Software Engineering: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Software Engineering is a rigorous academic discipline focused on the systematic development, testing, deployment, and ongoing improvement of high-quality software systems. This program equips learners with the technical and analytical skills needed to design scalable, secure, and efficient software solutions that meet real-world demands across industries.
- Discrete Mathematics: Explores foundational concepts such as logic, set theory, combinatorics, and graph theory, which underpin algorithm design and computational reasoning.
- Probability and Statistics: Provides tools for analyzing data variability, making informed decisions under uncertainty, and evaluating software performance and reliability.
- Computer Science Principles: Covers core topics including data structures, algorithms, operating systems, and programming paradigms essential for building robust software architectures.
- Managerial Science: Integrates project management, resource allocation, and systems thinking to support the efficient planning and execution of software development lifecycles.
- Complex System Applications: Applies theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios involving large-scale, interconnected software environments such as distributed systems, embedded platforms, and enterprise applications.
Software Engineering Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Software Engineering Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Software Engineering degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Database Architects and Software Developers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 2,169,260 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041 | $167,740 | $111,450 - $239,200 | 210,340 | $80.64 |
| Database Architects 15-1243 | $135,980 | $81,630 - $209,990 | 64,770 | $65.37 |
| Software Developers 15-1252 | $133,080 | $79,850 - $211,450 | 1,654,440 | $63.98 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1032 | $106,120 | $59,790 - $200,650 | 39,910 | N/A |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers 15-1253 | $102,610 | $60,690 - $166,960 | 199,800 | $49.33 |
Software Engineering Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $98,192 in Mississippi to $157,600 in California—a 61% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Washington, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 2,169,260 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Software Engineering by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 99 institutions offering Software Engineering programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Software Engineering is found at Northeastern University (NU) (1,086 graduates), San Jose State University (SJSU) (475 graduates), Western Governors University (WGU) (388 graduates), Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) (277 graduates), and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) (237 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 5,887 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
|
1,086 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
475 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| Western Governors University (WGU) |
Bachelor's
|
388 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Private | wgu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
277 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
237 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
173 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
151 | Manchester, New Hampshire | Private | snhu.edu |
| Full Sail University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
148 | Winter Park, Florida | Private | fullsail.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
|
142 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
140 | Richardson, Texas | Public | utdallas.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
|
140 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| DeVry University |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Bachelor's
|
135 | Lisle, Illinois | Private | devry.edu |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
118 | Rochester, New York | Private | rit.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
113 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
106 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
89 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| Drexel University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
86 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin (CUW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
79 | Mequon, Wisconsin | Private | cuw.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Master's
|
75 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| Ashford University (UAGC) |
Bachelor's
|
72 | San Diego, California | Private | uagc.edu |
| Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) |
Bachelor's
|
64 | Fort Myers, Florida | Public | fgcu.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
63 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Auburn University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Auburn, Alabama | Public | auburn.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
|
53 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) |
Bachelor's
|
53 | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico | Public | uprm.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
50 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Oakland Community College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
46 | Auburn Hills, Michigan | Public | oaklandcc.edu |
| Miami University |
Bachelor's
|
46 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
42 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Master's
|
40 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
36 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| California State University (CSUSM) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | San Marcos, California | Public | csusm.edu |
| George Mason University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
34 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
|
33 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Utah Valley University (UVU) |
Bachelor's
|
32 | Orem, Utah | Public | uvu.edu |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology (TSCT) |
Associate's
|
31 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | Public | stevenscollege.edu |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Terre Haute, Indiana | Private | rose-hulman.edu |
| Snow College |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
27 | Ephraim, Utah | Public | snow.edu |
| Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
26 | Melbourne, Florida | Private | fit.edu |
| DePaul University |
Master's
|
