Software Engineering Degree in New Bedford, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for New Bedford, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$90K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$131K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.3 yrs
in New Bedford
Cost of Living
102.5
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in New Bedford, MA Overview
While New Bedford has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Software Engineering students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,635/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 New Bedford is approximately $90,200.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$16,100/yr
Private Tuition
$48,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,635/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,843/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
63%
Software Engineering Salary in New Bedford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for New Bedford's cost of living index of 102.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.New Bedford adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for New Bedford
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local New Bedford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,100 | Private avg: $48,000
New Bedford avg aid: $9,843/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$122,940
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$54,325
vs HS diploma in New Bedford
ROI Payback Period
2.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in New Bedford
$1,086,560
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,209,500) minus total education cost ($122,940)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in New Bedford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in New Bedford for Software Engineering
New Bedford State University
public
$15,984/yr
$63,936 total
University of New Bedford
public
$18,237/yr
$72,948 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
New Bedford Community College
$5,720/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in New Bedford
New Bedford offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key New Bedford Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$121K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$103K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$117K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$117K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$99K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$95K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$113K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$104K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in New Bedford
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$51K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in New Bedford — 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 New Bedford.