Software Engineering Degree in Amarillo, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Amarillo, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$95K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$138K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.3 yrs
in Amarillo
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Amarillo, TX Overview
Amarillo, Texas (pop. 200,393) has 14 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 108 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,096/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Amarillo is approximately $95,040.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$9,030/yr
Private Tuition
$43,100/yr
Room & Board
$9,166/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,360/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
66%
Software Engineering Salary in Amarillo (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Amarillo's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Amarillo adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Amarillo
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Amarillo tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,030 | Private avg: $43,100
Amarillo avg aid: $15,360/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$72,784
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$57,240
vs HS diploma in Amarillo
ROI Payback Period
1.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Amarillo
$1,201,616
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,274,400) minus total education cost ($72,784)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Amarillo
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Amarillo for Software Engineering
West Texas A&M University
public
$9,030/yr
$36,120 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Amarillo College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Amarillo
Amarillo offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Amarillo Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$101K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$106K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$92K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$94K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$89K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$82K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$82K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$72K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Amarillo
Prompt Engineering
$54K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$103K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$92K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Amarillo — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Software Engineering ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Amarillo.