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Best Online Software Engineering Degrees 2025

By Bailey Fletcher • Experts Panayot Kalinov • Updated 8/12/2025

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  • Affordable
  • Popular
  • Highly Rated
  • Military-friendly

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Our ranking of the best online software engineering degree programs features accredited colleges with the most online students. 

Key Takeaways:

See our full methodology page to learn how we selected each program. We spoke with Panayot Kalinov, a senior software developer, who shares actionable strategies for succeeding in an online software engineering program. Read his advice below our analysis of the list.

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  • Affordable
  • Popular
  • Highly Rated
  • Military-friendly

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List Of Accredited Online Software Engineering Schools

Tuition numbers were manually collected and verified where noted
School Online Enrollment Annual Tuition
Southern New Hampshire University Online 154,212 154,212 $9,900
Western Governors University 135,822 $8,300
Arizona State University, Online 52,896 $24,780
University of Maryland Global Campus 44,794 $14,970
Purdue Global 31,661 $11,130
DeVry University 27,814 $15,420
Saint Leo University Online 10,796 $12,750
Bellevue University 10,478 $13,470
Pennsylvania State University - World Campus 7,807 $15,356
University of Arizona 7,535 $15,750
ECPI University Online 6,854 $18,484
Kennesaw State University 6,837 $4,770
University of Minnesota - Online 2,011 $24,512

The Best Online Software Engineering Degrees: A Closer Look

If you’re looking for the best online software engineering degree, scale matters more than most people realize. In our latest list, all 13 programs rank among the nation’s leaders for online enrollment, with the smallest still serving over 2,000 remote students and the largest topping 150,000. The median online enrollment here is over 10,000 (far above the national average) meaning these programs operate at a high level of quality online infrastructure and large peer support.

Below, we take a closer look at these online software engineering programs and the data that supports their place on our list. In the end, only you can decide which factors matter most for your goals. We see our job as giving you the full picture so you can make an informed choice based on all the facts we have available.

While we don’t focus much on tuition here, we do have a separate guide dedicated to it: the most affordable online software engineering degrees.

Why Large Online Enrollment Matters in Software Engineering

In software engineering — a field built on collaboration, networking, and continual skill updates — being part of a large, engaged online cohort offers clear advantages. Bigger schools often mean more peer-to-peer interaction, a richer exchange of ideas, and broader alumni networks to tap for internships, mentorship, or job leads.

Schools like Southern New Hampshire University Online (154,212 online students) and Western Governors University (135,822) aren’t just large, they’re among the top 1% of U.S. institutions for online participation. In tech, where tools, frameworks, and best practices evolve quickly in a fast-paced environment, having classmates from diverse professional and geographic backgrounds gives you more exposure to current industry trends and use cases. 

At WGU, an anonymous graduate wrote the following of an engineering program they completed online there: 

"... after attending traditional on-campus schools part time studying engineering for over seven years, I found the coursework to be just as challenging as in a traditional setting..." — Anonymous

This combination of scale, diversity, and academic quality means that choosing a top online school for software engineering can connect you to a dynamic, industry-informed community that accelerates both learning and career growth.

Salary Outcomes for Online Software Engineering Grads

While not all schools disclose program-specific earnings, those that do often stand out.

Please keep in mind that these software engineering salary outcomes are only four years after graduation, and to put it into context, professionals in this field make median annual salaries of $131,450 (). 

Arizona State University Online reports median annual earnings of $113,500 for software engineering graduates. The University of Minnesota Online, the smallest online school on our list, reported alumni earnings of $101,456, and Kennesaw State University follows closely at $99,785. 

The only outlier on our list in terms of salary is DeVry University, which reports $61,152, illustrating the range of outcomes depending on program structure, specialization, and institutional focus. 

Unique Software Engineering Degree Features From Our List

Even within this elite group, certain programs offer distinctive advantages, depending on what you're looking for: 

SNHU pairs its scale with an accelerated BS-to-MS pathway and courses in secure coding, reverse engineering, and cloud-based development — culminating in a portfolio tailored for employer needs.

WGU integrates multiple industry certifications (AWS, CompTIA, ITIL) into tuition and allows accelerated completion through competency-based learning.

UMGC emphasizes applied skills through virtual labs, malware analysis, and secure software development.

Penn State World Campus is one of the few fully online, ABET-accredited software engineering degrees — a quality marker that carries weight with employers.

