Software Engineering Degree in Bloomington, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Bloomington, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$88K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$128K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
100.2
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Bloomington, MN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Software Engineering students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,533/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Bloomington is approximately $88,176.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,533/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,264/yr
Unemployment
2.3%
Graduation Rate
75%
Software Engineering Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 100.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Bloomington avg aid: $11,264/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$53,106
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$1,067,428
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,182,360) minus total education cost ($114,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Software Engineering
Bloomington State University
public
$15,525/yr
$62,100 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bloomington Community College
$5,519/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$85K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$89K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$95K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Rochester, MN
$92K starting · COL 105
8 colleges
Duluth, MN
$88K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$87K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$94K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$95K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bloomington
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$85K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$50K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Bloomington — 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 Bloomington.