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Software specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a software specialist. Software specialists usually study computer science, business, or electrical engineering. 67% of software specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,822 real software specialist resumes to see exactly what software specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for software specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online software specialist courses to help get the education required to be a software specialist.
What education do you need to become a software specialist?
What degree do you need to be a software specialist?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a software specialist?
- Computer Science, 22%
- Business, 15%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for software specialists
| Software specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.33% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.59% |
| Northeastern University | 6.16% |
| Temple University | 5.48% |
| Ohio State University | 5.48% |
Best majors for software specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 21.8% |
| 2 | Business | 15.0% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 9.5% |
| 4 | Computer Information Systems | 6.7% |
| 5 | Computer Engineering | 6.3% |
Best colleges for software specialists
The best colleges for software specialists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A software specialist 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 specialists. 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 specialists.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,530
Enrollment
4,571
20 best online courses for software specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
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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. Introduction to Software, Programming, and Databases
Take the next step in your IT professional journey with this self-paced, beginner friendly course! This course covers the basics of software, cloud computing, web browsers, application development concepts, programming languages, and database fundamentals. You will first be introduced to computing platforms and software applications. You’ll learn about the software lifecycle, software compatibility across different platforms, and software versioning. You'll also learn about installing and...
6. Software architecture
Architecture is an important engineering step in the design and creation of software...
7. Software Architecture Case Studies
Become an even better Software Architect by learning from real-world architecture case studies...
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. Software Development: Better Requirements Gathering Skills
Boost Your Software Requirements Gathering Skills Today! Learn The Techniques That Work!...
13. Software Engineering 101: Plan and Execute Better Software.
Software Engineering 101: Use Software Engineering to Plan and Build Amazing Software + Learn SCRUM Framework!...
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. Improving software development productivity
Improving software development productivity. Practical techniques...
19. Agile Software Testing
Agile Software Testing: Methodologies and Testing Approaches, Techniques and Tools...
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 specialists
The most affordable schools for software specialists are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for software specialists 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 specialists.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for software specialists
The hardest universities for software specialists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for software specialists 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 specialists 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
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,415
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for software specialists
The easiest schools for software specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a software specialist 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 specialists.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
9. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
10. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
Average software specialist salary by education level
| Software specialist education level | Software specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $90,081 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,254 |
| Doctorate Degree | $98,049 |
Software specialist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025