Software Engineering Degrees in Washington for 2027
Washington has 4 programs titled software engineering at 3 schools, 1 accredited by ABET, and 25 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
4
titled software engineering
ABET-accredited
1
ABET’s list, 2026-09-30
Computer science programs
25
IPEDS 2024
Median pay, software developers
$166,540
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Key takeaways
01Washington has 4 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 3 schools, plus 25 computer science programs. 1 of the software engineering programs is on ABET’s accredited list. Washington State ranks first among the state’s bachelor’s programs, with a score of 73.9 out of 100, #12 nationally. Each program below is checked against the school’s own page.
02At Washington’s public schools, the median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $9,268 in state and $26,602 out of state, so residency saves about $17,334 a year at the median. Private schools had a median of $50,096. These IPEDS figures are one per school and leave out fees, housing and financial aid.
03Software developers in Washington earned a median of $166,540 in May 2025, against $135,980 nationally, and half earned between $132,290 and $211,860. The state employed 107,030 of them. Nationally, BLS projects the occupation to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
04Prices in Washington were 7.0% above the national average in 2024, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s measure, and housing stood at 126 against a national 100. At national prices, the state’s developer median goes as far as about $155,640. BEA’s 2024 figures are its latest, a year behind the pay data.
05Neighboring states with programs titled software engineering: Idaho (1) and Oregon (1). 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 Washington
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. Washington offers both, and many software engineers hold either one.
What this page covers
Software engineering programs: the 4 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Washington titled software engineering, each checked against the school’s own page.
Computer science programs: the state’s 25 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 Washington 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 Washington: 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
Washington State: #12 of 75 nationally
Washington State leads in Washington with 73.9 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 22.8 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
Washington State: #20 of 44 nationally
Washington State leads in Washington with 53.0 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.
Not ranked. One program here has no score, because a figure the score needs wouldn’t describe it: Seattle University (no graduates yet to measure). We never score a program on a guess.
Each program is ranked against the others in Washington 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 Washington
Not ranked
Bachelor’s in software engineering
2 programs
#1 in Washington
73.9of 100
Washington State
Pullman, WA
BSCampus
In-state
$10,976
Out-of-state
$27,052
Completion
65%
✓ ABET-accredited
The only ABET-accredited bachelor’s program in Washington
WSU's software engineering BS sits within the Voiland College's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The program, taught at Pullman with WSU Everett, holds accreditation from ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission. Admission to WSU comes first. After that you can be admitted to the major if you meet the criteria in the WSU Catalog, and you stay in good standing by completing the required benchmarks listed there.
Upper-level work centers on building and testing software, validation, maintenance, security, and integration and management. You also build software systems in several programming languages and study math, science and engineering. At Pullman you can live in a math, science and engineering community residence hall, share classes with your neighbors and get free tutoring. WSU also offers a minor in software engineering.
#2 in Washington
25.0of 100
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Redmond, WA
BSCampus
In-state
$37,200
Out-of-state
$37,200
Completion
56%
DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond offers the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation, its flagship programming degree, a four-year program built around game engines and computer graphics. You start with computer science basics, including precalculus and an introduction to C and C++, then build a custom game engine from scratch in your second year and take on real-time graphics in a third-year capstone game project. Each year you join an interdisciplinary team to create a fully playable game from start to finish, so your technical role supports the whole project.
In your fourth year you tailor electives toward optimization, physics, animation, and other topics. You can also pick one of seven optional specializations: Artificial Intelligence, Physically-based Simulation, Image Processing, Databases and Networks, Machine Learning, Sound Synthesis, or Digital Signal Processing. Languages and tools include C, C++, C#, Git, Visual Studio, Python, SQL, Unity, and Unreal. A BS/MS accelerated schedule lets you complete both degrees in five years.
Master’s in software engineering
2 programs, 1 ranked
#1 in Washington
53.0of 100
Washington State
Pullman, WA
MSOnline
Tuition
$12,675
Out-of-state
$27,842
Grads/yr
3.3
Online
The only master’s program in Washington offered online
The MS SE at WSU, a master's in software engineering, is delivered online through the Global Campus. It's a 30-credit program, and with a full-time course load you can finish in under two years. Working professionals can study part time. The curriculum teaches software engineering principles along with the tools, methods and techniques of modern practice, and it builds skills in designing, validating, maintaining, reusing and securing software products.
