Students can complete a bachelor’s degree in software engineering online in four years. Some online courses can permit acceleration through testing and summer sessions to shorten the time required. Whereas part-time attendance will lengthen the term of study. In four-year on-campus programs, many schools have completion rates at about 60% at the six-year mark, while on average the majority of students do not complete within four years.

The costs of a four-year bachelor’s degree when adding tuition, expenses, and room and board are in the range of $190,000 for private schools, $160,000 for public schools at out-of-state rates, and about $85,000 for public schools at in-state rates. However, this cost can vary wildly by region and population density, so make sure to check the costs associated with any school you are considering

Schools can house the software engineering major in the department of computer science, the department of engineering, or in a grouping like information technology. Students should make sure that the school offers a true software engineering major and not a computer science degree or engineering degree with a concentration in software engineering.

The rate of graduation in four years has changed sharply in recent years; there is a substantial shift towards completion in 150% of the four-year cycle, or about 6 years. Most students graduate at the six-year mark rather than the four-year, “on-time” mark. The impact of this trend is reflected in school ratings as employers tend to look for schools that retain a high percent and graduate a majority of their student body on time in four years.

Four-year public schools:

• Four-years: 35%
• Six-years: 65%

Four-year private schools:

• Four-years: 53%
• Six-years: 68%

The average income of recent graduates is one of the strong factors in college rankings. Rankings are a prominent part of selection and recruitment by many employers. In terms of rankings and job prospects, the rating assigned to a college or university is a factor in graduate success. When selecting a college or university for a software engineering degree, students should consider the ranking.

The ranking may not be as important to student success as other factors like the experience of faculty, library, and research resources, or the educational environment. Student success may depend more on such factors. The income level of recent graduates will not likely predict whether a student will do well in classes or enjoy the time spent in school. To the extent that income and job success matter, then rankings are an important consideration.

Each student must decide the weight to give to rankings and salary considerations. When selecting among school choices that may seem otherwise equal, the ranking can be an excellent deciding factor because it relates to the investment and the return on investment for a college degree.

Accreditation is important when selecting colleges or schools for software engineering. Employers and other educational institutions use accreditation as a level of assurance that the program provides high-quality education. Accreditation is an independent assessment by a professional group appointed by the US Department of Education. The more impressive type of accreditation is regional accreditation. The ideal combination is to attend a school that has regional accreditation for the entire school and program accreditation for the department that teaches the software engineering majors you want. University HQ strongly recommends selecting an accredited school or program.