Programmer education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a programmer?

You need a bachelor's degree to be a programmer. While some employers will hire a programmer with only an associate's degree, most have a bachelor's degree in either information technology, computer science, or computer engineering. Some programmers have a master's degree. Along with obtaining a formal degree, some programmers choose to also complete various certifications. Most of the added certifications are in coding. You can also get certificates that focus on specific specialized programming languages. There are a handful of programmers that have no degree at all. With the right discipline, it is possible to be self-taught in programming. While some employers prefer a programmer with formal training, some employers are more concerned with your skill level rather than the degree you hold.

Q: Why should I learn Python?

You should learn Python because it is a very popular programming language that is widely used in a variety of business sectors, including programming, web development, and machine learning.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a programmer. Programmers usually study computer science, business, or computer information systems. 67% of programmers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 33,366 real programmer resumes to see exactly what programmer education sections show.

The most common colleges for programmers are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.

There are also many online programmer courses to help get the education required to be a programmer.

There are certain programmer certifications that you should consider. These programmer certifications include Programming in C# Certification and Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC).

What education do you need to become a programmer?

What degree do you need to be a programmer?

The most common degree for programmers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of programmers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Associate, 13%

Master's, 13%

Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a programmer?

You should major in computer science to become a programmer. 36% of programmers major in computer science. Other common majors for a programmer include business and computer information systems.

Computer Science, 36%

Business, 8%

Computer Information Systems, 7%

Electrical Engineering, 7%

Other Majors, 42%

Most common colleges for programmers

Programmers often get their degrees at DeVry University, University of Maryland - College Park, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for programmers in the US based on their resumes.

Programmer common college	Percentages
DeVry University	8.04%
University of Maryland - College Park	7.73%
Pennsylvania State University	6.68%
University of California - Davis	6.18%
New York University	5.75%

Show more common programmer colleges

Best majors for programmers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	35.6%
2	Business	8.4%
3	Computer Information Systems	6.9%
4	Electrical Engineering	6.9%
5	Computer Engineering	6.4%

Show more common programmer majors

Best colleges for programmers

The best colleges for programmers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A programmer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for programmers. 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 programmers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

In-state tuition

$55,453

Enrollment

4,312

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

20 best online courses for programmers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for programmers

The most affordable schools for programmers are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for programmers 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 programmers.

1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

7. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Cost of attendance

13,564

10. Trident University International

Cypress, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,240

Cost of attendance

17,912

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for programmers

The hardest universities for programmers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for programmers 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 programmers 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Amherst College

Amherst, MA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,449

5. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

6. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

7. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

8. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for programmers

The easiest schools for programmers to get into are Nyack College, saint martin's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a programmer 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 programmers.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Saint Xavier University

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

74%

SAT average

1,061

9. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

10. Longwood University

Farmville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,065

Average programmer salary by education level

According to our data, programmers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $80,214 annually. Programmers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $78,334.

Programmer education level	Programmer salary
Master's Degree	$78,334
Bachelor's Degree	$75,348
Doctorate Degree	$80,214
Some College/ Associate Degree	$66,851

Programmer education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a programmer?

Why should I learn Python?

What is the best college for Programmers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for programmer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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