Software Engineer
| Kathleen Swed Modified on June 27, 2022

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Those interested in pursuing software engineer careers can expect growing job opportunities. Software engineers design software programs and often participate in the details of their development. In a world that places increasing importance on applications and web development, employment options for software engineers remain robust in a variety of industries. For aspiring software engineers, that can mean diverse career opportunities.
This page provides an overview of software engineering, including detailed information on expected skills, career paths including job opportunities by educational level, potential work environments, occupational and salary data, and professional organizations for software engineers.
What Does a Software Engineer Do?
Computer software engineers apply engineering principles and systematic methods to develop programs and operating data for computers. If you have ever asked yourself, "What does a software engineer do?" note that daily tasks vary widely. Professionals confer with system programmers, analysts, and other engineers to extract pertinent information for designing systems, projecting capabilities, and determining performance interfaces. Computer software engineers also analyze user needs, provide consultation services to discuss design elements, and coordinate software installation. Designing software systems requires professionals to consider mathematical models and scientific analysis to project outcomes.
The demand for high-performing computer software engineers continues to grow. According to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for software developers should increase by 22% between 2019 and 2029, much faster than the national average. Computer software engineers can find employment in almost any industry. In fact, over 530,000 new computer and information technology jobs are projected to be added to the workforce, according to the BLS.
Key Hard Skills
Hard skills refers to practical, teachable competencies that an employee must develop to qualify for a particular position. Examples of hard skills for software engineers include learning to code with programming languages such as Java, SQL, and Python.
- Java: This programming language produces software on multiple platforms without the need for recompilation. The code runs on nearly all operating systems including Mac OS or Windows. Java uses syntax from C and C++ programming. Browser-operated programs facilitate GUI and object interaction from users.
- JavaScript: This scripting programming language allows users to perform complex tasks and is incorporated in most webpages. This language allows users to update content, animate images, operate multimedia, and store variables. JavaScript represents one of the web's three major technologies.
- SQL: Also known as Structured Query Language, SQL queries, updates, modifies, deletes, and inserts data. To achieve this, SQL uses a set number of commands. This computer language is standard for the manipulation of data and relational database management. Professionals use SQL to manage structured data where relationships between variables and entities exist.
- C++: Regarded as an object-oriented, general purpose programming language, C++ uses both low and high-level language. Given that virtually all computers contain C++, computer software engineers must understand this language. C++ encompasses most C programs without switching the source code line. C++ primarily manipulates text, numbers, and other computer-capable tasks.
- C#: Initially developed for Microsoft, this highly expressive program language is more simple in comparison to other languages, yet it includes components of C++ and Java. Generic types and methods provide additional safety and increased performance. C# also allows professionals to define iteration behavior, while supporting encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance.
- Python: This high-level programing language contains dynamic semantics, structures, typing, and binding that connect existing components; however, the Python syntax is easy to learn with no compilation stage involved, reducing program maintenance and enhancing productivity. Python also supports module and package use, which allows engineers to use the language for varying projects.
Programming languages comprise a software engineer's bread and butter, with nearly as many options to explore as there are job possibilities. Examples include Ruby, an object-oriented language that works in blocks; Rust, which integrates with other languages for application development; PHP, a web development script that integrates with HTML; and Swift, which can program apps for all Apple products.
Key Soft Skills
While hard skills like knowledge of programming languages are essential, software engineers must also consider which soft skills they may need to qualify for the position they seek. Soft skills include individual preferences and personality traits that demonstrate how an employee performs their duties and fits into a team.
- Communication: Whether reporting progress to a supervisor, explaining a product to a client, or coordinating with team members to work on the same product, software engineers must be adept at communicating via email, phone, and in-person meetings.
- Multitasking: Software development can require engineers to split attention across different modules of the same project, or switch easily between projects when working on a deadline or meeting team needs.
- Organization: To handle multiple projects through their various stages and keep track of details, software engineers must demonstrate a certain level of organization. Busy supervisors oversee entire teams and need to access information efficiently at a client's request.
- Attention to Detail: Concentration plays a critical role for software engineers. They must troubleshoot coding issues and bugs as they arise, and keep track of a host of complex details surrounding multiple ongoing projects.
Daily Tasks
Depending on the particular position, the daily responsibilities of a software engineer can vary. Software engineers may confer with clients or executives to begin the development of a project, designing programs to meet those expectations. They assemble charts and diagrams for visual representation of the software, writing code themselves in addition to supervising a team of programmers. They also run tests and fix issues that may occur with the programs they have designed.
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FAQs About Software Engineers
Can anyone be a software engineer?
Software engineers typically hold a bachelor's degree or higher in computer engineering, software engineering, or computer science. Some employers require work experience.Is it hard to become a software engineer?
The BLS projects that the need for software developers will increase by 21% from 2018-2028, far faster than the national average for all occupations. Software engineers and software developers can look forward to plentiful opportunities.How long does it take to become a software engineer?
Most software engineers hold a bachelor's degree, which can take four years to obtain. Employers may seek software engineers with some experience as developers, or in other coding capacities.What's the difference between a software engineer and software developer?
While the positions share similarities and often work in tandem, software engineers analyze and design full software systems, while software developers lead and carry out the creation of the software itself. Engineers, however, often participate in software development.What do entry-level software engineers do?
Entry-level software engineers may take on a variety of roles. Working with a team, they may focus on the back end of a piece of software and build the specific flow of code, or on the front end to ensure that the user interface stays consistent. They may also focus on quality assurance testing.Software Engineer Salary Information
