Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Associate Software Engineer Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an associate software engineer. Associate software engineers usually study computer science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering. 80% of associate software engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,849 real associate software engineer resumes to see exactly what associate software engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for associate software engineers are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.
There are also many online associate software engineer courses to help get the education required to be an associate software engineer.
There are certain associate software engineer certifications that you should consider. These associate software engineer certifications include Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC) and ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL).
What education do you need to become an associate software engineer?
What degree do you need to be an associate software engineer?
- Bachelor's, 80%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 3%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become an associate software engineer?
- Computer Science, 31%
- Computer Engineering, 15%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for associate software engineers
| Associate Software Engineer Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| DeVry University | 9.03% |
| San Jose State University | 8.68% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.94% |
| University of Texas at Austin | 5.90% |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | 5.56% |
Best majors for associate software engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 31.2% |
| 2 | Computer Engineering | 15.4% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 14.9% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 9.4% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering Technology | 4.1% |
Best colleges for associate software engineers
The best colleges for associate software engineers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
An associate software engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for associate software engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become associate software engineers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
8. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
20 best online courses for associate software engineers
Advertising Disclosure
1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...
2. Data Science Immersive (Full-time)
Harness the power of data science to solve the world’s most challenging problems by developing your skills in predictive modeling, pattern recognition, data visualization, wrangling massive data sets, forecasting trends, and informing strategy across diverse industries like public policy, robotics, and FinTech...
3. Programming for Data Science with R
Prepare for a data science career by learning the fundamental data programming tools: R, SQL, command line, and git...
4. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
5. Full Stack Web Development with C# OOP, MS SQL & ASP.NET MVC
Web development with C#, ASP.NET MVC, MS SQL, C# OOP. All gathered for full stack web development in one course!...
6. ASP.NET MVC: Complete Practical Guide (.NET 7) C# Web Dev
The best ASP.NET MVC Course providing practical real world example of creating ASP.NET MVC Website with Entity Framework...
7. Data Science (Part Time)
Create robust predictive models with statistics and Python programming. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex machine learning problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
8. Python Programming (Part Time)
Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
9. Android Kotlin Developer
Master Android app development with Kotlin, a modern programming language that enables developers to be more concise and productive. Build professional apps for the world's most popular mobile platform using Android Studio and Kotlin...
10. Artificial Intelligence for Trading
Complete real-world projects designed by industry experts, covering topics from asset management to trading signal generation. Master AI algorithms for trading, and build your career-ready portfolio...
11. Rest Api's in Asp.Net and C#
Build REST Api's With Asp.Net , Entity Framework and C#...
12. C#.NET Core 7 with MS SQL Complete Beginner to Master 2023
Learn API Development with C# .NET Core 7 and MS SQL Server from Mac, Linux or Windows!...
13. Front-End Web Development (Part Time)
Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
14. JavaScript Development (Part Time)
Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
15. Data Engineer
Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets...
16. iOS Developer
Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills!...
17. Build ASP.NET Core Web API - Scratch To Finish (.NET 7 API)
Use C# and Build an ASP.NET Core Web API with Entity Framework Core, SQL Server, Authentication & Authorization .NET 7...
18. Building an Enterprise Application with ASP.NET Core MVC
Full-Stack MVC Web Application with ASP.NET Core 3.0, ASP.NET Core 2.2 & Entity Framework Core...
19. React Development (Part Time)
Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
20. Intro to Coding
Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for associate software engineers
The most affordable schools for associate software engineers are California State University - Long Beach, california state university - bakersfield, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for associate software engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for associate software engineers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-State Tuition
$4,094
Cost of Attendance
14,302
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,749
Cost of Attendance
14,823
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Cost of Attendance
20,456
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,556
Cost of Attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,886
Cost of Attendance
17,645
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,656
Cost of Attendance
21,623
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate software engineers
The hardest universities for associate software engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for associate software engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for associate software engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions Rate
10%
SAT Average
1,514
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,507
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
6%
SAT Average
1,512
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,506
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
19%
SAT Average
1,466
8. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
5%
SAT Average
1,520
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions Rate
9%
SAT Average
1,516
10. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
29%
SAT Average
1,443
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for associate software engineers
The easiest schools for associate software engineers to get into are Capitol Technology University, oregon institute of technology, and linfield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an associate software engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for associate software engineers.
1. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
69%
SAT Average
1,070
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
96%
SAT Average
1,139
3. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
81%
SAT Average
1,117
4. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,035
5. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions Rate
86%
SAT Average
1,086
6. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
89%
SAT Average
1,035
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
72%
SAT Average
1,054
8. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,111
9. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions Rate
87%
SAT Average
1,093
10. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions Rate
71%
SAT Average
1,035
Average associate software engineer salary by education level
| Associate Software Engineer education level | Associate Software Engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $83,589 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $77,637 |
| Doctorate Degree | $89,549 |
Associate Software Engineer Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for associate software engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025