a computer science degree will not lead you to one single type of job, but can be beneficial in nearly any field (maybe not Amish carpenter.)
Our computer science students work in a variety of fields.
Several have started their own software companies.
Others work for major companies like Apple, Sun, and Boeing
A number of my students now work in the gaming industry,
Computer science students may continue writing software as their primary job, but that's actually not that common. More often, CS majors act in a management or software engineering role as their experience tends to aim them towards the management side of the house.
Note that there's a lot of different programs that call themselves "computer science." I'm referring to the rigorous programs involving extensive math and CS theory. Programs that teach you how to use applications, or simply how to write programs in a particular language are nearly useless.
Look for a program that teaches the deeper truths and then applies them with practical exercises, and you'll do very well. If it doesn't require courses in calculus, algorithms, and data structures, it's not really computer science. The languages you learn are largely irrelevant. They'll be out of date when you graduate anyway. The most important thing is to learn the enduring fundamentals and be able to apply them well to technology as it emerges.
Even in this poor economy, today there are over 300 jobs available within 50 miles of my campus (in Indianapolis) for people with computer science degrees. Most of these jobs are quite good, with starting salaries over 60K.
The outlook for people with CS degrees is actually better now than it was during the peak of the dot-com bubble. The many people you've learned about who lost their jobs were largely those who got in with less qualification because the demand was so intense. People with actual credentials are having very little trouble finding work in the CS field.