Computer Software Engineering Career,Job and Employment Information

Computer software engineers are projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations from 2002 to 2012. Rapid employment growth in the computer systems design and related services industry, which employs the greatest number of computer software engineers, should result in highly favorable opportunities for those college graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Employers will continue to seek computer professionals with strong programming, systems analysis, interpersonal, and business skills.

Despite the recent downturn in information technology, employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations, as businesses and other organizations adopt and integrate new technologies and seek to maximize the efficiency of their computer systems. Job growth will not be as rapid as during the previous decade however, as the software industry begins to mature and as routine software engineering work is increasingly outsourced overseas. Competition among businesses will continue to create an incentive for increasingly sophisticated technological innovations, and organizations will need more computer software engineers to implement these changes. In addition to jobs created through employment growth, many job openings will result annually from the need to replace workers who move into managerial positions, transfer to other occupations, or leave the labor force.

Demand for computer software engineers will increase as computer networking continues to grow. For example, the expanding integration of Internet technologies and the explosive growth in electronic commerce—doing business on the Internet—have resulted in rising demand for computer software engineers who can develop Internet, intranet, and World Wide Web applications. Likewise, expanding electronic data-processing systems in business, telecommunications, government, and other settings continue to become more sophisticated and complex. Growing numbers of systems software engineers will be needed to implement, safeguard, and update systems and resolve problems. Consulting opportunities for computer software engineers also should continue to grow as businesses seek help to manage, upgrade, and customize their increasingly complex computer systems.

Career In Software Engineering

Historical Earnings Information

In 2002, the median salaries received by computer applications software engineers annually, who hired as full time workers were around $70,900. The middle 50 percent received salaries that lay between $55,510 and $88,660. The lowest 10 percent earned below $44,830, while the highest 10 percent received above $109,800. In 2002, the median salaries paid by the industries that hired the largest numbers of computer applications software engineers on an annual basis were:


Software publishers - $76,450
Navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing - $75,890
Computer systems design and related services - $71,890
Architectural, engineering, and related services - $70,090
Management of companies and enterprises - $67,260
In 2002, the median salaries received by computer systems software engineers annually, who were hired on a full time basis, were around $74,040. The middle 50 percent received salaries that lay between $58,500 and $91,160. The lowest 10 percent received waged which were below $45,890, while the highest 10 percent received wages above 111,600. In 2002, the industries which hired the largest numbers of computer systems software engineers paid median annual salaries like shown below:


Scientific research and development services - $82,270
Software publishers - $77,120
Navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing - $76,200
Computer systems design and related services - $73,460
Wired telecommunications carriers - $68,510
In a 2003, salary survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, computer engineers with a bachelor’s degree were offered starting wages of $51,343 on an average, and those with a master’s degree earned around $64,200. Graduate students with a bachelor’s degree in computer science received $47,109 as salaries on an average.

In a Robert Half International salary survey in 2003, software engineers in software development received starting offers that lay between $64,250 to $97,000.

Apart from the usual benefits and job perks, computer software engineers may also be given the option of sharing company profits and stock and be provided with a company car with a mileage allowance.
Source:http://www.careeroverview.com/computer-software-engineering-careers.html