by our College Data Analytics Team
[Software Engineering](/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong software engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for software engineering students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in software engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Snow College earned the #1 spot for value among software engineering schools in Utah. Located in the town of Ephraim, Snow College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,338 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,288. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,440 in student loans. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $42,776. Set against $10,440 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Utah Valley University earned it the #2 place for software engineering. Located in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,507, with out-of-state students paying around $18,489. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $14,563. Software Engineering graduates of Utah Valley University earn a median of $85,564 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Governors University earned it the #3 place for software engineering. Located in the suburb of Salt Lake City, Western Governors University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,658. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,277 in student loans. Software Engineering graduates of Western Governors University earn a median of $74,771 early in their careers. Set against $23,277 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Utah is a great value for students pursuing a degree in software engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Utah is a very large public school located in the city of Salt Lake City. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $19,375. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from University Of Utah generally make around $99,070. That is a strong return on a $19,375 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in software engineering will find it at Brigham Young University Provo, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Students borrow a median of $10,750 to complete the software engineering program here. Software Engineering graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of $88,785 early in their careers. Set against $10,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.