Software Engineering

Software engineers—often referred to simply as computer engineers—use computer science and mathematical analysis to design and develop multimedia games, word processing, business applications, and operating systems used on personal and business computers. Those interested in the field should be prepared to spend long hours in front of a computer, as 17 percent of software engineers work more than 50 hours a week. At a minimum, software engineers should have a bachelor's degree in an engineering or computer science-related field, as well as real world experience with a number of different computer systems and technologies. Advancement opportunities for those in the field are excellent as software engineers are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations over the next decade. The average salaries for software engineers are $62,830 to $98,470 a year.