Software Engineering Degree in Duluth, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Duluth, 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 yrs
in Duluth
Cost of Living
100
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Duluth, MN Overview
While Duluth has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Software Engineering students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $12,662/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 Duluth is approximately $88,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$13,872/yr
Private Tuition
$41,612/yr
Room & Board
$12,662/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,990/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Software Engineering Salary in Duluth (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Duluth's cost of living index of 100 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Duluth adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Duluth
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Duluth tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,872 | Private avg: $41,612
Duluth avg aid: $15,990/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$106,136
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$53,000
vs HS diploma in Duluth
ROI Payback Period
2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Duluth
$1,073,864
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,180,000) minus total education cost ($106,136)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Duluth
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Duluth for Software Engineering
University of Minnesota Duluth
public
$13,872/yr
$55,488 total
College of St. Scholastica
private
$41,612/yr
$166,448 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lake Superior College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Duluth
Duluth offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Duluth 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
Bloomington, MN
$88K starting · COL 100.2
4 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 Duluth
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 Duluth — 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 Duluth.