Software Engineering Degrees Near New York City for 2027
The New York City area has 5 programs titled software engineering at 4 schools, 2 accredited by ABET, and 27 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 New York City’s city limits, so this guide covers the whole New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area.
Kevin ToFounder & Editor·B.S. in Computer Science, Temple University·Updated
Software engineering programs
5
titled software engineering
ABET-accredited
2
ABET’s list, 2026-09-30
Computer science programs
27
IPEDS 2024
Median pay, software developers
$166,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Key takeaways
01The New York City area has 5 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 3 master’s, at 4 schools, plus 27 computer science programs. 2 of the software engineering programs are on ABET’s accredited list. Stevens ranks first among the area’s bachelor’s programs, with a score of 66.7 out of 100, #21 nationally. Each program below is checked against the school’s own page.
02At New York City’s public schools, the median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $6,930 in state and $14,880 out of state, so residency saves about $7,950 a year at the median. Private schools had a median of $51,401. These IPEDS figures are one per school and leave out fees, housing and financial aid.
03Software developers in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earned a median of $166,830 in May 2025, against $166,180 across New York and $135,980 nationally. The metro area employed 121,000 of them. Nationally, BLS projects the occupation to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
04Prices near New York City were 12.6% above the national average in 2024, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s measure, and housing stood at 148.6 against a national 100. At national prices, the metro area’s developer median goes as far as about $148,160. BEA’s 2024 figures are its latest, a year behind the pay data.
05This page covers the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area only. The New York guide covers all 6 programs titled software engineering across the state, 4 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.
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. New York City offers both, and many software engineers hold either one.
What this page covers
Software engineering programs: the 5 bachelor’s and master’s degrees near New York City titled software engineering, each checked against the school’s own page.
Computer science programs: the area’s 27 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 New York City 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 City: 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
Stevens: #21 of 75 nationally
No software engineering bachelor’s is inside New York City’s city limits
The highest score in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is Stevens in Hoboken, NJ, 66.7 out of 100. Across the country the median bachelor’s score is 56.7 and the highest is 87.0. Stevens’ 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
Pace: #28 of 44 nationally
Pace has the top master’s score inside New York City’s city limits, 43.9 out of 100
Across the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ scores higher, 56.0. Across the country the median master’s score is 52.0 and the highest is 86.9. Pace’s 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 near New York City 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 New York City
Not ranked
Bachelor’s in software engineering
2 programs
#1 near New York City
66.7of 100
Stevens
Hoboken, NJ · about 7 mi from central New York City
BSCampus
In-state
$58,680
Out-of-state
$58,680
Completion
87%
✓ ABET-accredited
Accelerated master's: double-count credits, finish in five years
Stevens offers its Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering on campus, housed in Systems Engineering at the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science. ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission accredits the program. The curriculum includes a hands-on design course every semester, and its final piece is Senior Design, a team capstone on prototypes for real business problems, possibly with a real company. Senior Design prototypes are shown at the Innovation Expo, which includes a design and entrepreneurship competition.
Co-op is common: nearly 30% of engineering students work for real companies through the Cooperative Education Program. Other options include internships, study abroad, flexible minors and double majors, and undergraduate research in labs. If you want a master's degree, you can double count undergraduate credits toward it and reach the degree in five years via the school's accelerated master's track. Its stated mission is an engineering core combined with systems thinking and critical thinking.
#2 near New York City
56.7of 100
Monmouth
West Long Branch, NJ · about 27 mi from central New York City
BSCampus
In-state
$44,098
Out-of-state
$44,098
Completion
72%
✓ ABET-accredited
Two-semester practicum, optionally for an outside client
Monmouth describes its Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering as ABET-accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission, and one of very few in the nation. The degree requirements are 30 credits of math and science, with math at or above introductory calculus and science courses meant for science and engineering majors, including lab work. A block of 57 credits covers software engineering and computer science, including a major design experience, and the plan adds 24 credits of general education, 6 credits of interdisciplinary requirements and 3 credits of free electives.
You complete a two-semester practicum that is either based on a real-world need or customized for an outside client. Faculty are engineering scholars, and the page says no teaching assistants lead classrooms or labs. Introductory courses are small. The curriculum combines mathematics, physical science and computer science with engineering and the humanities. Summer research projects are open to qualified students, and the department mentions on-campus work with faculty and internships with local and national computing firms.
Master’s in software engineering
3 programs
#1 near New York City
56.0of 100
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ · about 14 mi from central New York City
MSCampus
Tuition
$22,534
Out-of-state
$33,318
Grads/yr
7
Lowest tuition of New York City’s 3 master’s programs
Capstone counts as an elective only with an industrial partner
NJIT's M.S. in Software Engineering is part of the Ying Wu College of Computing and is delivered on campus. The graduate catalog says it takes 30 credits, earned across 10 courses. Six required courses make up 18 credits: Software Design and Production Methodology, Software Project Management, Software Testing and Quality Assurance, Software Architecture, Requirement Engineering and the Master's Project. The other 12 credits come from four electives, which range from Operating System Design, Data Mining and Machine Learning to AI-Assisted Software Engineering, Python for Web API Development and User Experience Design. The Graduate Capstone Project counts toward the electives only when it is completed with an industrial partner and the Program Director approves.
