

You never know where the technology will go in the future and you want to adaptable.

Jared, both. I knew a doctor who hated his occupation because he really wanted to be a musician. Society would say being a doctor is a viable career, however, it means nothing if that person is not interested in being a doctor. One thing you can do is see how physics correlates with computer science. For example, a software company that designs software for scientists may need a physicist. Regardless of which route you take, it is best to be satisfied rather than just doing something only for the money.

If you are interested in Physics I (personally) would peruse that. It does not close the door to you becoming a software engineer. Maths and Physics are highly regarded numerate degrees. Some of the very best Software Engineers come from those disciplines - so why not study what you are interested in. Remember this is the real thing not the dress rehearsal.

I agree with what most of the other individuals mentioned, especially Richie. I've known of a few instances indirectly where physicists were hired for software development, so it's not unheard of. I also agree with adaptability. When it comes to programming & scripting, there are new iterations & many open-source options coming out often & it's important to at least try to become aware of what's new in the market. Unless you're working in a very small shop, while you may have background in a lot of things, I think a lot of people end up being hired and regularly utilized to specialize in one specific area.