Software Engineering Degrees in Wisconsin for 2027
Wisconsin has 5 programs titled software engineering at 4 schools, 2 accredited by ABET, and 20 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
5
titled software engineering
ABET-accredited
2
ABET’s list, 2026-09-30
Computer science programs
20
IPEDS 2024
Median pay, software developers
$122,660
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Key takeaways
01Wisconsin has 5 degrees titled software engineering, 3 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 4 schools, plus 20 computer science programs. 2 of the software engineering programs are on ABET’s accredited list. Wisconsin-Platteville ranks first among the state’s bachelor’s programs, with a score of 78.3 out of 100, #7 nationally. Each program below is checked against the school’s own page.
02At Wisconsin’s public schools, the median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $7,126 in state and $15,899 out of state, so residency saves about $8,773 a year at the median. Private schools had a median of $44,620. These IPEDS figures are one per school and leave out fees, housing and financial aid.
03Software developers in Wisconsin earned a median of $122,660 in May 2025, against $135,980 nationally, and half earned between $97,740 and $138,590. The state employed 21,730 of them. Nationally, BLS projects the occupation to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
04Prices in Wisconsin were 5.9% below the national average in 2024, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s measure, and housing stood at 79.3 against a national 100. At national prices, the state’s developer median goes as far as about $130,350. BEA’s 2024 figures are its latest, a year behind the pay data.
05Neighboring states with programs titled software engineering: Michigan (6), Minnesota (6), Illinois (3) and Iowa (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 Wisconsin
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. Wisconsin offers both, and many software engineers hold either one.
What this page covers
Software engineering programs: the 5 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Wisconsin titled software engineering, each checked against the school’s own page.
Computer science programs: the state’s 20 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: 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
Wisconsin-Platteville: #7 of 75 nationally
Wisconsin-Platteville leads in Wisconsin with 78.3 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 21.7 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
Concordia University-Wisconsin: #22 of 44 nationally
Concordia University-Wisconsin leads in Wisconsin with 51.6 out of 100
Across the country the median master’s score is 52.0 and the highest is 86.9. Its biggest gap is department accreditation, where it earns 0 of 15 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Not ranked
Bachelor’s in software engineering
3 programs
#1 in Wisconsin
78.3of 100
Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville, WI
BSCampus
In-state
$6,827
Out-of-state
$15,786
Completion
62%
✓ ABET-accredited
Lowest in-state tuition of Wisconsin’s 3 bachelor’s programs
Platteville's software engineering degree draws on four fields: software engineering, computer science, math, and electrical and computer engineering. The focus is real-time embedded software, the code inside appliances, security systems, automobiles, aircraft and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled devices. You take it on campus through the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, with internship opportunities and team projects alongside industry partners.
A Cybersecurity Lab lets students practice defending against cyber-attacks and ethical hacking, and the Game Development Club covers creating a modern video game from start to finish. The department posts its courses, student outcomes, program objectives and a four-year plan, and the catalog holds the degree details. Listed career roles include software architect, software tester, game developer and machine learning engineer. Platteville holds ABET accreditation for the program through the Engineering Accreditation Commission.
#2 in Wisconsin
64.6of 100
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Milwaukee, WI
BSCampus
In-state
$46,385
Out-of-state
$46,385
Completion
65%
✓ ABET-accredited
Largest bachelor’s program in Wisconsin by graduates a year
Two software development labs before a two-term capstone
The BS in Software Engineering at MSOE totals 120 credits and is built on computer science, with extra weight on requirements, process, design, measurement, analysis and verification. The four-year plan runs Calculus I and II, Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra and Optimization, and Probability and Statistics next to Physics I. Software courses include Software Design, Web Applications and Networking, Software Tools and Process, Introduction to Software Verification, Software Requirements and Architecture, DevSecOps and two terms of Software Development Laboratory.
Computing courses include Data Structures and Graphical Interfaces, Procedural and Object-Oriented C++, Operating Systems, Algorithms and Advanced Data Structures and Databases, alongside Introduction to Cybersecurity Principles and Human-Centered Design. The degree finishes with Software Engineering Capstone I in the fall and Capstone II in the spring of year four. You also take Building Inclusive Teams, Professional Presentations and a Raider Core of humanities and social science courses. Students placed into a lower math course shift the calculus sequence a term later. The page suggests the major suits people who enjoy working with software and computer systems and can do mathematics and detailed work accurately. ABET accredits the BS under its General Criteria and its Program Criteria for Software Engineering.
#3 in Wisconsin
31.9of 100
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Mequon, WI
BSCampus
In-state
$33,750
Out-of-state
$33,750
Completion
53%
Highest school graduation rate of Wisconsin’s 3 bachelor’s programs
Concordia University Wisconsin lists software engineering as a concentration inside its 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, alongside a Cyber Security concentration. The degree has 45 hours of core requirements, 36 hours of technical courses, 16 to 18 hours in your concentration, and 21 to 23 hours of electives. Technical courses include Software Engineering, Operating Systems, Database Fundamentals, User Experience and Interactive Systems, and Advanced Database and Web Development, and every student completes a three-credit Capstone Project.
