Best Software Development Schools Near Watertown, WI (2026)

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

Watertown, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering software development programs. Watertown has a population of about 22,873. Median household income is $68,333 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning software development-related role is Software Developer at a median $122,660 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Software Development Schools to Watertown

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer software development programs near Watertown, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Watertown 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 Watertown. 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

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI 24.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,356
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Herzing University-Madison

Madison, WI 28.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $22,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 42%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI 35.0 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,792
Avg net price $17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 246

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Edgewood College

Madison, WI 36.2 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,728
Avg net price $26,113/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,860
Out‑of‑state$35,860
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Mequon, WI 41.2 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,075
Avg net price $36,201/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,470
Out‑of‑state$35,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 41.7 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,257
Avg net price $31,487/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,170
Out‑of‑state$51,170
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI 42.6 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
74.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 59%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,070
Avg net price $22,453/yr
Tuition
In‑state$50,480
Out‑of‑state$50,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Kenosha, WI 57.9 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,129
Avg net price $11,772/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Software Development Wages Near Watertown

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Wisconsin, statewide)
Software Developer$122,660
Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester$89,400
Computer ProgrammerN/A
Computer Systems Analyst$100,440

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.

Watertown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,873Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$68,333Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Software Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited software development schools are near Watertown, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering software development programs near Watertown. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, WI (24.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Herzing University-Brookfield (32.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying software development-related roles in Wisconsin are: Software Developer ($122,660), Computer Systems Analyst ($100,440), Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester ($89,400). Wages for Watertown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Fort Atkinson instead of Watertown?

Fort Atkinson, WI is 19.2 miles from Watertown 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 Watertown an affordable place to study software development?

Watertown’s median household income of $68,333 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Watertown

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

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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