Obtaining a certificate usually involves studying a particular topic in either a classroom or a self-paced setting.

There are hundreds of different certificates you can earn as a software engineer.

Computer science and engineering degrees often have more extensive math requirements than majors like IT and cybersecurity.Ī degree is still the most widely accepted way to break into the field of software engineering. Computer science, information technology and cybersecurity are all popular majors for students interested in becoming software engineers. A master’s degree isn’t required to work as a software engineer, but it can be helpful for career-changers and those who want to advance their knowledge of the field.Ī bachelor’s degree usually takes four years to complete, combining general education courses with courses in your field of study. The traditional way to become a software engineer is by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a similar discipline. We’ll examine a few different paths below. Job prospects are strong for software engineers, and there are several ways to break into this field. metropolitan areas for software developers. Below is a list of the highest-paying U.S. Software Engineer SalaryīLS lists the median annual salary for software engineers as $110,140, but these professionals’ salaries vary depending on factors like location. However, large tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and LinkedIn tend to hire the highest numbers of software engineers. The BLS defines a software engineer as someone who “designs computer applications or programs.” Software engineers can work in just about any industry, even outside of tech.Īll types of organizations, from Disney to community colleges, hire software engineers to manage software development projects and initiatives. Software engineers typically enjoy above-average salaries as well, along with other corporate benefits like annual bonuses, 401Ks and challenging projects. This rate is much faster than the national average growth projection for all occupations (8%). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers should see a 22% employment growth from 2020 to 2030.

Macvector software engineer