As far as I can tell, "self-taught programmer" is a left-handed compliment of sorts, referring somebody who actually gives a shit about programming, rather than someone who passively received some sort of education (however long ago), and has since methodically applied it (exactly as it was). Others went to school, but realized graduation wasn't the end of exploration.

Some of us never had a formal programming education, we've just spent years (perhaps decades) chasing things that have interested us and learned plenty of useful skills along the way.