Education and Training

In order to obtain a software engineering degree, you need to have a strong interest in understanding a variety of computer systems and other technologies. The majority of the coursework you will need to complete in order to obtain your software engineering degree will revolve around computers, programming, and mathematics.

Employment Opportunities

With a software engineering degree, you can enter a number of different technological fields. The two most common career paths for those with a software engineering degree, however, are computer software applications engineers and computer systems software engineers.

In both positions, you will be responsible for designing, constructing, testing, and maintaining either applications software or systems. As a software engineer, you will need to analyze the needs of the user in order to create the necessary software. This may include software necessary for network distribution, operating systems, or compilers. As such, you will need to able to perform programming and to solve technical problems that may develop.

When working specifically as a computer applications software engineer, you will need to be knowledgeable in a number of different programming languages in order to develop systems software, to create customized applications, and to develop packaged systems. As a computer systems software engineer, on the other hand, you will focus more on coordinating and constructing the computer systems and planning for future growth.

Job Outlook and Salary

According to the United States Department of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for individuals with a software engineering degree are expected to grow much faster than the average occupation as businesses increasingly rely on technology to set themselves apart from the competition. The Bureau reports that the median annual salary for computer applications software engineers in May 2004 was $74,980. The median annual salary for computer systems software engineers was $79,740.

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