The curriculum covers requirements, specification, analysis, design, implementation, verification, deployment, reuse, project management and evolution of software products, and it addresses performance, reliability, security, scalability and maintainability. Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a computing discipline such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Sciences or Information Technology. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in STEM or related professional experience can first take a graduate certificate and then apply to the M.S. program. Coursework includes team projects on real-life software.
#2 near New York City
43.9of 100
Pace
New York, NY · about 5 mi from central New York City
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.
#3 near New York City
43.2of 100
Stevens
Hoboken, NJ · about 7 mi from central New York City
MSCampus + online
Tuition
$41,380
Out-of-state
$41,380
Grads/yr
53
Online
Largest master’s program near New York City by graduates a year
Two AI core courses plus a dual-degree MBA option
Stevens teaches its Master of Science in Software Engineering on campus and online, within Systems Engineering. Topics range from requirements analysis and system architecture through testing and deployment to long-term maintenance, with collaborative, project-based learning. Two new core courses cover AI: Artificial Intelligence for Software Engineering, and also AI for Advanced Software Architecture. Listed skills are architecture and design driven by AI, Agile project management with technical planning, and risk analysis with software assurance.
A graduate Cooperative Education Program has two tracks. You can do an optional research or clinical thesis or earn credit for projects done on the job for your current employer, and there is a dual-degree MBA option. Admission asks for a $60 application fee, a statement of purpose, proof of English proficiency, two letters of recommendation and transcripts from all institutions attended. GRE or GMAT scores are optional. The degree is STEM designated, and international students can use Optional Practical Training or Curricular Practical Training.
Compare
Programs side by side
New York City 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 City’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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area whose campus is outside New York City’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
18 schools, 26 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
Public, in-state
$6,930
median of 8 schools
Public, out-of-state
$14,880
median of 8 schools
Private
$51,401
median of 8 schools
Living near New York City is worth about $7,950 a year in tuition at the median public school, the gap between the two public medians. Over a four-year degree that is roughly $31,800, before any change in rates.
Prices near New York City were 112.6 against a national 100 in 2024, and housing 148.6, 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 16 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area employed 121,000 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, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area.
Industry
Businesses
Employees
Payroll per employee
Computer systems design and related services
10,881
133,178
$129,400
Software publishers
1,346
52,271
$205,500
Data processing, hosting and related services
1,219
49,904
$234,700
Computer and electronic product manufacturing
526
24,445
$101,900
The first three of those industries employ 2.7% of the metro area’s private-sector workers, against 2.6% nationally, close to the national share.
Of these industries, computer systems design and related services employs the most people in the metro area, 133,178, while data processing, hosting and related services pays the most per employee, $234,700.
Businesses, employees (mid-March) and annual payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, metropolitan areas and United States (cbp23msa, cbp23us), private sector, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area; payroll per employee covers every job in the industry, not only developers.
Pay
What software developers earn
$101,69010th
$130,65025th
$166,830median
$205,97075th
$224,59090th
Software developers, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, BLS OEWS May 2025. National median: $135,980.
The metro area’s median is $166,830, $30,850 above the national $135,980. Half of the metro area’s software developers earn between $130,650 and $205,970.
BEA puts prices in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area at 112.6 against a national 100 (2024), so the median goes as far as $148,160 would nationally, $12,180 more 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 New York City 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 New York City’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 New York City you’ve got two bachelor’s programs titled software engineering, at Stevens and Monmouth, plus 32 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 New York City, that’s five software engineering programs and 51 computer science programs across the metro, so you really can choose. An easy way to decide: put Stevens’s course list next to Barnard College’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 Monmouth, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Stevens and one more, ask how they connect students with internships. Stevens includes a capstone or senior project where you build real software with a team. With 10,881 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. Around New York City, Monmouth and Stevens are accredited; the closest, Stevens in Hoboken, is about 7 miles from New York City. Check any program’s accreditation before you apply.
5
Look for your first job nearby
The New York City area had 121,000 software developers in May 2025, earning a median of $166,830. The biggest software industries here are computer systems design (133,178 jobs) and software publishing (52,271 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 New York City fits, these are the highest-scoring online programs in our rankings. Confirm with each school that it enrolls students living near New York City.
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 New York City?
5 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 3 master’s, at 4 schools. 2 of them are on ABET’s accredited list.
What is the best software engineering school near New York City?
Stevens ranks first of the 2 ranked bachelor’s programs near New York City, with a score of 66.7 out of 100 (#21 nationally). The score combines completion, net price, ABET accreditation and program size.
Which software engineering programs near New York City are ABET-accredited?
Monmouth (bachelor’s) and Stevens (bachelor’s), according to ABET’s accredited program list retrieved 2026-09-30.
How much does a software engineering degree cost near New York City?
Across New York City’s public schools in this guide, median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $6,930 for residents and $14,880 for nonresidents; at private schools the median was $51,401. These IPEDS figures exclude fees and housing.
How much do software engineers make near New York City?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that includes software engineers, earned a median of $166,830 near New York City in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $101,690 and the 90th $224,590.
Is New York City pay worth it after cost of living?
BEA puts New York City’s prices at 112.6 against a national 100 in 2024. Divided by that, the developer median of $166,830 is worth about $148,160 at national prices.
Who hires software engineers near New York City?
No source counts software hiring by company the same way in every metro, so we don’t name employers. The Census Bureau counted 10,881 computer systems design businesses in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area in 2023, employing 133,178 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 New York City 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 New York City.
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 New York City to the nearest ABET-accredited software engineering program (straight line).