UMN Online offers niche specializations in gaming, simulation, and financial systems, rare in an undergraduate curriculum.

KSU’s Double Owl Pathway enables a fast-track to both a bachelor’s and master’s in related fields, a career acceleration option uncommon in online programs.

ECPI Online offers an accelerated 2.5-year completion option, pre-scheduled courses, and discounted industry certifications (Microsoft, AWS, Python, Security+).

Industry Perspective: Building Systems, Leading Teams, and Maximizing a Software Engineering Degree

Headshot of Panayot Kalinov

Senior Dev

I'm a tech expert and senior software developer. As a former Deputy Head of IT, I have hands-on experience with leading dev teams, handling various organizational IT roles, and innovating cybersecurity tech stacks. I hold a bachelor's degree in computer technology and… I have over 6 years of experience in the industry.

"Online programs have opened doors for a lot of working professionals who couldn’t drop everything to go back to school. That’s a real strength. They let you learn advanced topics like cloud architecture, microservices, or agile workflows while still working full-time. But they’re not perfect. 

One issue I’ve seen is that they don’t always recreate the experience of working closely in a team, where problems unfold in real time and solutions require real collaboration. Programs that offer group projects or capstone experiences help close that gap and give students a better sense of what it’s like to ship software as part of a team.

For anyone considering this degree, I’d say focus just as much on soft skills as you do on technical ones. Knowing design patterns or mastering cloud tools is excellent, but if you can’t explain your solution clearly or work through issues with your team, you’re going to struggle in leadership roles. The best engineers I’ve worked with aren’t just technical experts, they’re also great communicators who can handle feedback and adapt quickly.

ROI is a fair question, especially considering how experience-driven the tech world is. A good way to think about value is by combining the degree with action. 

  • Get involved in open-source projects. 

  • Take on freelance work. 

  • Build something and put it out there. 

That way, you don’t just have a diploma—you have proof that you can apply what you’ve learned. It also helps to look at where past graduates ended up. If they’re working at companies you respect, that’s a good sign.

I’m also a firm believer that certifications add value. If you’re [going on to do] a master’s in software engineering, pairing it with certifications in AWS or Kubernetes makes a lot of sense. Those tools are everywhere, and showing that you’re certified tells employers you can hit the ground running. Scrum certification is another good one if you see yourself leading projects in an agile environment."


EXPERT TIP


"Take it seriously, but don’t treat it as a magic ticket. What you get out of it will depend on what you put into it and how you use it to build real, practical experience along the way."


Online Software Engineering Bachelor's Degrees You May Be Interested In


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FAQs About Online Software Engineering Degrees

What Do Students Learn In An Online Software Engineering Bachelor’s Program?


Many colleges provide fully online software engineering degrees with asynchronous courses that have no live meetings. Distance learners log in to a learning management system to view assignments and readings, submit work, watch recorded lectures, and chat with classmates in discussion forums.

Software engineering bachelor's degree programs seek to prepare students for engineering careers in software and application design and development. Students take classes on web engineering, computer security, human-computer interaction, technical communication, and data structures. Some programs feature courses with occasional synchronous elements, such as live discussions. Internships usually consist of in-person work for an approved employer in the student's area. Many programs require students to complete an internship or senior research project in order to graduate. 

These degrees typically feature 120 credit hours of coursework. Administrators design them to last four years with a full-time schedule but many students take longer to graduate. 

What Courses Are Included In An Online Software Engineering Bachelor’s Program?


Software engineering courses are highly technical and cover programming languages, operating systems, and advanced mathematics. Students learn to apply their mathematical and data science knowledge to software creation. They also practice building security measures into everything they make.

You'll find the following classes in a typical online software engineering bachelor's program:

  • Calculus for Engineers: This course introduces the advanced mathematics that software engineers need in their work. Students practice solving and forming single-variable and more complex differential equations 
  • Data Structures: Professors in this class teach methods for storing, sorting, and searching data. Lessons on each structure usually contain discussion of the security implications of that structure.
  • Object-Oriented Programming: This type of programming is important to software engineers because it describes a way to build software using repeatable blocks of code. Faculty generally introduce classes, objects, and object-oriented programming languages such as C++ and Java.
  • Software Security: Students in this course learn to plan for and review security at every stage of the software development life cycle. They typically learn and practice security architecture, penetration testing, threat modeling, and risk management. 

