Software Engineering Degrees Near Atlanta for 2027
The Atlanta area has 3 programs titled software engineering at 2 schools, 1 accredited by ABET, and 8 computer science programs. This guide covers each one, what it costs, and what software developers earn in the metro area. Fewer than 5 programs titled software engineering sit inside Atlanta’s city limits, so this guide covers the whole Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area.
Kevin ToFounder & Editor·B.S. in Computer Science, Temple University·Updated
Software engineering programs
3
titled software engineering
ABET-accredited
1
ABET’s list, 2026-09-30
Computer science programs
8
IPEDS 2024
Median pay, software developers
$132,960
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Key takeaways
01The Atlanta area has 3 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 1 master’s, at 2 schools, plus 8 computer science programs. 1 of the software engineering programs is on ABET’s accredited list. Kennesaw State ranks first among the area’s bachelor’s programs, with a score of 72.5 out of 100, #13 nationally. Each program below is checked against the school’s own page.
02Software developers in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area earned a median of $132,960 in May 2025, against $131,010 across Georgia and $135,980 nationally. The metro area employed 36,300 of them. Nationally, BLS projects the occupation to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
03Prices near Atlanta were 0.1% above the national average in 2024, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s measure, and housing stood at 111 against a national 100. At national prices, the metro area’s developer median goes as far as about $132,830. BEA’s 2024 figures are its latest, a year behind the pay data.
04This page covers the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area only. The Georgia guide covers all 4 programs titled software engineering across the state, 2 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, with the same comparisons of cost and pay, so a program elsewhere in the state can be weighed against one here.
05If nothing near Atlanta fits, the degree can be taken online. The highest-scoring online programs in our rankings are Kennesaw State’s bachelor’s, at 72.5 out of 100, and Kennesaw State’s master’s, at 67.6. Check with each school that it enrolls students living where you do before you apply.
This guide
Studying software engineering here
A degree titled software engineering puts design, testing and the management of large software projects at the center, where computer science centers on computation itself. Atlanta offers both, and many software engineers hold either one.
What this page covers
Software engineering programs: the 3 bachelor’s and master’s degrees near Atlanta titled software engineering, each checked against the school’s own page.
Computer science programs: the area’s 8 bachelor’s and master’s programs in computer science, from federal data.
Online programs: software engineering degrees from our rankings that can be completed online.
Not included: associate degrees, certificates, bootcamps, doctoral programs and degrees in related fields such as information technology.
Methodology
How we ranked these programs
Programs near Atlanta are ranked against each other at the same degree level, highest score first. The score is out of 100 and comes from our national rankings, so a program carries the same score on every page of this site. It isn’t curved for Atlanta: each factor is measured against fixed national standards, which is why even the strongest program here can sit well below 100.
The bachelor’s score
Morehouse College: #72 of 75 nationally
Morehouse College has the top bachelor’s score inside Atlanta’s city limits, 23.8 out of 100
Across the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, GA scores higher, 72.5. Across the country the median bachelor’s score is 56.7 and the highest is 87.0. Morehouse College’s biggest gap is cost, where it earns 0 of 25 points. Every scored program is in Best Bachelor’s in Software Engineering.
Scored factors
100 pts total
Cost25 pts
The school’s average net price after grants (IPEDS), in fixed dollar tiers.
Under $12,00025 pts
$12,000 to $15,99920 pts
$16,000 to $19,99915 pts
$20,000 to $24,99910 pts
$25,000 to $31,9995 pts
$32,000 or more0 pts
Completion35 pts
The school’s eight-year completion rate for all entering students (IPEDS Outcome Measures), as a share of the points.
ABET accreditation25 pts
Full points if the program is on ABET’s own accredited list, none if not.
Program size15 pts
Graduates a year, on a log scale that reaches full points at 100.
The master’s score
Kennesaw State: #11 of 44 nationally
No software engineering master’s is inside Atlanta’s city limits
The highest score in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area is Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, GA, 67.6 out of 100. Across the country the median master’s score is 52.0 and the highest is 86.9. Kennesaw State’s biggest gap is cost, where it earns 24 of 40 points. Every scored program is in Software Engineering Master’s Programs.
