Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Software engineer-consultant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a software engineer-consultant. Software engineers-consultant usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering. 71% of software engineers-consultant hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,643 real software engineer-consultant resumes to see exactly what software engineer-consultant education sections show.
The most common colleges for software engineers-consultant are the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at Austin.
There are also many online software engineer-consultant courses to help get the education required to be a software engineer-consultant.
There are certain software engineer-consultant certifications that you should consider. These software engineer-consultant certifications include Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
What education do you need to become a software engineer-consultant?
What degree do you need to be a software engineer-consultant?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a software engineer-consultant?
- Computer Science, 39%
- Computer Engineering, 10%
- Business, 5%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for software engineers-consultant
| Software engineer-consultant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Texas at Austin | 7.34% |
| Boston University | 6.42% |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | 5.96% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.50% |
| San Jose State University | 5.50% |
Best majors for software engineers-consultant
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 39.2% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 14.2% |
| 3 | Computer Engineering | 10.0% |
| 4 | Business | 5.0% |
| 5 | Mathematics | 3.8% |
Best colleges for software engineers-consultant
The best colleges for software engineers-consultant are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University.
A software engineer-consultant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for software engineers-consultant. 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 software engineers-consultant.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
8. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for software engineers-consultant
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. Software Engineering
Software development is not just about coding, it also involves the application of scientific knowledge and well-defined engineering techniques to produce maintainable, scalable, cost-effective and on-schedule software products. This specialization covers software engineering methodologies, techniques, and tools for planning, capturing requirements, designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining large-scale software systems. It combines scientific and technological knowledge with many...
6. 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!...
7. 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!...
8. 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...
9. 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...
10. 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...
11. 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...
12. Rest Api's in Asp.Net and C#
Build REST Api's With Asp.Net , Entity Framework and C#...
13. Complete Software Engineering Course with Python
Learn Python 3 with Software Engineering Concepts Learn Python GUI, Object Oriented Programming, Data Visualization.....
14. 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...
15. 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...
16. Data Engineer
Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets...
17. iOS Developer
Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills!...
18. Rest Api's in Asp.Net Core and C# 2023 Edition
Build REST Api's with Asp.Net Core , Entity Framework Core and C#...
19. C# Console and Windows Forms Development w/ Entity Framework
C# .NET Core Console Programming Windows Forms Data-driven development OOP Git Hub SQL Entity Framework...
20. 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...
Top 10 most affordable universities for software engineers-consultant
The most affordable schools for software engineers-consultant are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for software engineers-consultant 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 software engineers-consultant.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
8. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for software engineers-consultant
The hardest universities for software engineers-consultant to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for software engineers-consultant 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 software engineers-consultant 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for software engineers-consultant
The easiest schools for software engineers-consultant to get into are Linfield College, san francisco state university, and saint mary's university of minnesota.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a software engineer-consultant 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 software engineers-consultant.
1. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
2. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
3. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
6. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
10. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
Average software engineer-consultant salary by education level
| Software engineer-consultant education level | Software engineer-consultant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $121,431 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $111,825 |
| Doctorate Degree | $131,129 |
Software engineer-consultant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for software engineer-consultant jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025