Software Engineering Degree in Little Rock, AR — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Little Rock, AR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$75K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$109K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.1 yrs
in Little Rock
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Little Rock, AR Overview
Little Rock is one of Arkansas's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 18,659. Public tuition averages $9,312/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 Little Rock is approximately $74,800.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$13,320/yr
Room & Board
$13,863/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,402/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
49%
Software Engineering Salary in Little Rock (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Little Rock's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Little Rock adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Little Rock
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Little Rock tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $13,320
Little Rock avg aid: $15,402/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,700
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$45,050
vs HS diploma in Little Rock
ROI Payback Period
2.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Little Rock
$910,300
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,003,000) minus total education cost ($92,700)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Little Rock
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Little Rock for Software Engineering
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Philander Smith University
private
$13,320/yr
$53,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pulaski Technical College
$3,800/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Little Rock
Little Rock offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Little Rock Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Arkansas Cities
Fayetteville, AR
$78K starting · COL 89
4 colleges
Fort Smith, AR
$69K starting · COL 78.5
4 colleges
Springdale, AR
$76K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Jonesboro, AR
$73K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Rogers, AR
$78K starting · COL 88.2
3 colleges
Conway, AR
$74K starting · COL 84.5
3 colleges
North Little Rock, AR
$76K starting · COL 86.6
3 colleges
Bentonville, AR
$81K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Little Rock
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$81K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$72K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Little Rock — 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 Little Rock.