Salaries for software engineers can vary based on the industry, location, and the employee's years of experience. PayScale reports an average salary of $86,440 for software engineers. With significant experience, salaries can grow rapidly, with the average rising to $94,000 for those with 5-9 years of experience.
While the BLS does not distinguish between software engineers and developers, reports for these occupations highlight particularly lucrative industries and states in the field. Software developers earn an average annual wage of $111,620.
Silicon Valley's home state of California ranked highest in the nation for software developer salaries, with an average annual wage of $134,370 as of May 2019. Washington is next on the list, with an average annual salary of $131,870. New York ranks third, followed closely by Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
Average Salary of Software Engineers by Job Level
Entry Level (0-12 Months) | $75,910 |
Early Career (1-4 Years) | $83,440 |
Midcareer (5-9 Years) | $94,240 |
Experienced (10-19 Years) | $104,300 |
How to Become a Software Engineer
Whether you're earning a degree or taking a coding bootcamp, everyone's journey is a little different. Here are some common steps that everyone can and should take to become a software engineer.
Earn Your Degree
Typically, employers seek software engineers who hold a bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer engineering, or computer science. Employers look for software engineers with practical knowledge, and may also seek some work experience and demonstrated coding knowledge.
Aspiring software engineers take courses such as programming languages, database management, programming concepts, data structures and algorithms, software architecture, and discrete mathematics. Some programs require a final capstone project in software engineering, which may encompass a practical task such as the design of a full program, and which students may complete as part of a group.
An associate degree can introduce students to the fields of computer science and software engineering. Courses may include network concepts and operating systems, computer logic and programming, and web programming. Students can typically complete an associate degree in two years of study.
With an associate degree, students can prepare for several career paths or apply the credits they have earned to a bachelor's degree program.
Careers For Software Engineering Associate Graduates
Careers For Software Engineering Bachelor's Graduates
Careers For Software Engineering Master's Graduates
Careers For Software Engineering Pd.D. Graduates
Gain Experience
Employers consider previous work experience an important factor during the hiring process. Software engineers who can demonstrate practical knowledge may gain a significant advantage in hiring for positions of their choice. Software engineers can seek mentorships through internships, as companies of all sizes seek interns in the field. Students may also elect to use academic work, such as a final project or capstone, to demonstrate experience.
Professional organizations often feature internship opportunities and offer student membership levels. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) offers networking opportunities, training, publications, and scholarships for students and young professionals. Similarly, student members of the Association for Computing Machinery can access volunteer opportunities along with an online learning center, student newsletter, and career news.
Earn Credentials
Software engineers can often boost their resume to the top of the pile by obtaining credentials in cybersecurity, programming, or development. CIW web development professional certification combines user-interface programming with back-end design, giving certificate holders a broad skill set recognized by employers like Cisco, Raytheon, and Hewlett Packard. The credential requires three exams, each of which carries a fee.
As a certified secure software lifecycle professional (CSSLP), software engineers can prove their acumen with best practices in cybersecurity. The certification requires an exam that evaluates eight areas of cybersecurity. Other available certifications include Microsoft programming and platform development.
Types of Careers in Software Engineering
Software engineering graduates can benefit from a wealth of job opportunities. Industry and location factor into salary potential along with experience and education. PayScale reports an average annual salary of $86,440 for software engineers.
By completing a degree, software engineers can enhance their job prospects, widen the field of available positions, and potentially qualify for higher salaries. Those with an associate degree may pursue jobs in web development, while bachelor's level positions include computer and information systems management and computer systems analysis. With a master's degree, software engineers may seek roles as computer and information research scientists, and a doctorate can qualify them to work as professors or lead engineers.
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Where Can I Work as a Software Engineer?
With strong demand across a variety of industries and corporation types, software engineers often enjoy an extensive selection of job choices. Software engineers may find work in large corporations, small startups, or as independent freelancers. While many work in computer systems design and related services, other popular industries include finance, software publishing, and manufacturing.
Locations
Location plays an important part in job availability and earning potential for any career, including software engineering. Known for innovative technological hubs in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, California employs the highest number of software engineers in the country, with the BLS reporting 249,620 working in the state as of May 2019. Texas ranks next with less than half that many, followed by New York and Washington.
Software engineers in California also earned the highest salaries in the country as of May 2019, with an average annual wage of $134,370.
STATES WITH THE HIGHEST EMPLOYMENT LEVEL OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS | NUMBER OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS EMPLOYED |
---|---|
California | 249,620 |
Texas | 109,510 |
New York | 78,890 |
Washington | 77,650 |
Virginia | 73,310 |
TOP-PAYING STATES FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY AS OF MAY 2019 |
---|---|
California | $134,370 |
Washington | $131,870 |
New York | $119,570 |
District of Columbia | $118,580 |
Maryland | $116,080 |
Settings
Software engineers can work in companies of all sizes. Large companies typically employ large teams and offer greater opportunities for collaboration, where software engineers may work on a small component of a big project. They may manage teams of developers. In a smaller setting, the role of a software engineer may blend more fully with that of a developer. Some software engineers may work remotely, with flexible hours and minimal in-person interaction with team members.
INDUSTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS | NUMBER OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS EMPLOYED |
---|---|
Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 472,180 |
Software Publishers | 122,320 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | 69,940 |
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services | 48,050 |
Other Information Services | 40,670 |
TOP-PAYING INDUSTRIES FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS | AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE |
---|---|
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $211,400 |
Support Activities for Water Transportation | $132,870 |
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $131,750 |
Cable and Other Subscription Programming | $130,010 |
Professional Spotlight