26 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| Cleveland State University (CSU) |
Master's
|
26 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | csuohio.edu |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Private | msoe.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Platteville, Wisconsin | Public | uwplatt.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Erie, Pennsylvania | Public | behrend.psu.edu |
| University of Houston (UHCL) |
Master's
|
24 | Houston, Texas | Public | uhcl.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTEP) |
Master's
|
22 | El Paso, Texas | Public | utep.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Prescott, Arizona | Private | prescott.erau.edu |
| Loyola University Chicago (LUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | luc.edu |
| Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Public | stcloudstate.edu |
| Michigan Technological University (MTU) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Houghton, Michigan | Public | mtu.edu |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Shippensburg, Pennsylvania | Public | ship.edu |
| Keiser University |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Private | keiseruniversity.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
18 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | daytonabeach.erau.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Master's
|
18 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| University of California |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Merced, California | Public | ucmerced.edu |
| University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Greeley, Colorado | Public | unco.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| Rasmussen University |
Associate's
|
16 | St. Cloud, Minnesota | Private | rasmussen.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| Villanova University |
Master's
|
16 | Villanova, Pennsylvania | Private | villanova.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Bellarmine University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Louisville, Kentucky | Private | bellarmine.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
|
13 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| California State University (CSUN) |
Master's
|
12 | Northridge, California | Public | csun.edu |
| Connecticut State Community College (CT State) |
Associate's
|
12 | Hartford, Connecticut | Public | ctstate.edu |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) |
Master's
|
12 | Newark, New Jersey | Public | njit.edu |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Dallas, Texas | Private | smu.edu |
| Drury University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Springfield, Missouri | Private | drury.edu |
| Clarkson University (Clarkson) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Potsdam, New York | Private | clarkson.edu |
| Pace University |
Master's
|
11 | New York, New York | Private | pace.edu |
| California Baptist University (CBU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Riverside, California | Private | calbaptist.edu |
| Chapman University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Orange, California | Private | chapman.edu |
| Fairfield University |
Master's
|
10 | Fairfield, Connecticut | Private | fairfield.edu |
| Monmouth University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
10 | West Long Branch, New Jersey | Private | monmouth.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
Other Award
|
10 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Public | uco.edu |
| University of Scranton |
Master's
|
10 | Scranton, Pennsylvania | Private | scranton.edu |
| Lipscomb University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
10 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | lipscomb.edu |
| Vermont State University (VTSU) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
10 | Randolph, Vermont | Public | vermontstate.edu |
| Gannon University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | Erie, Pennsylvania | Private | gannon.edu |
| St. Mary's University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | San Antonio, Texas | Private | stmarytx.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Master's
|
8 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| Utah Tech University (UT) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Saint George, Utah | Public | utahtech.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Quinnipiac University (QU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Hamden, Connecticut | Private | qu.edu |
| Rasmussen University |
Associate's
|
7 | Ocala, Florida | Private | rasmussen.edu |
| Trine University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Angola, Indiana | Private | trine.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWL) |
Master's
|
7 | La Crosse, Wisconsin | Public | uwlax.edu |
| Rasmussen University |
Associate's
|
7 | Rockford, Illinois | Private | rasmussen.edu |
| Fresno Pacific University (FPU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Fresno, California | Private | fresno.edu |
| Saint Leo University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Saint Leo, Florida | Private | saintleo.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Crookston, Minnesota | Public | crk.umn.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Master's
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Redmond, Washington | Private | digipen.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Mercer University |
Master's
|
5 | Macon, Georgia | Private | mercer.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Software Engineering programs
How much can I earn with a Software Engineering degree?
Salaries for Software Engineering graduates vary by role and location. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn a median of $167,740 annually, while Database Architects earn around $135,980. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $157,600 compared to $98,192 in Mississippi. Approximately 2,169,260 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Software Engineering programs?
Currently 135 accredited institutions offer Software Engineering degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Northeastern University (NU) (1,086 graduates), San Jose State University (SJSU) (475 graduates), and Western Governors University (WGU) (388 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Software Engineering growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,058 in 2010 to 5,994 in 2023-24. This represents a 191% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Software Engineering degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Database Architects, and Software Developers. Related occupations employ approximately 2,169,260 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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