The Software Engineering concentration adds Systems Programming, Programming Language Theory, Theoretical Computer Science, Coding III on data structures, one computer science elective, and an internship worth one to three credits. The suggested eight-semester plan places the Software Engineering course in semester 3 and the internship and capstone in semester 7, and the Scholars plan totals 150 hours. The program is STEM designated, and a Computer Science Scholars pathway lets you earn the bachelor's and a master's in computer science in four years.
Master’s in software engineering
2 programs
#1 in Wisconsin
51.6of 100
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Mequon, WI
MSOnline
Tuition
$12,960
Out-of-state
$12,960
Grads/yr
30
The software engineering listing at Concordia University Wisconsin is a concentration within its Master of Science in Computer Science, a 30-credit degree. Six core courses cover AI Ethics and Vocation, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Mobile Computer Architecture, Applied Computer Networking, and an Applied Research Practicum. You then select a 12-hour concentration. Its software engineering track is made up of Database Administration, Advanced Algorithms, Applied Restful APIs and Integrations, and Language Theory, each worth 3 hours.
The other option is Business Data Applications. The plan of study spreads the 30 hours across five semesters at six hours each, and the program culminates in applied capstone experiences. Learning outcomes include advanced technical proficiency in topics such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and software architecture, applied research and development, and leadership and collaboration skills for guiding teams and projects. The program also builds a Christian worldview and ethical principles into decisions about computing.
#2 in Wisconsin
50.6of 100
Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI
MSCampus
Tuition
$8,870
Out-of-state
$19,106
Grads/yr
8
Three semesters is the baseline for the Master of Software Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, for a full-time student with no prerequisite coursework to make up. Part-time study, if the program approves it, or an individual plan of coursework, research or capstone project can stretch that. The curriculum pairs technical skills with software project management, and the course list includes CS 744 Software Project Management and CS 745 Software Modeling, Analysis, and Verification.
Other courses cover secure software development and advances in software engineering, such as risk analysis, software architectures and software metrics. In Software Design IV, students work in teams to build a medium-scale software product of 2000 to 5000 lines. The Software Development Project is a major project that ends in a written report and an oral examination by the Project Evaluation Committee. A one-credit Software Development Internship requires nine MSE credits and a 3.5 or higher GPA, and it does not count toward the degree.
Compare
Wisconsin software engineering programs side by side
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin’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 Wisconsin
15 schools, 18 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: bachelor’s at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin; master’s at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
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 Wisconsin
Public, in-state
$7,126
median of 6 schools
Public, out-of-state
$15,899
median of 6 schools
Private
$44,620
median of 7 schools
Living in Wisconsin is worth about $8,773 a year in tuition at the median public school, the gap between the two public medians. Over a four-year degree that is roughly $35,092, before any change in rates.
Prices in Wisconsin were 94.1 against a national 100 in 2024, and housing 79.3, 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 13 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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin employed 21,730 software developers in May 2025. Its location quotient for the occupation is 0.68: the jobs are less 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, Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin
$77,71010th
$97,74025th
$122,660median
$138,59075th
$168,63090th
Software developers, Wisconsin, BLS OEWS May 2025. National median: $135,980.
The state median is $122,660, $13,320 below the national $135,980. Half of the state’s software developers earn between $97,740 and $138,590.
BEA puts prices in Wisconsin at 94.1 against a national 100 (2024), so the median goes as far as $130,350 would nationally, $5,630 less than the national median.
BEA price parities, 2024; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Online options
Online software engineering degrees for Wisconsin residents
If no program in Wisconsin fits, these are the highest-scoring online programs in our rankings. Confirm with each school that it enrolls students living in Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin?
5 degrees titled software engineering, 3 bachelor’s and 2 master’s, at 4 schools. 2 of them are on ABET’s accredited list.
What is the best software engineering school in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin-Platteville ranks first of the 3 ranked bachelor’s programs in Wisconsin, with a score of 78.3 out of 100 (#7 nationally). The score combines completion, net price, ABET accreditation and program size.
Which software engineering programs in Wisconsin are ABET-accredited?
Milwaukee School of Engineering (bachelor’s) and Wisconsin-Platteville (bachelor’s), according to ABET’s accredited program list retrieved 2026-09-30.
How much does a software engineering degree cost in Wisconsin?
Across Wisconsin’s public schools in this guide, median undergraduate tuition for 2023–24 was $7,126 for residents and $15,899 for nonresidents; at private schools the median was $44,620. These IPEDS figures exclude fees and housing.
How much do software engineers make in Wisconsin?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that includes software engineers, earned a median of $122,660 in Wisconsin in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $77,710 and the 90th $168,630.
Is Wisconsin pay worth it after cost of living?
BEA puts Wisconsin’s prices at 94.1 against a national 100 in 2024. Divided by that, the developer median of $122,660 is worth about $130,350 at national prices.
Can Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
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 .
