Software Engineering Degree in Virginia Beach, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Virginia Beach, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$77K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$113K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.8 yrs
in Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
88
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Virginia Beach, VA Overview
Virginia Beach, Virginia (pop. 459,470) has 13 colleges offering Software Engineering programs. The local cost of living index of 88 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $975/month. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Virginia Beach is approximately $77,440.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$11,210/yr
Private Tuition
$28,926/yr
Room & Board
$9,485/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,610/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
51%
Software Engineering Salary in Virginia Beach (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Virginia Beach's cost of living index of 88 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Virginia Beach adjustment factor: 0.88x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Virginia Beach
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering degree using local Virginia Beach tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,210 | Private avg: $28,926
Virginia Beach avg aid: $12,610/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$82,780
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$46,640
vs HS diploma in Virginia Beach
ROI Payback Period
1.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Virginia Beach
$955,620
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,038,400) minus total education cost ($82,780)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Virginia Beach
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Virginia Beach for Software Engineering
Regent University
private
$19,100/yr
$76,400 total
Virginia Wesleyan University
private
$38,752/yr
$155,008 total
Old Dominion University
public
$11,210/yr
$44,840 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tidewater Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Software Engineering in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Virginia Beach Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Software Engineering in Nearby Virginia Cities
Chesapeake, VA
$80K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$125K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$82K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$88K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$81K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$90K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$85K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$78K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Virginia Beach
Prompt Engineering
$44K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$84K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$75K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$44K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering Degree in Virginia Beach — 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 Virginia Beach.