You've been scouring the internet for the best software engineering degrees. Let College Choice help you land the perfect program.
Software engineering is a global, rapidly growing field, and an occupation of tremendous future growth. Forget the cliché of the computer geek alone at her desk. It's a collaborative, creative, and demanding profession.
And if you have a phobia of job-boredom, the constantly shifting world of software engineering will probably appeal to you. New languages, paradigms, ideas, algorithms—there is an almost infinite amount of stuff you can learn. And you will see the outcome of your creativity almost immediately.
Recommended Online Programs
What kind of Software Engineering Degree should you get?
All good software engineering programs are anchored in real-world problems. Keep that in mind as you wade through program info. Software engineers apply professional judgment which you can only acquire through practical experience, so your training must be hands-on, team-centered, and project focused across the curriculum.
And while taking classes in a traditional campus-based program certainly has its benefits, online programs are now an entirely respectable (and convenient) alternative. The same faculty teach online and on-campus courses, and you'll get exactly the same degree as your campus-based counterparts. If you're interested, check out College Choice's ranking of the Best Online Software Engineering Degrees.
How much money do people make with a Software Engineering degree?
Software engineering experts are in demand and will likely continue to be in demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software engineer has been among the nation's fastest-growing IT professions. And as the technology-focused business environment continues to expand, that growth promises to continue.
That's good news for software engineers. Because of the ubiquitous need for talented developers of new software, software engineers can demand a pretty high salary. According to 2023 BLS data, software developers earn an annual median salary of $132,270, though of course that varies with education and experience.
What can you do with a degree in Software Engineering?
Software engineers are problem solvers who apply new technologies to improve the quality of life. They study the needs of computer users and then design and develop (and continuously modify) software that answer those needs.
From designing security software to gaming systems and educational programs—software engineering is a massive field with almost unlimited potential. No matter what your particular interest, there is probably a niche with your name on it.
What are the requirements for a degree in Software Engineering?
You might expect a background in technology to be a prerequisite for any graduate program in software engineering, but that is not necessarily the case. There are several programs on this ranking that welcome students from all backgrounds. If you don't have the necessary knowledge, schools provide the foundational courses that will catch you up to speed.
However, all programs on this ranking require a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. And some (but not all) programs require that you have good GRE scores.
What are the best Software Engineering degrees?
Considering the time and funds you're about to invest, you need to make sure you find a program that fits your needs.
In order to come up with our ranking of the 25 Best Software Engineering Degrees, we've done the research and data collection for you. We collate and compare numbers on national reputation, tuition rates, student assessments, and projected early career earnings.
The extensive research we do means that the score you see on each ranking reflects both academic excellence and return on investment. Our information comes from publicly available sources like program websites, as well as The National Center for Education Statistics, Payscale.com, and U.S. News and World Report.
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