It adds management and leadership training for moving up in the field. To apply you send transcripts, a statement of purpose and three letters of recommendation. International applicants who must show English proficiency need a TOEFL score of at least 93. Fall and spring both have priority deadlines. The careers named are software developer, software engineer, requirements engineer, project manager and others.
Not ranked 1 program, each missing something the score needs
Not rankedNo graduates yet to measure
Seattle University
Seattle, WA
MSCampus
Tuition
$15,012
Out-of-state
$15,012
Grads/yr
New
Newer program
Seattle University offers software engineering as a specialization inside its Master of Science in Computer Science. The specialization plan is 33 credits and covers the software development life cycle, from requirements analysis and architecture to development and testing. The sample plan includes Fundamentals of Software Engineering, Software Architecture and Design, Software Testing and Debugging, Ethics and Industry Trends, and a two-course capstone project focused on real-world challenges. The general option without the specialization is 30 credits.
The degree is delivered in person at the First Hill campus, with evening courses and full-time or part-time enrollment. It runs about two years and starts in August or January. The school estimates total program tuition at $48,285 to $52,577 using 2026-2027 rates, and mandatory fees are not included. The application fee is waived for all graduate applicants. If you're new to the field, the Computer Science Fundamentals Certificate is a bridge into the program and needs no prior programming experience. The program is approved as a STEM program, which makes F-1 students eligible for a 24-month OPT extension.
Compare
Washington software engineering programs side by side
Washington 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 Washington’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 Washington
17 schools, 20 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.
Also offered: master’s at Central Washington University, Gonzaga, University of Washington, Washington-Bothell and Washington-Tacoma.
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 Washington
Public, in-state
$9,268
median of 6 schools
Public, out-of-state
$26,602
median of 6 schools
Private
$50,096
median of 11 schools
Living in Washington is worth about $17,334 a year in tuition at the median public school, the gap between the two public medians. Over a four-year degree that is roughly $69,336, before any change in rates.
Prices in Washington were 107 against a national 100 in 2024, and housing 126, 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 17 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 Washington
Washington employed 107,030 software developers in May 2025. Its location quotient for the occupation is 2.78: 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, Washington. 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 Washington. 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 Washington
$96,81010th
$132,29025th
$166,540median
$211,86075th
$255,35090th
Software developers, Washington, BLS OEWS May 2025. National median: $135,980.
The state median is $166,540, $30,560 above the national $135,980. Half of the state’s software developers earn between $132,290 and $211,860.
BEA puts prices in Washington at 107 against a national 100 (2024), so the median goes as far as $155,640 would nationally, $19,660 more than the national median.
BEA price parities, 2024; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Online options
Online software engineering degrees for Washington residents
If no program in Washington fits, these are the highest-scoring online programs in our rankings. Confirm with each school that it enrolls students living in Washington.
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 Washington?
4 degrees titled software engineering, 2 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 3 schools. 1 of them is on ABET’s accredited list.
What is the best software engineering school in Washington?
Washington State ranks first of the 2 ranked bachelor’s programs in Washington, with a score of 73.9 out of 100 (#12 nationally). The score combines completion, net price, ABET accreditation and program size.
Which software engineering programs in Washington are ABET-accredited?
Washington State (bachelor’s), according to ABET’s accredited program list retrieved 2026-09-30.
How much does a software engineering degree cost in Washington?
Across Washington’s public schools in this guide, median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $9,268 for residents and $26,602 for nonresidents; at private schools the median was $50,096. These IPEDS figures exclude fees and housing.
How much do software engineers make in Washington?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that includes software engineers, earned a median of $166,540 in Washington in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $96,810 and the 90th $255,350.
Is Washington pay worth it after cost of living?
BEA puts Washington’s prices at 107 against a national 100 in 2024. Divided by that, the developer median of $166,540 is worth about $155,640 at national prices.
Can Washington 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 Washington.
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 .