Scored factors
100 pts total
Cost40 pts
The school’s graduate tuition (IPEDS), in fixed dollar tiers.
Under $10,00040 pts
$10,000 to $14,99932 pts
$15,000 to $19,99924 pts
$20,000 to $29,99916 pts
$30,000 to $39,9998 pts
$40,000 or more0 pts
Program size30 pts
Graduates a year, on a log scale that reaches full points at 500.
Research activity15 pts
The school’s Carnegie research class, from IPEDS.
R115
R29
Doctoral/professional3
Other0
ABET-accredited department15 pts
Full points if the school’s software engineering or computer science bachelor’s is on ABET’s list.
Each program is ranked against the others near Atlanta at the same degree level, by the score our national rankings use. Tuition is IPEDS 2023–24; grad rate is the school’s. Full details for a ranked program are on its ranking page.
Bachelor’s
Master’s
Top 3 near Atlanta
Not ranked
Bachelor’s in software engineering
2 programs
#1 near Atlanta
72.5of 100
Kennesaw State
Kennesaw, GA · about 21 mi from central Atlanta
BSCampus + online
In-state
$4,450
Out-of-state
$15,704
Completion
52%
✓ ABET-accredited
Online
The only ABET-accredited bachelor’s program near Atlanta
Only undergraduate software engineering degree at a Georgia public university
The BS in software engineering at Kennesaw State is 120 credit hours on the Marietta campus, with classes face to face, online or hybrid and entry in fall, spring or summer. The major requirement is 41 credit hours, and you need a C or better in those courses and in the 18-hour core field of study. Required courses include Database Systems, Data Structures, Operating Systems, Computer Organization and Architecture, Introduction to Software Engineering, Software Systems Requirements, Software Architecture and Design, Software Testing and Quality Assurance, User-Centered Design and Software Project Management.
The sequence ends with SWE 4724, the Software Engineering Capstone Project. Math preparation starts with MATH 1190 and MATH 2202, adds Discrete Structures or Discrete Mathematics and Probability and Data Analysis, and includes 8 more hours of math or science plus two four-hour lab sciences. Admission is open to students who meet the university's general admission standards, and the major has no separate enrollment criteria. Through Double Owl Pathways, students with a 3.25 GPA and 60 hours completed can start the software engineering MS early. ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission accredits the degree.
#2 near Atlanta
23.8of 100
Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA · about 1 mi from central Atlanta
BSCampus
In-state
$27,984
Out-of-state
$27,984
Completion
50%
Required Computer Ethics course and an agile-style senior capstone
Morehouse's BS in software engineering requires 45 hours of major coursework, plus 33 to 48 hours of general education and 25 hours of additional requirements. The major starts with Introduction to Computer Science, Computer Programming I and II with labs, Computer Ethics and Human Values and Computer Organization. It continues with Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, Web Programming, Human Computer Interaction, Database Systems, Organization of Programming Languages and Full Stack Development, then Software Engineering, Advanced Software Engineering and one software engineering elective.
The additional requirements are Comprehensive Biology, Calculus I and II, Introduction to Set Theory, Linear Algebra, Probability and Statistics I and Mechanics. The page says the coursework balances computer science theory against practical software engineering method. Specific training is listed in data structures, discrete structures, object-oriented methodology, programming, software design, maintenance and testing. The program ends with a Senior Capstone Project aimed at imitating an agile experience in a formal work environment. Student outcomes also name ethical awareness and teamwork.
Master’s in software engineering
1 program
#1 near Atlanta
67.6of 100
Kennesaw State
Kennesaw, GA · about 21 mi from central Atlanta
MSCampus + online
Tuition
$5,328
Out-of-state
$19,188
Grads/yr
57
Online
Up to four foundation courses for non-computing bachelor's holders
The MS takes 30 credit hours, which the school puts at one to two years to complete. You attend on campus, hybrid or entirely online, with either a full-time or part-time load, and you can start in fall, spring or summer. To apply, students need a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with at least a 2.75 GPA, transcripts from every institution you attended, a resume or vitae and the $60 non-refundable application fee.
