Software Engineering Degree in Orlando, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Orlando, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$84K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$123K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.3 yrs
in Orlando
Cost of Living
96
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Orlando, FL Overview
Orlando, Florida (pop. 307,573) has 16 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 96 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $804/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Orlando is approximately $84,480.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$6,368/yr
Private Tuition
$44,990/yr
Room & Board
$9,733/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,728/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
75%
Software Engineering Salary in Orlando (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Orlando's cost of living index of 96 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Orlando adjustment factor: 0.96x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Orlando
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Orlando tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,368 | Private avg: $44,990
Orlando avg aid: $11,728/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$64,404
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$50,880
vs HS diploma in Orlando
ROI Payback Period
1.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Orlando
$1,068,396
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,132,800) minus total education cost ($64,404)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Orlando
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Orlando for Software Engineering
University of Central Florida
public
$6,368/yr
$25,472 total
Rollins College
private
$44,990/yr
$179,960 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Valencia College
$3,110/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Orlando
Orlando offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Orlando Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Florida Cities
Jacksonville, FL
$103K starting · COL 117
35 colleges
Miami, FL
$86K starting · COL 98
12 colleges
Tampa, FL
$89K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$85K starting · COL 97
22 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$69K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$87K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$78K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Cape Coral, FL
$86K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Orlando
Prompt Engineering
$48K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$91K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$79K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$48K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Orlando — 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 Orlando.