New York has 6 programs titled software engineering at 5 schools, 3 accredited by ABET, and 68 computer science programs. This guide covers each one, what it costs, and what software developers earn in the state.
Kevin ToFounder & Editor·B.S. in Computer Science, Temple University·Updated
Software engineering programs
6
titled software engineering
ABET-accredited
3
ABET’s list, 2026-09-30
Computer science programs
68
IPEDS 2024
Median pay, software developers
$166,180
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Key takeaways
01New York has 6 degrees titled software engineering, 4 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 5 schools, plus 68 computer science programs. 3 of the software engineering programs are on ABET’s accredited list. State University of New York at Oswego ranks first among the state’s bachelor’s programs, with a score of 67.8 out of 100, #20 nationally. Each program below is checked against the school’s own page.
02At New York’s public schools, the median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $7,070 in state and $16,980 out of state, so residency saves about $9,910 a year at the median. Private schools had a median of $49,060. These IPEDS figures are one per school and leave out fees, housing and financial aid.
03Software developers in New York earned a median of $166,180 in May 2025, against $135,980 nationally, and half earned between $127,160 and $205,540. The state employed 113,510 of them. Nationally, BLS projects the occupation to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
04Prices in New York were 7.9% above the national average in 2024, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s measure, and housing stood at 122.2 against a national 100. At national prices, the state’s developer median goes as far as about $154,010. BEA’s 2024 figures are its latest, a year behind the pay data.
05Neighboring states with programs titled software engineering: Pennsylvania (9), Connecticut (4), New Jersey (4) and Massachusetts (3). Each has its own guide with the same comparisons of programs, cost and pay, so a program across the state line can be weighed against one at home, keeping in mind that a public school charges nonresidents more.
This guide
Studying software engineering in New York
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. New York offers both, and many software engineers hold either one.
What this page covers
Software engineering programs: the 6 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in New York titled software engineering, each checked against the school’s own page.
Computer science programs: the state’s 68 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 in New York 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 New York: 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
State University of New York at Oswego: #20 of 75 nationally
State University of New York at Oswego leads in New York with 67.8 out of 100
Across the country the median bachelor’s score is 56.7 and the highest is 87.0. Its biggest gap is completion, where it earns 23.5 of 35 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
Pace: #28 of 44 nationally
Pace leads in New York with 43.9 out of 100
Across the country the median master’s score is 52.0 and the highest is 86.9. Its biggest gap is cost, where it earns 16 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 in New York 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 in New York
Not ranked
Bachelor’s in software engineering
4 programs
#1 in New York
67.8of 100
State University of New York at Oswego
Oswego, NY
BSCampus
In-state
$7,070
Out-of-state
$16,980
Completion
67%
✓ ABET-accredited
SUNY Oswego's Bachelor of Science in software engineering is, by the program's own description, the first of its kind in SUNY. ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission has accredited the program. The curriculum is systems oriented and project based, and you work closely with faculty on real-world problems. In your final year you spend a full year on a capstone developing software for real clients. Internships and co-ops put you in finance, defense, manufacturing or government settings, and the page describes the co-op as a full-time, paid integrated learning experience.
Classes meet in the Shineman Center, a 230,000 square foot building that cost $118 million and houses the math, science, computing and engineering programs. Outcomes include building expertise in software design, development, testing and maintenance, and working on collaborative projects that mirror professional teams. The page points to careers in web and mobile technologies, app development, software development and quality assurance. The Computer Science Association runs guest speakers, programming contests and company tours. The Oswego Guarantee promises timely course offerings, alumni connections, a small student to faculty ratio and limited room and board increases each year.
#2 in New York
64.9of 100
RIT
Rochester, NY
BSCampus
In-state
$55,784
Out-of-state
$55,784
Completion
71%
✓ ABET-accredited
Co-op required
Largest bachelor’s program in New York by graduates a year
RIT describes its software engineering BS as the first undergraduate software engineering program in the United States, and the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits it. The degree rests on four elements: engineering design, software product development, teamwork and communication. Cooperative education is required, 40 weeks in total, so you graduate with nearly a year of full-time paid work. In the major courses a large share of your grade comes from team projects, and you document your work with requirements, design, project plans, burndown charts and test plans. Your senior project is a two-course design sequence with four or five teammates.
