Can you get an associate's in software engineering?

Yes, you can get an associate's in software engineering. In fact, earning an associate's degree in software engineering is a great way to learn the foundation needed to land an entry-level position or internship.

How much do associate software engineers make?

Associate software engineers make $81,000 a year, on average ($38.97 an hour). The range in pay for an associate software engineer is between $63,000 to $125,000 a year. Factors such as location and company type impact the earning potential of an associate software engineer.

What is an associate software engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Frank McCown Ph.D.,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

An associate software engineer assists in the development of software applications. They work under the supervision of senior engineers to code, debug, and test software. They may participate in design and architecture meetings and troubleshooting processes. Associate software engineers work with a variety of programming languages and tools. They typically hold a degree in computer science and have prior experience in software development. Overall, they support the development process and creation of software products.

What general advice would you give to an associate software engineer?

Frank McCown Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.

ScoreAssociate Software EngineerUS Average

Salary

6.2

Avg. Salary $78,981

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 39.60%

Black or African American 4.04%

Hispanic or Latino 7.73%

Unknown 4.68%

White 43.79%

Gender

female 32.75%

male 67.25%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an associate software engineer?

Pros

Competitive salary and benefits
Possibility of working on interesting and challenging projects
Flexibility in work schedule and location
Potential for remote work arrangements
High demand for software engineers, providing job security

Cons

Long hours and tight deadlines
Frequent changes in project requirements
Lack of work-life balance during peak seasons or crunch times
Possibility of being stuck with monotonous or tedious tasks
High competition for job openings, leading to potential difficulty in finding employment

Key steps to become an associate software engineer

Explore associate software engineer education requirements

Most common associate software engineer degrees

Bachelor's

79.8 %

Master's

15.4 %

Associate

2.7 %

Start to develop specific associate software engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	15.30%
Python	8.74%
C++	7.56%
GIT	4.94%
Object Oriented Programming	4.55%

Complete relevant associate software engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New associate software engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an associate software engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real associate software engineer resumes.

Research associate software engineer duties and responsibilities

Contribute to implementing microservices used to manage entities and maintain a synchronize state between supplier and distributor.
Grade homework papers and programs develop on HTML, JavaScript, JSP and XML.
Create web pages to store the Wiki information about the team using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Utilize programming skills in PHP, HTML, MySQL and JavaScript.

Prepare your associate software engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your associate software engineer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an associate software engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable associate software engineer resume templates

Build a professional associate software engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your associate software engineer resume.

Apply for associate software engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an associate software engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average associate software engineer salary

The average associate software engineer salary in the United States is $78,981 per year or $38 per hour. Associate software engineer salaries range between $60,000 and $102,000 per year.

Average associate software engineer salary

$78,981 Yearly

$37.97 hourly

How do associate software engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Associate software engineer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023

Pros

Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set

Cons

Still have to deal with people :)

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

I enjoyed working on creative problems that dealt with the user interface

Cons

I didn't like how technical it could become

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Pros

Designing a new system or making changes to an old one.

Cons

Compensation. Pay and Benefits do not match the time spent on a project. Alabama is the Worst state to live in for SOFTWARE ENGINEER Salaries. 40 to 50 percent less than our peer States.

What is an associate software engineer and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an associate software engineer?

What are the pros and cons of being an associate software engineer?

Associate software engineer career paths

Key steps to become an associate software engineer

Explore associate software engineer education requirements

Most common associate software engineer degrees

Start to develop specific associate software engineer skills

Complete relevant associate software engineer training and internships

Research associate software engineer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your associate software engineer resume

Choose from 10+ customizable associate software engineer resume templates

Apply for associate software engineer jobs

How did you land your first associate software engineer job

Average associate software engineer salary

How do associate software engineers rate their job?

Associate software engineer reviews

Associate software engineer FAQs

Can you get an associate's in software engineering?

How much do associate software engineers make?

Search for associate software engineer jobs

Associate software engineer jobs by state