Software Engineering Degree in Seattle, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Seattle, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$106K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$154K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.9 yrs
in Seattle
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Seattle, WA Overview
Seattle, Washington (pop. 737,015) has 16 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 120 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,508/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Seattle is approximately $105,600.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$12,076/yr
Private Tuition
$49,119/yr
Room & Board
$18,145/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,675/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
68%
Software Engineering Salary in Seattle (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Seattle's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Seattle adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Seattle
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Seattle tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,076 | Private avg: $49,119
Seattle avg aid: $10,675/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$120,884
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$63,600
vs HS diploma in Seattle
ROI Payback Period
1.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Seattle
$1,295,116
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,416,000) minus total education cost ($120,884)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Seattle
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Seattle for Software Engineering
University of Washington
public
$12,076/yr
$48,304 total
Seattle University
private
$51,435/yr
$205,740 total
Seattle Pacific University
private
$46,803/yr
$187,212 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Seattle Central College
$4,479/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Seattle
Seattle offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Seattle Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Washington Cities
Spokane, WA
$106K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$99K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$95K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$157K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$102K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$104K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$108K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$108K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Seattle
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$114K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$102K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$96K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$60K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Seattle — 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 Seattle.