Software Engineering Degree in Dallas, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Dallas, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$92K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$133K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.8 yrs
in Dallas
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Dallas, TX Overview
Dallas is one of Texas's top college towns, with 82 institutions and a student population of 75,338. Public tuition averages $11,274/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 Dallas is approximately $91,520.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
82
Public Tuition
$11,274/yr
Private Tuition
$58,540/yr
Room & Board
$13,911/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,498/yr
Unemployment
6.7%
Graduation Rate
73%
Software Engineering Salary in Dallas (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Dallas's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Dallas adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Dallas
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Dallas tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,274 | Private avg: $58,540
Dallas avg aid: $14,498/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,740
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$55,120
vs HS diploma in Dallas
ROI Payback Period
1.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Dallas
$1,126,460
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,227,200) minus total education cost ($100,740)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Dallas
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Dallas for Software Engineering
University of Texas at Dallas
public
$14,032/yr
$56,128 total
Southern Methodist University
private
$58,540/yr
$234,160 total
University of North Texas at Dallas
public
$8,516/yr
$34,064 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Dallas College
$2,220/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Dallas
Dallas offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Dallas 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
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
Plano, TX
$75K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Dallas
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$52K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Dallas — 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 Dallas.