Software Engineering Degree in Frederick, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Frederick, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$99K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$144K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.8 yrs
in Frederick
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Frederick, MD Overview
While Frederick has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Software Engineering students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,475/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 Frederick is approximately $99,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,475/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,491/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Software Engineering Salary in Frederick (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Frederick's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Frederick adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Frederick
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Frederick tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Frederick avg aid: $13,491/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,100
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$59,625
vs HS diploma in Frederick
ROI Payback Period
1.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Frederick
$1,222,400
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,327,500) minus total education cost ($105,100)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Frederick
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Frederick for Software Engineering
Frederick State University
public
$11,147/yr
$44,588 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Frederick Community College
$6,149/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Frederick
Frederick offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Frederick Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$114K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$112K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$108K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$106K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$100K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$96K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$113K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$103K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Frederick
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$56K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Frederick — 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 Frederick.