For electives you pick two engineering courses and a three-course application domain sequence, with choices that range from Cryptography and Authentication to Financial Accounting and Entrepreneurship. Facilities include three student instructional studio labs, an embedded systems lab and a collaboration lab. The page says AI is woven throughout the curriculum. First-year applicants need four years of high school math including algebra, geometry, algebra 2/trigonometry and pre-calculus, with calculus preferred, and 2-3 years of science including chemistry or physics. An accelerated bachelor's and master's route is available, and the program is STEM-OPT visa eligible.
#3 in New York
59.9of 100
Clarkson
Potsdam, NY
BSCampus
In-state
$56,642
Out-of-state
$56,642
Completion
77%
✓ ABET-accredited
Highest school graduation rate of New York’s 4 bachelor’s programs
Clarkson's software engineering BS carries ABET accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission. The curriculum draws on computer science and electrical and computer engineering, so you study software and hardware together. Topics include data structures and algorithms, embedded systems, programming fundamentals, programming languages, web and mobile systems, and the full software engineering sequence from requirements to verification and validation. You meet C/C++, Java, Python and JavaScript, among other languages. The core includes Embedded Systems, Introduction to Digital Design, Computer Networks, Computer Architecture, Database Systems and Software System Architecture, and it ends with Software Engineering Senior Design, the capstone design project, where some students do research with professors and graduate students.
You also complete a Professional Experience worth 0 credits. The School of Engineering common first year covers chemistry, introductory computer science, calculus I and II, and physics I and II, and later math includes Calculus III, differential equations and probability. At least 12 credit hours go toward Knowledge Area and University Course electives, and about 6 are free electives. You can pursue an internship or co-op, and student groups include the Software Engineering Club and the Clarkson Open Source Institute. A software engineering minor is also available.
#4 in New York
38.3of 100
Villa Maria College
Buffalo, NY
BSCampus
In-state
$27,530
Out-of-state
$27,530
Completion
43%
Lowest in-state tuition of New York’s 4 bachelor’s programs
Villa Maria College in Buffalo offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Software Development. Comparative Programming Languages is one of the courses in the curriculum. The coursework runs from machine-level programming through mobile apps to high-level systems, so you learn contemporary programming languages across a complete set of environments and platforms.
The projects are realistic: you work individually, in a team setting, and in internships. Classes are small and hands-on, held in studio-based environments, and the college's studios and computer lab are open to students.
Master’s in software engineering
2 programs
#1 in New York
43.9of 100
Pace
New York, NY
MSCampus
Tuition
$28,091
Out-of-state
$28,091
Grads/yr
6.7
Five concentrations, including secure software development
Pace's MS in Software Development and Engineering runs 30 to 36 credits over about 24 months, full-time or part-time, in person or online. Start terms are fall, spring and summer, and the page marks the degree STEM designated. Tuition is listed per credit: $1,730 on campus, or $1,315 online, for totals of $51,900 and $39,450. The core splits into three areas: system and software design, architecture and development; software management and evolution; and management of human resources in a software development environment. After that you pick a concentration from programming languages, tools and methods; Internet software development; human computer interaction; software process management; or secure software development.
Sample courses include Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Application Development and Foundation of Geographic Information Systems. Pace's Seidenberg School is an IEEE Registered Education Provider and can help prepare students for the Associate and Professional Software Developer certifications. It also belongs to the Design Factory Global Network, where students build real products with peers abroad. Applicants submit a personal statement, a resume covering at least five years, and official transcripts, and two recommendation letters are optional.