What Can You Do With A Bachelor’s In Software Engineering?


Most software engineering students choose software engineering careers after college. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) considers software engineers as special types of . These professionals make median annual salaries of $131,450 and enjoy a 17% job growth outlook. As with most jobs, software engineer salaries tend to be highest in areas that are more expensive to live.

However, there are subtle differences between software developers and software engineers. Chiefly, engineers tend to take a higher level view of the software development process than developers and oversee more parts of projects. 

Engineering students don't necessarily need to become software engineers. The skills taught in a software engineering program can translate to a range of technical career paths from web development to network management.

A graduate degree might make you more competitive for higher level engineering and management positions. See our lists of the most affordable online software engineering master's degrees.

Do You Want To Choose Software Engineering or a Related Major?


There are many engineering and technology majors that share some features with software engineering. For example, a counterpart to a software engineering degree is a computer engineering degree that emphasizes the physical hardware of computer systems. You might also consider other online engineering degrees

What Is ABET Accreditation And Why Does It Matter For Software Engineering Degrees?


Individual programs can also undergo an accreditation review by a specialty organization in a specific field. For software engineering, that's the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). 

ABET also has a searchable for your consideration. The board accredits both on-campus and online degrees. You don't necessarily need to attend an ABET-accredited program to become a software engineer. But it might give you an edge in your job hunt.

Do You Need a Degree to Be a Software Engineer?


Most software engineer positions call for a bachelor's degree, but some include a degree as one possible qualification among several. Job posts may mention other qualifications such as a completion certificate from a technical bootcamp or "equivalent experience and skills." This may mean a few professional certifications and the ability to pass a technical assessment during an interview. 

What Is the Best Degree for Software Engineering?


A bachelor's degree in software engineering will probably open the most doors if you want to be a software engineer. The curriculum covers the technical skills and knowledge you'll need but also engineering best practices for processes and project management.

To learn about popular technology majors, see our guides to online computer programming degrees and online cybersecurity degrees. You can also review our lists of the most affordable online computer science degrees and most affordable master's in computer science degrees online

Student Reviews of Online Software Engineering Programs

Carnelle D Wilson, Graduating 2026

Attended: DeVry University

I love the school. The professors are very engaging. Student support is always available and this school offers so many programs thats helps students with any problem that may occur while you're attending school. Im thankful i choose this school and I look forward to the next couple of year of pursuing my education through Devry.

Review Date: 10/3/2024

Attended: DeVry University

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Carnelle D Wilson, Graduated 2026

Kristen Martinez Vanderhill, Graduated 2024

Attended: Purdue Global

Overall my experience has been enjoyable throughout my four years of attending Purdue Global. I enjoy the virtual environment and the classes that are offered. However, I do think the class courses could be improved upon through additional courses. This would greatly help students better prepare for future job opportunities and other classes that incorporate or build upon certain concepts. For example, a dedicated class for students to learn and understand GitHub content would greatly benefit many... Read More

Review Date: 1/9/2024

Attended: Purdue Global

Overall Rating: 4/5

Experience Rating: 4/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Kristen Martinez Vanderhill, Graduated 2024

Shaw Taylor, Graduated 2024

Attended: Evergreen Valley College

Evergreen Valley College is such a wonderful school with all the systems functioning to it top notch. I joined the school when I didn't have much to offer, but through their all-inclusive I managed to learn a lot and have the right tools to use when facing the world and my problems. Students there are very friendly and loving, ready to assist whenever you have an issue. I will highly recommend this school.

Review Date: 8/7/2025

Attended: Evergreen Valley College

Overall Rating: 4/5

Experience Rating: 4/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Shaw Taylor, Graduated 2024

Sparkey, Graduated 2020

Many persons to whom I speak worry about WGU being a grift; however, it is ACTUALLY brick-and-mortar schools that are the grift these days. If you have looked at brick-and-mortar school's tuition rates lately, they are INSANE and out-of-control and that doesn't even include the $3,000 per semester they want to charge you just for the campus meal plan which is just a cafeteria, and 50+% of the time you get a terrible instructor who either doesn't know the subject or doesn't know how to teach students... Read More

Review Date: 6/14/2021

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: No

Sparkey, Graduated 2020

Taylor, Graduated 2020

I've got a year left before I graduate, and as long as you are disciplined and force yourself to learn the concepts you will definitely gain valuable skills. It gets continuously harder as your progress through the core classes into major classes. The first year is kinda easy, but it's gets much tougher and work gets more elaborate and practical. The flexibility is awesome.

