Best Software Development Schools Near Austin, MN (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Austin, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering software development programs, with tuition ranging from $6,653 to $17,838 per year for indexed programs. Austin has a population of about 26,167. Median household income is $66,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning software development-related role is Software Developer at a median $130,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Software Development Schools to Austin

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer software development programs near Austin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Austin city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Austin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 60.7 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Macalester College

Saint Paul, MN 88.0 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
63.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,878
Avg net price $32,149/yr
Tuition
In‑state$68,104
Out‑of‑state$68,104
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 88.5 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 88.9 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 90.8 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, MN 91.2 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,511
Avg net price $26,939/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Capella University

Minneapolis, MN 91.3 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
  • Accredited
29.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,189
Avg net price $17,956/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,400
Out‑of‑state$14,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 37%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Walden University

Minneapolis, MN 91.6 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
19.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,810
Avg net price $33,817/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 12%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota software development page.

Software Development Wages Near Austin

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Software Developer$130,050
Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester$101,700
Computer Programmer$107,250
Computer Systems Analyst$106,350

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Austin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,167Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Austin-Area Cities With Software Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited software development schools are near Austin, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering software development programs near Austin. The closest is North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, IA (36.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Minnesota State College Southeast (71.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying software development roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying software development-related roles in Minnesota are: Software Developer ($130,050), Computer Programmer ($107,250), Computer Systems Analyst ($106,350). Wages for Austin workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Owatonna instead of Austin?

Owatonna, MN is 31.7 miles from Austin and has its own set of local software development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Austin an affordable place to study software development?

Austin’s median household income of $66,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Software Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Austin

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Austin:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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