What do they do?
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Also known as:
Application Developer, Application Integration Engineer, Developer, DevOps Engineer (Development Operations Engineer), Infrastructure Engineer, Software Architect, Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, Software Engineer, Systems Engineer
No Data Available
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16.1%
Change
Ranks #46 in job growth rate20Job Openings
Ranks #60 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (52%)
- Master's degree (30%)
- Some college, no degree (7%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (4%)
- Associate's degree (4%)
- High school diploma equivalent (2%)
- Less than high school diploma (<1%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Software Developers
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#1
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Degrees Granted
184
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Female Students
45
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Male Students
139
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Median Starting Salary
$53,350
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#2
-
Degrees Granted
80
-
Female Students
22
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Male Students
58
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Median Starting Salary
$50,500
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#3
-
Degrees Granted
17
-
Female Students
1
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Male Students
16
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Median Starting Salary
$54,033
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#4
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Degrees Granted
10
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Female Students
1
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Male Students
9
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Median Starting Salary
$42,300
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Programming - Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Monitor computer system performance to ensure proper operation.
- Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.
- Develop testing routines or procedures.
- Manage information technology projects or system activities.
- Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.
- Coordinate software or hardware installation.
- Modify software programs to improve performance.
- Communicate project information to others.
- Assess database performance.
- Prepare data for analysis.
- Apply mathematical principles or statistical approaches to solve problems in scientific or applied fields.
- Design software applications.
- Develop performance metrics or standards related to information technology.
- Supervise information technology personnel.
- Provide technical support for software maintenance or use.
- Collaborate with others to resolve information technology issues.
- Assign duties or work schedules to employees.
- Teach others to use computer equipment or hardware.
This page includes data from:
Career data: O*NET 30.0 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
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