The page also expects fundamental knowledge of the field, which you can show through relevant transcript coursework, foundation courses or foundation modules. If your undergraduate degree is outside computing, you may be assigned up to four foundation courses before the graduate work. The curriculum has you develop web, mobile and cloud products, working through analysis, design, architecture, verification and data management in different application domains. The program is tailored for working professionals, with evening and online classes.
Compare
Programs side by side
Atlanta software engineering programs compared, by level
Tuition: IPEDS 2023–24, at the program’s level (a master’s figure is the school’s graduate average). Grad rate: the school’s six-year rate for bachelor’s students; N/A on master’s rows, because federal data has no graduation rate for master’s programs. Grads/yr: IPEDS, three-year average. ABET: ABET’s list, retrieved 2026-09-30. #: the program’s rank among Atlanta’s ranked programs at its level; NR, not ranked. Score: out of 100, the same score as on the ranking pages.
Nearby
Within driving distance
Programs in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area whose campus is outside Atlanta’s city limits.
City limits: Census TIGER incorporated place boundaries; campus locations: IPEDS 2024. Distances are straight-line miles from the city’s Census internal point, rounded.
Computer science
Computer science programs
5 schools, 8 programs in the table below.
Computer science is the neighboring degree, and many software engineers hold it. These rows come from federal data, not from each school’s page.
Tuition: IPEDS 2023–24, in-state, before fees and aid; undergraduate for a bachelor’s, and for a master’s the school-wide average across graduate students, which excludes program fees. School grad rate: the school’s six-year rate for bachelor’s students (IPEDS); N/A on master’s rows, because federal data has no graduation rate for master’s programs. ABET: on ABET’s computing (CAC) or engineering (EAC) list, retrieved 2026-10-05; a blank cell means not accredited. A school is in the table when it has at least two of a tuition figure, a grad rate or ABET accreditation, and a program page we could link; the rest are listed under it. SE track: named on the school’s own page.
Cost
What it costs
Private
$28,964
median of 3 schools
Prices near Atlanta were 100.1 against a national 100 in 2024, and housing 111, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Regional Price Parities. 2024 is BEA’s latest year, a year behind the May 2025 pay figures on this page.
Tuition: IPEDS 2023–24 undergraduate tuition, one figure per school, for the 5 schools with a bachelor’s program in this guide; a median needs at least 3 schools. Excludes fees, housing and aid. Prices: BEA Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024, all items and housing services.
Job market
The software job market
The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area employed 36,300 software developers in May 2025. Nationally, BLS projects software developer jobs to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, metropolitan areas, May 2025, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA. Metro estimates are published for fewer occupations than state estimates; the occupations BLS doesn’t publish here are left out. Growth: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35, national.
Who hires
Who hires software developers
We don’t list company names: no source counts software hiring by employer the same way in every metro. What the Census Bureau does count is the businesses themselves, by industry, in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area.
Industry
Businesses
Employees
Payroll per employee
Computer systems design and related services
4,900
81,599
$113,900
Software publishers
455
30,653
$169,500
Data processing, hosting and related services
449
21,508
$131,100
Computer and electronic product manufacturing
141
6,776
$97,600
The first three of those industries employ 5.0% of the metro area’s private-sector workers, against 2.6% nationally, 1.9 times the national share.
Of these industries, computer systems design and related services employs the most people in the metro area, 81,599, while software publishers pays the most per employee, $169,500.
Businesses, employees (mid-March) and annual payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, metropolitan areas and United States (cbp23msa, cbp23us), private sector, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area; payroll per employee covers every job in the industry, not only developers.
Pay
What software developers earn
$83,40010th
$104,64025th
$132,960median
$164,20075th
$178,33090th
Software developers, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, BLS OEWS May 2025. National median: $135,980.
The metro area’s median is $132,960, $3,020 below the national $135,980. Half of the metro area’s software developers earn between $104,640 and $164,200.
BEA puts prices in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area at 100.1 against a national 100 (2024), so the median goes as far as $132,830 would nationally, $3,150 less than the national median.
BEA price parities, 2024; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, metropolitan areas, May 2025.
Steps
How to become a software engineer
The path to software engineering near Atlanta is the same one people take everywhere: a degree, real experience before you graduate, and a first job search. What changes is the schools you can choose from and who’s hiring nearby. Here are the five steps, with Atlanta’s options in each.