Kiersten Nelthorpe
- I can continue to gain more technical knowledge and experience and become a software architect or specialize in a discipline like machine learning, big data, or cyber security (among many others).
- Some software engineers decide to move into management and lead engineering teams, departments, or even become CTOs.
Continuing Education for Software Engineers
States do not require software engineers to hold certifications or complete continuing education hours. However, obtaining additional credentials and pursuing continuing education can enhance career advancement opportunities. In a rapidly evolving field, continuing education ensures that software engineers remain up to date on cutting-edge advances. Candidates can pursue continuing education through organizations such as Devslopes, Coursera, and Udemy, described in the table below.
Software engineers can find a wealth of information through resources like Core Intuition Podcasts, a software development series; TechBeacon, a website full of information for software engineers; and the Yalantis blog, featuring industry-related articles on technology, marketing, and design. Software engineers may also want to practice their skills with game-based practice resources like codewars.
An online event for tech professionals, hack.summit( ) is a free blockchain conference that encourages networking and mentorship. Pluralsight also offers an annual live conference, in addition to a full catalog of online courses for software engineers. Another popular course platform, Construx, offers courses for teams or individuals both online and in person, along with other resources such as coaching, organizational assessments, and a podcast.
Continuing Education Resources

Devslopes
Devslopes subscribers can access more than 500 hours of content covering application development for various platforms, web development, and back-end coding.

Udemy
With courses across many disciplines, Udemy offers software development programs to prepare software engineers for certifications like Amazon Web Services and cybersecurity. Udemy also offers courses in Linux, ethical network hacking, and data structures and algorithms.

Udacity
Udacity students benefit from one-on-one career advice and mentorship as they complete courses in programming and development. Available courses include front end, back end, Java, cloud, C++, blockchain, and iOS. Other available subjects of interest to software professionals include artificial intelligence, business, and data science.

Coursera
Partnering with renowned universities and companies around the world, Coursera offers online courses and full degrees in computer science. Examples include Java programming and software engineering fundamentals offered by Duke University, and Python data structures offered by the University of Michigan.

IEEE e-learning Library
Offering education across disciplines that include aerospace, bioengineering, and robotics, the IEEE e-learning library features courses for software engineers. Examples include software construction, software quality, and enterprise blockchain for grid modernization.
How Do I Find a Job in Software Engineering?
Graduates can take advantage of many resources to help them find a job in software engineering. Many new software engineers get their start by working with professors, internship supervisors, and other mentors. Students should also take advantage of any career services their college or university may offer.
Online programs sometimes provide career assistance. Students who take courses through Udacity work with a career coach. Graduates can also search for job opportunities through websites like WPhired, which lists WordPress jobs around the world; Toptal, where freelance software engineers and developers can seek employment; and Stack Overflow, where programmers can network and look for jobs.
Through conferences, job boards, and member forums, professional organizations also provide access to job opportunities.
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Professional Resources for Software Engineers
In a field that changes quickly, software engineers can benefit immensely from participation in professional organizations. Most organizations offer multiple ways for members to stay up to date on current trends and changes in the field through newsletters, publications, and events.
Professional organizations also provide career advancement assistance, including job boards and mentorship programs. One of the best ways to network with colleagues in the field, professional organizations offer a host of helpful online forums, local meetings, and annual conferences.
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