Software Engineering Degrees in New York

New York has long been the epicenter of commerce and entertainment, and it is no different for the technology industry. With thousands of software developers and big tech corporations calling New York home, software engineers are in greater demand than perhaps ever before.

Fortunately, New York is also supported by some of the top software engineering programs and universities. With robust educational and career opportunities, New York is a prime location for software engineers looking to make their mark.

Software Engineering Landscape in New York

Throughout the United States, software engineering is an industry in high demand. Graduates from software engineering programs will find a dynamic job outlook and lucrative entry-level salaries at some of the nation’s top tech firms.

However, the metropolitan New York area is growing at a faster rate than even the national average. According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York has the highest number of available software developer positions. It also ranks among the top five highest paying states for software developers, with a mean annual wage of nearly $130K.

It is not surprising that New York ranks so high on national lists, as New York City is home to multiple tech corporations. One of the country’s top app developers, Cubix, is based in New York City, employing hundreds of software engineers in such fields as game development, IoT technology, and augmented reality.

More than 20,000 software firms are based in New York, offering a wide variety of job opportunities for graduating software engineers. As the Empire State Development department proudly states, “New York State is also home to leading software companies, including MongoDB, MediaMath, DataDog, Apprenda, UTC Digital, Infor, Palantir, CA Technologies and IBM.”

For software engineers, the opportunities are nearly endless in New York. And with many impressive tech schools throughout the state, New York is positioned to support this growing industry for many years to come.

Software Engineering Education in New York

For students seeking a bachelor’s or master’s degree in software engineering, New York is home to many of the country’s best schools.

Undergraduate Programs

Rochester Institute of Technology delivers one of the most respected and sought-after undergraduate software engineering programs in the nation. RIT boasts a 96% outcome rate (graduates who enter the workforce, full-time study, or the military upon graduation) as well as an average initial salary of $97K for graduates.

Perhaps most exciting for students is RIT’s accelerated BS/MS track, where students engage in experiential learning that may include cooperative learning, research projects, internships, and competitions.

Many prospective software engineers might pass over a school like Le Moyne College, given its rich heritage in liberal arts. However, the university proves that it is possible to marry the arts and sciences with its innovative Dual Major (BS) in Information Systems and Software Applications & Systems Development.

With locations throughout New York, SUNY colleges and universities offer a tremendous choice for students looking to earn a BS in various computer science concentrations. For those seeking a traditional BS Software Engineering degree, SUNY College at Oswego delivers a rigorous academic track with access to state-of-the-art research laboratories.

Graduate Programs

Marist College offers perhaps the most comprehensive BS program in the state, with specializations ranging from Information Technology and Systems to Games and Emerging Media. However, it is Marist’s five-year BS/MS program that truly stands out. Allowing students to develop a strong foundation in computer science before sharpening their skills in a graduate-level software development program, Marist College prepares graduates for careers in new and emerging fields.

New York is also home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world—members of the Ivy League. At Columbia University, students can pursue a master’s degree in software systems, an academic track that “enables students to understand and master classic and current software systems, and provides the fundamentals for later self-study of future software systems.”

Certificate Programs

Although nearly every tech company requires its software engineers to have a bachelor’s degree, some career professionals choose to further their education while continuing to work. A certificate program is a great way to fulfill those career goals, which can be achieved at perhaps no better place than Pace University.

Pace University offers two advanced certificate programs: the Advanced Certificate in Secure Software and Information Engineering and the Advanced Certificate in Software Development and Engineering. Each program features a five-course, self-paced module, allowing working professionals to learn at their own speed without having to leave the workforce.

Software Engineering Jobs in New York

Students who graduate with a software engineering degree from a New York-based university are well-positioned to enter what promises to be a growing workforce for many years to come. Not only are there career opportunities available at major companies across the country (and even internationally), but New York itself is home to incredible software development firms.
For these reasons, software engineers living in New York will continue to be in high demand, with projected job growth over the next decade. In fact, the growth has been so rapid in New York, and nationwide, that Forbes published a 2021 article counseling business leaders on how to navigate the scarcity of trained software engineers.

For students and working professionals looking to earn high-paying salaries while working in cutting-edge technological fields, software engineering promises to be a career on the rise.