Review Date: 9/24/2018

Overall Rating: 4/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Taylor, Graduated 2020

CTU Graduate, Graduated 2016

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

All, thank you for the time in reading my review, i'll be honest with you about achieving my BSIT in Software Engineering. As an active duty military student I enrolled into the CTU online courses. My troubles didn't immediately start until I decided to utilize my G.I BIll benefits. Apparently once they had that information they began charging all of my expenses to my G.I Bill even after i repeatedly told them not to and that I had other means of paying. This continued all the way up until i graduated... Read More

Review Date: 2/8/2017

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

Overall Rating: 2/5

Experience Rating: 1/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: No

Helpful for Career: No

CTU Graduate, Graduated 2016

Jonathan Briones, Graduated 2016

Attended: University of Phoenix

I feel that to many people emphasize on the inability to attain a brick and mortar feel from the university of phoenix. In my opinion learning should be in the hands of the learner and not placed as a burden on the instructor. I had a great experience while attaining my bachelor degree from the University of Phoenix and would recommend attending this college to anyone. Secondly I would like to address the fact that people say this degree will not help you get a job and is worthless. To be honest,... Read More

Review Date: 9/6/2016

Attended: University of Phoenix

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Jonathan Briones, Graduated 2016

not technical, Graduated 2016

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

This school has zero hands on. It is computer science, it should not be that hard to have us actually code some stuff or do SOMETHING technical at all. I am 2 classes from graduation and have $40 in debt and a 3.97 GPA and have learned NOTHING. Every class is theory crafting. They want you to hypothetically design a user interface... why don't we just make a d**** interface? why pretend?

Review Date: 2/6/2016

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

Overall Rating: 2/5

Experience Rating: 1/5

Instruction Rating: 3/5

Would Recommend: No

Helpful for Career: No

not technical, Graduated 2016

David, Graduated 2015

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

Let me begin with a statement. As with all things, you get out what you put in. So for all the individuals reviewing this school stating that they did not know about fees/ finances, or the classes were less than adequate, or even they couldn't get a decent job/ continue their education after this school; you're either extremely stupid or did not do enough research. For starters, all fees (which there is only one I can think of, Graduation fee) are plainly stated on the schools site. There is no hidden... Read More

Review Date: 8/20/2015

Attended: Colorado Technical University - Online

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

David, Graduated 2015

Johnathan Ligon, Graduating 2028

Grand Canyon University Review

Grand Canyon University (GCU) offers an exceptional educational experience that combines a supportive community with rigorous academic standards. The online and in person campus is vibrant and welcoming, fostering a sense of belonging among students. The variety of programs allows for diverse academic pursuits, ensuring that everyone can find their niche.

One of the standout features of GCU is the dedicated faculty. Professors are not only knowledgeable in their fields... Read More

Overall, GCU provides a comprehensive educational environment, where students can thrive academically and personally, thanks to the combination of excellent programs and supportive faculty. Highly recommended for anyone looking to further their education!

Thank you,
Johnathan Ligon

Review Date: 4/2/2025

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Johnathan Ligon, Graduated 2028

Chuck, Graduated 2018

Attended: Herzing University

Great program! The instructors were very knowledgable and really pushed me to the limits of my understanding! I will definitely consider Herzing University when I decide to pursue my Masters degree! I am so glad to be finished with this very difficult course load that will continue to serve me in years to come.

Review Date: 1/19/2019

Attended: Herzing University

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Chuck, Graduated 2018

Anthony Tuccitto, Graduated 2017

I like the hands on approach ECPI University has. The class sizes are small so if you ever have problems the professor are there to help. Also the internship I did while attending ECPI University helped me get a job after I finished my degree.overall I recommend it.

Review Date: 1/31/2017

Overall Rating: 5/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 5/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

Anthony Tuccitto, Graduated 2017

CynicalSoftware, Graduated 2012

Attended: Milwaukee School of Engineering

Extremely tough school, but the experience gained is well worth it. After msoe, everything is easier.

Review Date: 9/1/2015

Attended: Milwaukee School of Engineering

Overall Rating: 4/5

Experience Rating: 5/5

Instruction Rating: 4/5

Would Recommend: Yes

Helpful for Career: Yes

CynicalSoftware, Graduated 2012

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