A bachelor’s in software engineering exists as a standalone degree – usually a BS in Software Engineering – and it is also offered as a concentration inside computer science or a broader computing major. Both routes lead to the same entry-level developer jobs. The difference is where the credits go. A standalone major spends more of the upper division on requirements, architecture, verification, and a multi-term team project. A concentration typically pairs a smaller block of those courses with a computer science core weighted toward theory and algorithms.
This page explains the degree titles you will encounter, what the engineering core actually contains, the math and prerequisite load that catches transfer students, and how to compare programs honestly.
Quick answers
Can I get a bachelor’s degree in software engineering?
Yes. It is offered as a standalone BS in Software Engineering and as a concentration or track inside a computer science, computing, or information technology major. Some schools title it “Software Engineering and Design” or something similar. Compare the required course list, not the diploma text.
How is this different from a computer science degree?
A computer science major centers on theory: algorithms, computability, discrete mathematics, and the science of computation. A software engineering major centers on the lifecycle of a software product: requirements, design, verification, maintenance, and process. The first two years overlap heavily. See computer science vs software engineering for a course-by-course comparison, or the computer science software engineering concentration if you want the middle path.
How is this different from a software development degree?
Software development programs are usually more implementation-focused: languages, frameworks, and building applications. Software engineering adds the discipline around implementation – eliciting requirements, designing for change, testing systematically, and managing releases across a team. Both are legitimate. The engineering degree is the better fit if you expect to work on long-lived systems with other people.
How many credits is a bachelor’s degree?
Approximately 120 semester hours, typically four years full-time. The engineering core is usually concentrated in the junior and senior years, after programming sequences, data structures, calculus, and discrete mathematics.
Do I need to know how to code before I apply?
Usually not for admission to the university, though it helps. Programs start with an introductory programming sequence. What does gate progress is mathematics: many programs require calculus and discrete mathematics before the upper-division core, and placement testing can add a term if you are not ready for calculus.
Is a bachelor’s enough, or will I need a master’s?
For most developer and quality engineering roles, a bachelor’s plus a portfolio of real code is sufficient. A master’s is worth considering for a career change into engineering from another field, for specialized areas such as distributed systems or security, or where an employer ties advancement to a graduate degree. Nothing in this field is licensed.
At a Glance
- Common degree titles: BS in Software Engineering, or computer science with a software engineering concentration
- Typical duration: 4 years full-time
- Credits: Approximately 120 semester hours
- Core skills: Programming, data structures, requirements, architecture and design, testing and verification, version control, team project delivery
- Accreditation: ABET accredits some software engineering programs; verify institutional accreditation in every case
For a full map of this program area, start here: Software Engineering Program Guide
Schools to compare
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:
BOCSCORE
- 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.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
98%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$101,817
Avg net price
$19,066/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 174
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
29%
Graduation rate
86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,735
Avg net price
$14,251/yr
TuitionIn‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Key stats
- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 134
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$90,768
Avg net price
$16,665/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 84
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$75,790
Avg net price
$15,564/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 90%
- Programs offered: 193
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,368
Avg net price
$11,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 32
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
61%
Graduation rate
86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,435
Avg net price
$32,875/yr
TuitionIn‑state$20,644
Out‑of‑state$41,790
Key stats
- Retention rate: 92%
- Programs offered: 214
Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$70,070
Avg net price
$46,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 77
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$84,131
Avg net price
$40,287/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 24
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
The main undergraduate pathways
Standalone software engineering major (BS)
The most direct route. A BS in Software Engineering devotes the major credits to the lifecycle: requirements engineering, software architecture and design, verification and validation, configuration management, software process, and a capstone team project that usually runs two or three terms. Programs that hold ABET accreditation follow published program criteria for the field, which constrains how much of the core a school can leave out.
Computer science with a software engineering concentration
Common at schools that built one computing department rather than two majors. You take the computer science core – algorithms, theory of computation, operating systems – plus a block of engineering courses. This is a strong fit if you also want the algorithmic depth that some interview processes lean on, and it keeps graduate study in computer science open. The tradeoff is fewer credits on process, testing, and the team project. See the concentration page for how that block is structured.
