Becoming a software engineer takes resilience, dedication, and tons of practice. That’s because software engineers go on to do really important work, like developing the software systems that run everything from smartphones to governments.
There are quite a few steps in the process of becoming a software engineer. We’ll walk you through the process and also:
- Answer the questions “What is a software engineer?” and “How long does it take to become a software engineer?”
- Explain how much a software engineer makes
- Discuss the employment outlook for software engineers
- Go over the five key steps to becoming a software engineer, including potential educational paths
- Look at three universities with top programs for software engineering
Ready? Let’s go!


