If you’re the type of person that understands and enjoys software testing, cyber security, web development, software development, or anything relating to computer technology and programming languages, you’ll want to pursue an online degree in software engineering. With this computer science degree, you’ll be able to find a well-paying software engineer position that enables you to accomplish your professional goals in computer engineering and software design.
Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the most affordable online software engineering degrees out there. The higher education institutions that offer these applied science programs guarantee their high quality assurance and comprehensiveness, all offered at a minimal cost. Through these programs, software engineers at heart can advance toward their dream profession and expand their technological expertise from the comfort of their own homes.
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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.Methodology
All schools considered for these rankings
- Are regionally or nationally accredited
- Offer at least one fully online software engineering degree (with no more than two weeks of required in-person work)
- Were collected from official accrediting agency websites.
Schools are ranked solely by the average net price as released in the most recent IPEDs database collected in July of 2022.
2023 Most Affordable Online Colleges for Software Engineering Degrees
| Rank | School | Average Net Price |
| # 1 | St. Petersburg College | $2,668 |
| # 2 | Middle Georgia State University | $10,354 |
| # 3 | University of Maine at Augusta | $10,811 |
| # 4 | University of Phoenix | $13,038 |
| # 5 | Arizona State University | $13,107 |
| # 6 | Rogers State University | $13,778 |
| # 7 | Park University | $14,619 |
| # 8 | Capella University | $16,545 |
| # 9 | Bellevue University | $17,288 |
| # 10 | Saint Leo University Online | $18,445 |
| # 11 | Hodges University | $21,145 |
| # 12 | The College of Saint Scholastica | $22,545 |
| # 13 | Lakeland University | $23026 |
| # 14 | Herzing University | $23,172 |
| # 15 | Tiffin University | $23,309 |
| # 16 | University of the Potomac | $23,421 |
| # 17 | Upper Iowa University | $24,063 |
| # 18 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | $27,530 |
| # 19 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | $29,757 |
| # 20 | Champlain College | $33,224 |
| # 21 | Southern New Hampshire University Online | $42,645 |
10 Best Affordable Colleges for Online Software Engineering Degrees
1. St. Petersburg College
Average Net Price: $2,668
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
St. Petersburg College is the second safest college where you can get the best online software engineering degree online in Florida. There are two software engineering programs online Bachelor’s degrees available in software engineering. The first is BAS in Technology Development and Management (Software Assurance). For the second choice, you may also pursue a BAS in Technology Development and Management (Software Development).
The college won’t ask for you an SAT or ACT to get you on the college’s admission list.
The lives of software engineering students in this college are above average. There is a student-faculty ratio of 24:1. This ratio, coupled with the fact that more than 32% of the college’s classes have fewer than 20 students, translates to tutor availability. Supporting this notion is a statistic that 79% of St. Petersburg College feel that the effort professors put in teaching is a lot.
The college has a graduation rate of 32%. Should you graduate from St. Petersburg College, you have an 85% chance of getting a job in two years with a starting salary of $28,000 annually. Overall, students express a high level of satisfaction with the college, as proved by a 71% freshman retention rate.
2. Middle Georgia State University
Average Net Price: $10,354
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 99%
Middle Georgia State University is the second most affordable online software engineering college in 2023. Their software engineering program has a single software engineering bachelor’s degree. The college names the degree “BS in Information Technology – Software Engineering.”
The university has a rolling application deadline, requiring an application fee of $30. You need an SAT score of between 880 and 1080, or an ACT score of 16-20, to get the university’s admission. Of course, the college also requires a High school GPA.
The student-faculty ratio for Middle Georgia State University stands at 18:1. The ratio is fair, given that the university has 4,788 undergraduates enrolled. Since over 49% of university classes have less than 20 students, the chances of having personal assistance from a professor are high. It is no wonder that 85% of students agree that professors put considerable effort into assisting their students.
54% of the students agree that the university is either amazing or feels like home. While the graduation rate is lower than the national average at 18%, graduating from this college gives you an attractive salary of $31,400 per annum.
3. University of Maine at Augusta
Average Net Price: $10,811
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: NECHE
Acceptance Rate: 100%
The University of Maine campus location in Augusta is the most established branch of the University of Maine. Their program includes one online Bachelor’s degree titled BS in Computer Information Systems – Software Development.
The rolling date admission date deadline operates in this university. Since they need neither SAT nor ACT, you have a 100% chance of getting admission.
University of Maine at Augusta prides itself on having one of the highest numbers of online students. Should you apply for a software engineering degree online, you will be joining 51% of its students. Additionally, 24% of students mix online and on-campus study modes, making the distance learning pool wider.
With an 18% graduation rate, the university falls a little short of the national rate at 49%. But, 90% of its alumni are confident that they will land a job within two years of graduation.
4. University of Phoenix
Average Net Price: $13,038
School Type: Private, For-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
The University of Phoenix is the oldest education institution to offer quality online study mode. Its online program has been running since 1989. Today, 99% of its undergraduate students attend online classes.
The university ranks seventh among the most affordable software engineering degree providers. Their program houses a single bachelor’s degree. The university names it “Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.” It comes with an Advanced Software Developer Graduate Certificate.
