Best Software Developer programs in Michigan, ranked by enrollment
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs.
55 schools in Michigan run programs that feed this job, graduating 4,073 people a year. The job pays a median of $125,570 in Michigan across about 43,460 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Michigan that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
17 programs in Michigan that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Michigan (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Michigan page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0103In Michigan → | 765 | 18.8% | 17 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 2 | CIP 11.0401In Michigan → | 742 | 18.2% | 10 | $57,313 | $25,833 |
| 3 | CIP 11.0701In Michigan → | 740 | 18.2% | 25 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0901In Michigan → | 697 | 17.1% | 14 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 5 | CIP 30.7001In Michigan → | 401 | 9.8% | 11 | — | — |
| 6 | CIP 11.0201In Michigan → | 307 | 7.5% | 20 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0202In Michigan → | 116 | 2.8% | 6 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 8 | CIP 14.0903In Michigan → | 105 | 2.6% | 5 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 9 | CIP 11.0102In Michigan → | 74 | 1.8% | 5 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 10 | CIP 30.0801In Michigan → | 54 | 1.3% | 5 | $89,651 | $23,175 |
| 11 | CIP 11.0204In Michigan → | 21 | 0.5% | 3 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 12 | CIP 11.0205In Michigan → | 15 | 0.4% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 13 | CIP 11.0804In Michigan → | 14 | 0.3% | 2 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 14 | CIP 11.0104In Michigan → | 7 | 0.2% | 2 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 15 | CIP 11.0203In Michigan → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 16 | CIP 11.0902In Michigan → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 17 | CIP 15.1204In Michigan → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
Top 25 schools in Michigan
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 15 of the 55 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,192 | Information Science/Studies | $88,515 | 93% | — | 16% |
| 2 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 557 | Information Technology | $53,539 | 59% | — | 90% |
| 3 | Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Public · 5 feeder programs | 288 | Computer Science | $69,910 | 68% | — | 92% |
| 4 | University of Michigan - Dearborn Dearborn, MI Public · 6 feeder programs | 231 | Computer Engineering, General | $79,022 | 58% | — | 56% |
| 5 | Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 141 | Computer Science | $67,392 | 61% | $32,679 | 56% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 129 | Computer Science | $60,979 | 58% | — | 85% |
| 7 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 127 | Computer Science | — | 46% | — | 80% |
| 8 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · 5 feeder programs | 117 | Data Science, General | — | 67% | — | 83% |
| 9 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 111 | Information Technology | $66,537 | 58% | — | 88% |
| 10 | DSDT Detroit, MI Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 103 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | — | 41% | $24,540 | — |
| 11 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 82 | Information Science/Studies | — | 58% | — | 81% |
| 12 | Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 77 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 33% | — | — |
| 13 | Kettering University Flint, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 76 | Computer Science | $83,751 | 71% | $30,880 | 79% |
| 14 | Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 74 | Computer Software Engineering | — | 21% | — | — |
| 15 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Computer Engineering, General | $83,934 | 81% | — | 85% |
| 16 | Walsh College Troy, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 61 | Information Technology | $54,929 | — | — | — |
| 17 | Davenport University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Computer Science | $60,031 | 57% | $22,126 | 98% |
| 18 | University of Michigan - Flint Flint, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 48 | Computer Science | $53,907 | 40% | — | 70% |
| 19 | Macomb Community College Warren, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 47 | Information Technology | — | 18% | — | — |
| 20 | Schoolcraft Community College District Livonia, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 42 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 18% | — | — |
| 21 | Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Computer Science | $73,145 | 74% | $22,391 | 71% |
| 22 | Baker College Owosso, MI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 39 | Computer Science | $67,839 | 36% | $15,493 | 82% |
| 23 | Wayne County Community College District Detroit, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 39 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 22% | — | — |
| 24 | Mott Community College Flint, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 37 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 32% | — | — |
| 25 | University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 34 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 67% | $16,109 | 75% |
All 55 schools in Michigan
Every school in Michigan with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Public | 1,192 | 5 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant | Public | 557 | 3 |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton | Public | 288 | 5 |
| University of Michigan - Dearborn | Dearborn | Public | 231 | 6 |
| Lawrence Technological University | Southfield | Private not-for-profit | 141 | 7 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo | Public | 129 | 3 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti | Public | 127 | 4 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Public | 117 | 5 |
| Oakland University | Rochester Hills | Public | 111 | 2 |
| DSDT | Detroit | Private for-profit | 103 | 3 |
| Wayne State University | Detroit | Public | 82 | 3 |
| Washtenaw Community College | Ann Arbor | Public | 77 | 4 |
| Kettering University | Flint | Private not-for-profit | 76 | 2 |
| Oakland Community College | Auburn Hills | Public | 74 | 2 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | Public | 64 | 1 |
What software developers earn in Michigan
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $135,980. Michigan pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Michigan
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Software Developers page.
How to become a Software Developer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Michigan
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 20 majors mapped to Software Developers20 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0102Artificial Intelligence
- 11.0103Information Technology
- 11.0104Informatics
- 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- 11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
- 11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
- 11.0204Computer Game Programming
- 11.0205Computer Programming, Specific Platforms
- 11.0401Information Science/Studies
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- 11.0902Cloud Computing
- 14.0901Computer Engineering, General
- 14.0903Computer Software Engineering
- 15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
- 30.0801Mathematics and Computer Science
- 30.1601Accounting and Computer Science
- 30.3901Economics and Computer Science
- 30.4801Linguistics and Computer Science
- 30.7001Data Science, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing software developers programs in Michigan.
What degree do you need to become a Software Developer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Information Technology, which awarded 765 degrees in Michigan in 2024-25, 18.8% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Software Developer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 17 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer and Information Sciences, Computer Engineering, Information Science/Studies, Computer Science, plus 6 more. Together they graduate about 4,073 people a year in Michigan.
How much do software developers earn in Michigan?+
The median is $125,570 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 7.7% below the U.S. median of $135,980. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for software developers growing?+
BLS projects a +15.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 115,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Michigan?+
55 institutions in Michigan reported graduates from at least one of the 17 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do software developers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Developer, Software Engineer, Software Architect, Software Developer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1252.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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