Software Engineering Degree in Colorado Springs, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Colorado Springs, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$107K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$156K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.3 yrs
in Colorado Springs
Cost of Living
122
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Colorado Springs, CO Overview
Colorado Springs is one of Colorado's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 22,576. Public tuition averages $5,325/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Colorado Springs is approximately $107,360.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$5,325/yr
Private Tuition
$62,070/yr
Room & Board
$15,455/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,479/yr
Unemployment
5%
Graduation Rate
71%
Software Engineering Salary in Colorado Springs (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Colorado Springs's cost of living index of 122 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Colorado Springs adjustment factor: 1.22x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Colorado Springs
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Colorado Springs tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,325 | Private avg: $62,070
Colorado Springs avg aid: $13,479/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$83,120
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$64,660
vs HS diploma in Colorado Springs
ROI Payback Period
1.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Colorado Springs
$1,356,480
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,439,600) minus total education cost ($83,120)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Colorado Springs
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Colorado Springs for Software Engineering
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
public
$10,650/yr
$42,600 total
Colorado College
private
$62,070/yr
$248,280 total
United States Air Force Academy
public
$0/yr
$0 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pikes Peak State College
$4,056/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Colorado Springs Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$113K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Aurora, CO
$98K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$111K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$93K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Thornton, CO
$90K starting · COL 102.5
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$93K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$91K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$107K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Colorado Springs
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$61K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Colorado Springs — 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 Colorado Springs.