Software Engineering Degree in Las Vegas, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Las Vegas, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$101K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$147K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.3 yrs
in Las Vegas
Cost of Living
115
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Las Vegas, NV Overview
Las Vegas is one of Nevada's top college towns, with 45 institutions and a student population of 59,628. Public tuition averages $7,361/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 Las Vegas is approximately $101,200.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
45
Public Tuition
$7,361/yr
Private Tuition
$22,950/yr
Room & Board
$12,522/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,003/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
64%
Software Engineering Salary in Las Vegas (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Las Vegas's cost of living index of 115 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Las Vegas adjustment factor: 1.15x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Las Vegas
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Las Vegas tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,361 | Private avg: $22,950
Las Vegas avg aid: $15,003/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,532
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$60,950
vs HS diploma in Las Vegas
ROI Payback Period
1.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Las Vegas
$1,277,468
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,357,000) minus total education cost ($79,532)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Las Vegas
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Las Vegas for Software Engineering
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
public
$8,691/yr
$34,764 total
Nevada State University
public
$6,030/yr
$24,120 total
Touro University Nevada
private
$22,950/yr
$91,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
College of Southern Nevada
$3,420/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Las Vegas
Las Vegas offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Las Vegas Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Nevada Cities
Henderson, NV
$114K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
Reno, NV
$102K starting · COL 116
21 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$87K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$88K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$84K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$88K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$91K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Sparks, NV
$93K starting · COL 105.2
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Las Vegas
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$109K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$58K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Las Vegas — 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 Las Vegas.