---

Software Engineering

Types of Degrees Software Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Software Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	172
Associate’s Degree	181
Bachelor’s Degree	2,610
Master’s Degree	2,997
Doctor’s Degree	26

What Software Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Software Engineering emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Software Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Software Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Software Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Software Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Software Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Software Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
JavaScript	Web platform development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Software Engineering graduates include:

• Aeronautics Teacher
• Research Professor
• Robotics Instructor
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Highway Engineering Teacher
• Professor
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Drawing Instructor
• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Environmental Engineering Professor
• Aeronautical Engineering Professor
• Drafting Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Software Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	32.7%
Doctoral degree	28.4%
Master’s degree	10.9%
Post-master’s certificate	9.1%
Post-doctoral training	8.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.0%
Postsecondary certificate	2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.2%
Some college courses	1.1%
First professional degree	0.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Software Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.9% of Software Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,625	27.1%
Men	4,369	72.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Software Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,824	30.4%
Asian	554	9.2%
Hispanic or Latino	496	8.3%
Black or African American	263	4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	8	0.1%
Two or More Races	145	2.4%
Race Unknown	220	3.7%
International Students	2,473	41.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Software Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Software Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$82,085
4 years	$94,356
5 years	$109,878

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $109,878 — roughly 34% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Software Engineering Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Software Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	2
Bachelor’s	9	9
Master’s	16	11
Doctoral (Research)	2	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Software Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Software Engineering graduates earn a median of $94,356 four years after completion — roughly 148% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Computer Engineering	14.09
Computer Engineering, General	14.0901
Computer Engineering, Other	14.0999
Computer Hardware Engineering	14.0902
Systems Engineering	14.2701
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General	14.0201
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other	14.0299
Agricultural Engineering	14.0301
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Astronautical Engineering	14.0202
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering	14.0501

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.