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Major · Engineering Technologies

Support software engineers with applied coding, testing, and deployment skills

Computer Software Technology/Technician is an applied-tech program that teaches programming, databases, user interfaces, and software testing — the work of supporting engineers who build applications. About 178 degrees are awarded annually across 17 colleges, split roughly between associate's and bachelor's completers.

Schools offering
17
Annual completions
178
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$74k

About this major

Computer Software Technology/Technician is an applied program focused on supporting the engineers who build software systems. Per the CIP definition, the curriculum covers programming and programming languages, databases, user interfaces, networking and warehousing, encryption and security, software testing and evaluation, and customization. In practice this means hands-on coursework — writing code in real stacks, configuring databases, building and testing small applications, and applying security practice — rather than the algorithmic theory and discrete mathematics at the core of a computer science degree. Lab and project time dominate the credit hours.

The major fits students who want to work with software but prefer applied building to abstract theory. Comfort with logic, attention to detail, and willingness to debug are more useful here than calculus or formal proofs. Because this is a technician-oriented program, it tends to reward students who like concrete deliverables — a working prototype, a passing test suite, a shipped configuration — over those drawn to research or pure mathematics. Both associate's and bachelor's levels exist, and the choice meaningfully affects both the starting job title and the earnings trajectory.

At 178 annual completions across 17 colleges, this is a small footprint — roughly 280 times smaller than Computer Science (50,272 completions). The occupational picture connected to the major is wide: software developers at a $133,080 median with 15.8% projected growth sit at the top, while engineering technologists (all other) at $77,390 represent the floor most directly accessible to associate's completers. Bachelor's completers in this major report median five-year earnings near $83,391, versus about $56,599 for associate's completers — a spread that reflects where each degree level actually lands in the job market.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Software developers $133k +15.8% Bachelor's degree
Software quality assurance analysts and testers $103k +10.0% Bachelor's degree
Computer programmers $99k -6.0% Bachelor's degree
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other $77k +1.5% Associate's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$74k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$57k

Bachelor's

$83k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you already enjoy writing code and configuring systems but feel out of place in a traditional computer science program heavy on proofs and algorithms, if your goal is a faster on-ramp to technician or junior-developer work through the associate's track — where median five-year earnings sit around $56,599 before any transfer — or if you plan to use the associate's as a transfer bridge into a four-year computing degree like computer science (50,272 annual completions) or computer software engineering (2,766). You may also fit if the software quality assurance and testing path appeals ($102,610 median, 10% projected growth), since this major's coursework in testing and evaluation lines up directly with that occupation.

Think twice if software developer is your clear target, since Computer Science graduates route to that $133,080-median role more directly and at much greater scale. Think twice if you are planning to stop at the associate's and expect developer-level wages — the data shows that pathway more often lands at the technician-tier $77,390 median for engineering technologists (all other), and the computer programmer occupation that sometimes fits these graduates is projected to shrink by 6%. Think twice also if the program near you has no established transfer agreement with a four-year computing degree; given the small 17-college footprint, transfer pathways vary widely, and an associate's without a clear bachelor's route can narrow the earnings ceiling.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Computer Software Technology/Technician

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT 0 63 63
Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OR 0 40 40
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX 0 25 25
University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC 12 0 12
University of Advancing Technology Tempe, AZ 5 5 10
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH 8 0 8
Rogue Community College Grants Pass, OR 6 0 6
Coconino Community College Flagstaff, AZ 6 0 6
Kellogg Community College Battle Creek, MI 4 0 4
Klamath Community College Klamath Falls, OR 2 0 2
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Computer Science

50,272 completions/yr

Information Technology

20,296 completions/yr

Computer Engineering, General

9,312 completions/yr

Computer Programming/Programmer, General

5,205 completions/yr

Computer Software Engineering

2,766 completions/yr

Industrial Technology/Technician

1,933 completions/yr

Informatics

1,513 completions/yr

Chemical Technology/Technician

1,095 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Computer Software Technology majors actually study day-to-day?
The curriculum covers programming languages, databases, user interface design, networking and warehousing, encryption and security, software testing and evaluation, and software customization. It is applied rather than theoretical — students spend time writing code, configuring stacks, and testing builds instead of working through algorithm proofs or formal theory. Because the program is built to support software engineers rather than replace them, lab and project work carries more weight than upper-division abstract mathematics.
Do I need a bachelor's, or is an associate's enough?
Both levels exist — the program lists associate's and bachelor's among its degree levels. The data shows a real earnings gap between them: associate's completers in this major report median five-year earnings of about $56,599, while bachelor's completers report roughly $83,391. For software developer roles specifically (BLS median $133,080), a bachelor's is the typical entry credential, so the associate's is more often a stepping stone into technician roles or a transfer pathway into a four-year computing degree.
What kinds of jobs do graduates actually end up in?
The crosswalked occupations span a wide earnings range. Software developers anchor the top at $133,080 median with 15.8% projected growth — the strongest signal. Software quality assurance analysts and testers come in at $102,610 with 10% growth. Computer programmers remain at $98,670 but with a -6% growth outlook, reflecting compiler and automation pressure on the role. Engineering technologists and technicians (all other) sit at $77,390 as a broader fallback destination.
How does this major compare to a Computer Science degree?
Computer Science (CIP 11.0701) has 50,272 annual completions versus 178 for this major — a scale difference of roughly 280x. That reflects a different positioning: CS is an academic-engineering degree built to produce software developers directly, while Software Technology is an applied-technician program with a smaller footprint. If software developer is the target occupation, CS is the much more common route. Software Technology fits students who want a shorter or more hands-on entry — especially via the associate's — or who plan to transfer into a CS or computer engineering bachelor's later.
Where are the programs actually located?
The footprint is small — 17 colleges, with completions concentrated at a handful of institutions. Western Governors University leads with 63 bachelor's completions, followed by Oregon Institute of Technology (40 bachelor's) and Sam Houston State University (25 bachelor's). On the associate's side, the University of the District of Columbia, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Rogue Community College, and Coconino Community College are the active feeders. Several of the associate's programs sit at community colleges with established transfer relationships to four-year computing degrees.
What if I like software but not the academic computer science path?
This major is essentially designed for that case. It strips out the theory-heavy parts of a CS degree and replaces them with applied coursework aimed at technician work — programming in real stacks, testing, security practice, and systems customization. The earnings tradeoff is real: associate's-level roles as engineering technologists sit around $77,390, well below software developer wages. Bachelor's completers report stronger outcomes ($83,391 median at five years), which narrows but does not close the gap. The major also routes cleanly into the 2,766 annual completions in Computer Software Engineering (CIP 14.0903) via transfer.