#2 in New York
37.4of 100
RIT
Rochester, NY
MSCampus
Tuition
$56,884
Out-of-state
$56,884
Grads/yr
15
RIT's Master of Science in software engineering totals 36 semester credit hours and is available on campus only. Study is full time or part time, with fall or spring starts and rolling admission. If you're new to programming, you start with Software Construction. The plan of study then includes Research Methods, Software Architecture, Collaborative Software Development and Foundations of Software Engineering, with electives each term and a two-part master's project. You finish with either a capstone project or a research thesis. The capstone is a team project that simulates real development work, and the thesis is scientific research.
Electives and project topics let you aim at data science, full-stack web development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, or technology and project management, which draws electives from RIT's business analytics and technology innovation management programs. Graduates have come from engineering, science, business and education backgrounds. To apply you need a bachelor's degree from an accredited school, with a GPA of 3.0 recommended, plus a resume, a personal statement and two recommendation letters. The GRE is optional, and international applicants submit English language test scores if required. The program is STEM-OPT visa eligible for full-time study.
Compare
New York software engineering programs side by side
New York 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 New York’s ranked programs at its level; NR, not ranked. Score: out of 100, the same score as on the ranking pages.
Computer science
Computer science programs in New York
47 schools, 67 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 in New York
Public, in-state
$7,070
median of 20 schools
Public, out-of-state
$16,980
median of 20 schools
Private
$49,060
median of 24 schools
Living in New York is worth about $9,910 a year in tuition at the median public school, the gap between the two public medians. Over a four-year degree that is roughly $39,640, before any change in rates.
Prices in New York were 107.9 against a national 100 in 2024, and housing 122.2, 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 44 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 state, 2024, all items and housing services.
Job market
The software job market in New York
New York employed 113,510 software developers in May 2025. Its location quotient for the occupation is 1.08: the jobs are more concentrated in the state than nationally. 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, May 2025, New York. Location quotient: the state’s share of employment in the occupation divided by the national share (1.0 = the national rate). Growth: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35, national.
Metro areas
Among the 50 largest U.S. metros, 1 is in New York. Software developer employment and pay in each:
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, metropolitan areas, May 2025, software developers. Metro areas are federal CBSAs and can cross state lines; only the 50 largest are on file.
Pay
What software developers earn in New York
$97,43010th
$127,16025th
$166,180median
$205,54075th
$224,59090th
Software developers, New York, BLS OEWS May 2025. National median: $135,980.
The state median is $166,180, $30,200 above the national $135,980. Half of the state’s software developers earn between $127,160 and $205,540.
BEA puts prices in New York at 107.9 against a national 100 (2024), so the median goes as far as $154,010 would nationally, $18,030 more than the national median.
BEA price parities, 2024; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Online options
Online software engineering degrees for New York residents
If no program in New York fits, these are the highest-scoring online programs in our rankings. Confirm with each school that it enrolls students living in New York.
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 in New York?
6 degrees titled software engineering, 4 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 5 schools. 3 of them are on ABET’s accredited list.
What is the best software engineering school in New York?
State University of New York at Oswego ranks first of the 4 ranked bachelor’s programs in New York, with a score of 67.8 out of 100 (#20 nationally). The score combines completion, net price, ABET accreditation and program size.
Which software engineering programs in New York are ABET-accredited?
Clarkson (bachelor’s), RIT (bachelor’s) and State University of New York at Oswego (bachelor’s), according to ABET’s accredited program list retrieved 2026-09-30.
How much does a software engineering degree cost in New York?
Across New York’s public schools in this guide, median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $7,070 for residents and $16,980 for nonresidents; at private schools the median was $49,060. These IPEDS figures exclude fees and housing.
How much do software engineers make in New York?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that includes software engineers, earned a median of $166,180 in New York in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $97,430 and the 90th $224,590.
Is New York pay worth it after cost of living?
BEA puts New York’s prices at 107.9 against a national 100 in 2024. Divided by that, the developer median of $166,180 is worth about $154,010 at national prices.
Can New York 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 in New York.
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 .
