Software Engineering Degree in Elgin, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Elgin, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$70K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$101K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.9 yrs
in Elgin
Cost of Living
79
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Elgin, IL Overview
Elgin, Illinois (pop. 114,797) has 13 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 79 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,008/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Elgin is approximately $69,520.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$10,014/yr
Private Tuition
$30,900/yr
Room & Board
$9,983/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,897/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
47%
Software Engineering Salary in Elgin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Elgin's cost of living index of 79 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Elgin adjustment factor: 0.79x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Elgin
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Elgin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,014 | Private avg: $30,900
Elgin avg aid: $15,897/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$41,870
vs HS diploma in Elgin
ROI Payback Period
1.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Elgin
$852,212
Lifetime earnings premium ($932,200) minus total education cost ($79,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Elgin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Elgin for Software Engineering
Judson University
private
$30,900/yr
$123,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Elgin Community College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Elgin
Elgin offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Elgin Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$96K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$82K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$95K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$90K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$79K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Springfield, IL
$81K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$92K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$79K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Elgin
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$75K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$67K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$40K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Elgin — 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 Elgin.