Software Engineering Degrees in Colorado

Colorado has earned a sterling reputation as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, offering mountain beauty and world-class locales for hiking and winter sports. The state also boasts one of the most exciting technology hubs in the nation, providing countless job opportunities at both new startups and established firms.

For software engineers who want to make their mark in a growing market, Colorado is quickly emerging as the place to go.

Software Engineering Landscape in Colorado

Colorado is one of the fastest growing tech states in the country, rivaling coastal states like New York and California for job opportunities, and technology and innovation support. CompTIA ranked three Colorado cities among the top 15 tech towns nationwide, evaluating categories such as job outlook, average pay, and company environment.

Denver came in #10 for Tech Towns, while nearby Boulder and Colorado Springs ranked #12 and #15, respectively. Perhaps even more impressive, Startup Genome ranked Denver a top-25 technology hub in the world, including high scores in overall economic value and startup success.

Technology is ever-growing in Colorado overall, with opportunities for new graduates as well as mid-level professionals. In January 2021 alone, Colorado received over $600M in new funding for technology companies and startups—and the future is only getting brighter.

Colorado has the 4th-highest concentration of software developer jobs in the nation, with Boulder ranking #3 nationally among metropolitan areas, trailing only Silicon Valley and Seattle. Earning an average annual salary of $120K, software engineers will find that Colorado is filled with high-paying, rewarding career opportunities.

Software Engineering Education in Colorado

Colorado is home to some of the best tech universities in the western United States, with students earning undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional certifications.

Undergraduate Programs

University of Northern Colorado offers a BS in Software Engineering that allows students to gain hands-on experience while working with award-winning faculty. The school values research and real-world application, performed in the Applied Networking Lab, a state-of-the-art facility developed through partnerships with corporations including Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM.

At Red Rocks Community College students can earn a Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Secure Software Development, an innovative program combining the best practices from software engineering and cybersecurity. With training in two of the fastest-growing career fields, graduates from RRCC are in high demand after earning their degree.

Colorado State University offers a comprehensive BS in Computer Science that allows students to specialize in one of several concentrations. Along with core computer science coursework, students can choose to focus their upper-division studies in the fields of software engineering, human-centered computing, or artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Graduate Programs

At University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, students can earn a Master of Engineering with a Focus in Software Engineering, a two-year program that combines rigorous academic coursework with innovative hands-on experience. UCCS has created a graduate track geared toward continuing students as well as working professionals, resulting in a unique learning environment where new ideas and technologies can be shared and explored.

Colorado Technical University offers an online MS in Software Engineering that is among the best in the country. Within the program, students have the opportunity to “explore operating systems, networking, system architecture, and the software system engineering process.” For the 8th consecutive year, US News & World Report has named Colorado Tech one of the Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology Programs.

Certificate Programs

University of Denver’s Certificate in Software Design and Programming prepares students to “generate program code, create database queries and compare integrated development environments.” The certificate can be earned as a stand-alone program or connected to University of Denver’s MS in Software Design and Programming.

At Regis University, the Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering is designed to give working professionals the needed edge to advance their careers. The one-year program enables students to learn within the proprietary Regis Cloud Network, where students “gain new skills in software architecture, design, implementation, testing and security.”

Software Engineering Jobs in Colorado

Some of the most groundbreaking and exciting tech companies are located in Colorado, offering unique opportunities for software engineers to work on cutting-edge technology that will impact the future of business, consumers, and the world.

Vorto is on a mission to rebuild the supply chain with “transformational automation that dramatically increases utilization and revenue—for buyers, suppliers and logistics providers.” Its software solutions save clients’ companies over $480M every year. Vorto is currently hiring software engineers to join its Denver headquarters, with some positions available remotely.

For software engineers who want to impact the future of work, Handshake offers exciting opportunities at a fast-growing company. Handshake connects college students and early-career job seekers with major corporations, streamlining the hiring process and helping millions of college students gain employment after graduation. They are currently hiring software engineers to join their growing team.

Sierra Space offers an opportunity to work on truly out-of-this world projects. They are dedicated to building platforms in space to benefit life on Earth. They are also the creators of Dream Chaser, the world’s only winged commercial spaceplane. Sierra Space offers multiple positions for software engineers, allowing talented professionals to put their skills to use on extraordinary innovation.

With excellent universities and a wealth of exciting career options, Colorado is a premier state for software engineers.