Software Engineering Degree in Chesapeake, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Chesapeake, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$80K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$116K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.8 yrs
in Chesapeake
Cost of Living
91
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Chesapeake, VA Overview
Chesapeake, Virginia (pop. 249,422) has 12 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 91 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $850/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Chesapeake is approximately $80,080.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$11,558/yr
Private Tuition
$19,500/yr
Room & Board
$9,787/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,853/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
67%
Software Engineering Salary in Chesapeake (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chesapeake's cost of living index of 91 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Chesapeake adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Chesapeake
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Chesapeake tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,558 | Private avg: $19,500
Chesapeake avg aid: $9,853/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$85,380
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$48,230
vs HS diploma in Chesapeake
ROI Payback Period
1.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chesapeake
$988,420
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,073,800) minus total education cost ($85,380)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Chesapeake
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chesapeake for Software Engineering
South University Virginia Beach
private
$19,500/yr
$78,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tidewater Community College Chesapeake
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Chesapeake
Chesapeake offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chesapeake Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$77K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Arlington, VA
$125K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$82K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$88K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$81K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$90K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$85K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$78K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Chesapeake
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$46K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Chesapeake — 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 Chesapeake.