Software Engineering Degree in Rochester, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Rochester, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$92K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$134K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.6 yrs
in Rochester
Cost of Living
105
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Rochester, MN Overview
Rochester, Minnesota (pop. 121,395) has 8 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 105 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $933/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Rochester is approximately $92,400.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$8,930/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,715/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,803/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
63%
Software Engineering Salary in Rochester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rochester's cost of living index of 105 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Rochester adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Rochester
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Rochester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,930 | Private avg: $42,000
Rochester avg aid: $11,803/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,580
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$55,650
vs HS diploma in Rochester
ROI Payback Period
1.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rochester
$1,152,420
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,239,000) minus total education cost ($86,580)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Rochester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rochester for Software Engineering
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
private
$42,000/yr
$168,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rochester Community and Technical College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Rochester
Rochester offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rochester Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$85K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$89K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$95K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Duluth, MN
$88K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Bloomington, MN
$88K starting · COL 100.2
4 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$87K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$94K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$95K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Rochester
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$53K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Rochester — 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 Rochester.