Applied computing majors with an engineering track
Information technology, software development, and general computing majors sometimes offer a software engineering track. These are typically lighter on mathematics and heavier on tools and frameworks. They can be the right choice if you already know you want application work rather than systems work, but confirm that testing, design, and version control are required rather than optional. Compare with software development and web development before deciding.
Typical coursework in a bachelor’s program
| Course Topic |
What You Learn |
| Programming sequence |
Language fundamentals, control flow, objects, memory, and writing code others can read |
| Data structures and algorithms |
Lists, trees, hashing, graphs, complexity analysis, and choosing the right structure |
| Discrete mathematics |
Logic, sets, proof, combinatorics, and the reasoning behind correctness arguments |
| Software design and architecture |
Modularity, coupling, design patterns, and designing systems that absorb change |
| Requirements engineering |
Eliciting, specifying, and validating what the software is actually supposed to do |
| Verification, validation, and testing |
Unit, integration, and system testing, test automation, code review, and defect tracking |
| Databases and systems |
Data modeling, SQL, transactions, operating systems, and networking fundamentals |
| Software process and management |
Lifecycle models, estimation, configuration management, and professional ethics |
| Capstone team project |
A multi-term build for a real or realistic client, delivered by a team you did not pick |
Skills you may build
- Reading and changing a codebase you did not write, without breaking behavior elsewhere
- Turning a vague request into a specification someone can build and test against
- Designing modules with boundaries that survive the second and third feature request
- Writing tests that fail for the right reason, and automating them into a build
- Using version control, branching, and code review the way working teams actually use them
- Estimating work, negotiating scope, and shipping on a schedule with other people
Prerequisites and course sequencing
The engineering core generally sits behind two programming courses, data structures, calculus, and discrete mathematics, and upper-division courses often run once a year rather than every term. Before you enroll, confirm:
- Which mathematics courses are required, and whether placement testing could add a term
- How often each upper-division course is offered online, and in which terms
- Whether the capstone requires prerequisites you can finish on your timeline
- Whether any course requires synchronous team meetings or a proctored exam
- Whether the program expects you to supply a development machine of a particular capability
If you are moving faster than a standard four-year plan, compare accelerated software engineering programs. Compression is harder on the capstone than on lecture courses, because a team project has a calendar of its own.
Transfer credits and degree planning
Transfer credit can shorten a bachelor’s substantially, particularly for general education, mathematics, and the introductory programming sequence. Rules vary by institution, so confirm:
- The maximum number of transfer credits accepted
- The minimum grade required for a course to transfer
- Whether credits apply to the major core or only to general electives – calculus and introductory programming usually transfer, upper-division engineering courses often do not
- Whether an associate degree in computing articulates as a block
- Residency requirements, meaning a minimum number of credits completed at the institution
See Affordable Online Software Engineering Degrees for more on managing total program cost.
Accreditation and program quality checks
Software engineering is one of the few fields on this site with a genuine programmatic accreditor. ABET accredits software engineering bachelor’s programs under published program criteria. Many respected programs are not ABET accredited, so its absence is not disqualifying, but its presence tells you the curriculum was reviewed against outside criteria. Verify recognized institutional accreditation for every school through the U.S. Department of Education database.
Vendor certifications in a cloud platform or a programming language are useful signals to employers, but they are not accreditation and they do not evaluate degree programs. Institutional accreditation is the check that matters, with ABET as an optional additional signal for this field.
Building the portfolio while you study
Software hiring inspects work directly. A technical interview, a take-home exercise, or a public repository will tell an employer more than a transcript, so treat coursework as portfolio raw material:
- Keep every substantial project in version control from the first term, with readable commit history
- Write the tests and the documentation for at least a few projects to a standard you would show a stranger
- Take the capstone client seriously; it is the one project you can discuss as delivered software
- Pursue an internship or a co-op if the program supports one, since first-job screening weights experience heavily
- If a platform interests you, add depth in web development, mobile app development, or cloud computing rather than sampling all three
Bachelor’s vs a master’s in software engineering
A bachelor’s is the standard entry credential and the one most job postings name. It covers fundamentals, the engineering core, and a team project. A master’s in software engineering assumes those fundamentals and goes deeper on architecture, distributed systems, security, and process. It is most useful for career changers, for specialization, and where advancement is tied to the degree. Software developers had a median annual wage of $135,980 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS), and that figure covers workers at both degree levels.
Compare degree options:
Data verified: September 5, 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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