Software Engineering Degree in Cambridge, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Cambridge, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$117K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$170K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.7 yrs
in Cambridge
Cost of Living
133
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Cambridge, MA Overview
Cambridge, Massachusetts (pop. 118,403) has 6 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 133 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,322/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Cambridge is approximately $117,040.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$13,207/yr
Private Tuition
$57,624/yr
Room & Board
$17,447/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,677/yr
Unemployment
3.7%
Graduation Rate
75%
Software Engineering Salary in Cambridge (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cambridge's cost of living index of 133 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Cambridge adjustment factor: 1.33x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Cambridge
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Cambridge tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,207 | Private avg: $57,624
Cambridge avg aid: $14,677/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$122,616
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$70,490
vs HS diploma in Cambridge
ROI Payback Period
1.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cambridge
$1,446,784
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,569,400) minus total education cost ($122,616)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Cambridge
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cambridge for Software Engineering
Harvard University
private
$57,261/yr
$229,044 total
MIT
private
$57,986/yr
$231,944 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bunker Hill Community College
$5,760/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Cambridge
Cambridge offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cambridge Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$121K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$103K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$117K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$99K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$95K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$113K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$90K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$104K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Cambridge
Prompt Engineering
$67K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$126K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$113K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$109K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$67K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$106K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$67K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$67K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Cambridge — 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 Cambridge.