While almost all general education students in the university take online classes, learners feel assisted in their studies. 73% of students feel that professors’ efforts toward student learning are a lot. Also, 88% of learners opine that managing the university’s workload is easy.
You don’t need an SAT or ACT score to get admission in the University of Phoenix’s online software engineering degree program. Should you join the 74,061 undergraduates in the university, student outcome data shows you’ll have a 17% chance of graduating.
5. Arizona State University
Average Net Price: $13,107
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 73%
Arizona State University is the public university of choice in the Phoenix area. Its software engineering program entails a bachelor’s degree titled Software Development (BS).
Over 90% of the university’s undergraduates are less than 25 years old. This number may explain why 33% of the undergraduates describe Arizona State University as “party and educator.” Of the student body, 91% of the undergraduates land a career path paying $47,700 within two years of graduating.
A Majority of students at Arizona State University prefer a blend of online and on-campus study modes. In actuality, there are almost no students who study purely online. The university boasts a graduation rate of 69%, exceeding the national average by 20%.
The admission requirements of the university are relatively strict. You need an SAT score of 1130-1360 or an ACT score of 22-29. Additionally, you must pay $70 to make the admission list, which consists of 85% of the applicants.
6. Rogers State University
Average Net Price: $13,778
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Rogers State University is the pioneer in incorporating online games as an official university activity. Enrolling in their online software engineering program may earn you a BS in Business Information Technology (Software Development and Multimedia).
Getting admission to Rogers State University is relatively easy. The university requires no SAT or ACT score. You must, however, have an excellent high school GPA and a $20 application fee. The university’s graduation rate is 21%, and alum graduates have an 89% chance of getting hired within two years.
A Majority of students from Rogers State University prefer on-campus learning. However, online education has a good standing, with 17% of students giving preference. More than 30% of the students favor a blend of both.
Rogers State University’s student-faculty ratio stands at 19:1. At this rate, 75% of students feel that professors dedicate themselves to helping students.
7. Park University
Average Net Price: $14,619
School Type: Private, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Park University is the safest campus in Missouri. Should you join its software engineering program, the Bachelor’s degree you stand to get is a Bachelor of Science in information science and computer science (software system development).
While you don’t need an SAT or ACT score to apply, you must have a high school GPA. Additionally, you must pay an application fee of $35. Once you enroll, there is a 33% chance of making the graduation list and an 89% chance of landing a job in two years. Park University alumni attract a salary of $45,900 six years in their careers.
A large portion of undergraduates (57%) prefer the online study mode. For both computer science online and on-campus courses, students feel that professors work hard to help them. A student-faculty ratio of 15:1 translates to greater availability of lectures at Park University compared to other universities.
8. Capella University
Average Net Price: $16,545
School Type: Private, For-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Capella University is the online university of choice for students in need of financial assistance. Currently, 100% of the students are receiving financial aid. The Bachelor’s degrees under their software engineering program are BS in Information Technology (Software Development – Cloud Application Development) and BS in Information Technology (Software Development – Programming and Application Development).
The university considers your SAT or ACT scores but doesn’t require them. They also don’t need your high school GPA. However, you must pay a sum of $50 application money when applying.
If you are a fan of relatively small campuses, Capella University would be ideal for you. The institution is a learning center for 1,373 undergraduate students distributed across various disciplines. The student-faculty ratio for this educational center is 22:1.
After you earn the alum graduate status from Capella University, your salary expectation stands at $43,000.
9. Bellevue University
Average Net Price: $17,288
School Type: Private, For-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Bellevue University is the thirteenth most valuable university in Nebraska. Its software engineering program has one Bachelor’s degree named software development (BS).
If you are over 25 years old, you should find a home at Bellevue University. More than 75% of the university’s undergraduates are over 25 years of age. This statistic explains why 89% of students are working adults.
Should you join the university’s distance learning program, you will be among 3284 other students. You require no SAT or ACT to join Bellevue University, but you must pay an application fee of $50. Once enrolled, you have an 18% chance of making the graduation list.
The university carries a student-faculty ratio 27:1, with 77% of students stating that they find the school workload easy to manage. It is also worth noting that Bellevue University graduates attract an annual salary of $53,600 within six years of graduation.
10. Saint Leo University Online
Average net price: $18,445
School Type: Private, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACSCOC
Acceptance rate: 73%
Saint Leo University Online is the thirty-first best online learning university in the US. As a working adult, you can get an online software engineering degree from here and work as a computer programmer, programming language specialist, and more. The computer systems Bachelor’s degree you stand to earn is BA: Software Engineering.
The student to faculty ratio is 14:1 at Saint Leo University Online. Thus, your chance of having a professor attending to you one on one is high. The graduation rate at Saint Leo University Online stands at 51%, surpassing the national average. Of the alum graduates, 88% are confident of getting into jobs within two years.
As opined by students, you should find managing the workload in this institution easy. Also, you should see the students as responsible, respectful, and friendly. Your decision to get a software engineering degree purely online will be welcomed by over 4000 students from Saint Leo University Online.