1
Start with a bachelor’s degree
Most software developer jobs ask for a bachelor's degree, and you don’t need work experience to get your first one. Around Atlanta you’ve got two bachelor’s programs titled software engineering, at Kennesaw State and Morehouse College, plus six computer science bachelor’s programs across the metro if you want a wider net. Before you fall for one, compare what they cost; the tuition figures above make that quick.
2
Pick between software engineering and computer science
Employers hire from both majors. Software engineering leans toward building and maintaining large systems as a team; computer science gives you a broader base in theory. Around Atlanta, that’s three software engineering programs and 12 computer science programs across the metro, so you really can choose. An easy way to decide: put Kennesaw State’s course list next to Clark Atlanta University’s and see which you’d rather spend four years in. Compare them.
3
Build experience before you graduate
Internships are often what turn a degree into a job offer. When you talk to Kennesaw State and Morehouse College, ask how they connect students with internships. Morehouse College includes a capstone or senior project where you build real software with a team. With 4,900 computer systems design firms in the metro, a summer role close to home is realistic.
4
Know where licensing stands
You don’t need a license to work as a software engineer, and there’s no longer a licensing exam for it: the last one was given in April 2019. Accreditation still matters if you might want a license or certification later, since those often ask for an ABET-accredited degree. The closest accredited software engineering program to Atlanta is Kennesaw State’s bachelor’s in Kennesaw, about 21 miles away. Check any program’s accreditation before you apply.
5
Look for your first job nearby
The Atlanta area had 36,300 software developers in May 2025, earning a median of $132,960. The biggest software industries here are computer systems design (81,599 jobs) and software publishing (30,653 jobs), so start your search with those firms. Ask your program which local employers hire its graduates, and go to its career fairs from your first year. Across the country there are about 95,300 openings a year, so you can widen the search if you’re willing to move.
Online options
Online software engineering degrees
If no program near Atlanta fits, these are the highest-scoring online programs in our rankings. Confirm with each school that it enrolls students living near Atlanta.
Tuition: IPEDS 2023–24 out-of-state, the rate an online student from another state usually pays (a master’s figure is the school’s graduate average); a published rate is the school’s own price. National rank and score: our national ranking at the program’s level.
How many software engineering programs are near Atlanta?
3 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 1 master’s, at 2 schools. 1 of them is on ABET’s accredited list.
What is the best software engineering school near Atlanta?
Kennesaw State ranks first of the 2 ranked bachelor’s programs near Atlanta, with a score of 72.5 out of 100 (#13 nationally). The score combines completion, net price, ABET accreditation and program size.
Which software engineering programs near Atlanta are ABET-accredited?
Kennesaw State (bachelor’s), according to ABET’s accredited program list retrieved 2026-09-30.
How much do software engineers make near Atlanta?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that includes software engineers, earned a median of $132,960 near Atlanta in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $83,400 and the 90th $178,330.
Is Atlanta pay worth it after cost of living?
BEA puts Atlanta’s prices at 100.1 against a national 100 in 2024. Divided by that, the developer median of $132,960 is worth about $132,830 at national prices.
Who hires software engineers near Atlanta?
No source counts software hiring by company the same way in every metro, so we don’t name employers. The Census Bureau counted 4,900 computer systems design businesses in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area in 2023, employing 81,599 people. Nationally, the industries that employ the most software developers are computer systems design and related services, software publishers and management of companies and enterprises.
Can Atlanta residents take a software engineering degree online?
Yes. Kennesaw State, Minnesota-Crookston and University of Arizona are among the online software engineering programs in our rankings. Check with each school that it enrolls students living near Atlanta.
2NCES IPEDS institutional charges, 2023–24Tuition at the program’s level, and undergraduate tuition per school for the cost medians. Excludes fees, housing and aid.
3NCES IPEDS graduation ratesThe school’s six-year graduation rate, for the whole school rather than the program; IPEDS DRVGR2023 where the main pull has no figure.
4Each school’s own program pageProgram name, delivery, credits, and every bullet on the program cards, quoted from the saved page. Read .
13NCES IPEDS HD2024: campus coordinatesCampus latitude and longitude, for the distance from Atlanta to the nearest ABET-accredited software engineering program (straight line).
