Diploma in Software Engineering

Junior Engineer

Junior engineers perform a wide range of entry-level operations, such as writing and maintaining code, debugging software, and helping to design software applications. Junior engineers typically start on a team and report to a more senior engineer, such as a team or manager.

In the United States, the average salary for a junior software engineer is around $100,915 per year, which includes additional pay estimates, such as bonuses and commissions.

Engineer

Engineers are typically more proficient coders than junior engineers and are familiar with more programming languages. They also have a greater understanding of the software development process and tend to play a greater role in the various stages of the software development life cycle.

The base pay for an engineer is $105,631 per year, with a total pay estimate of $120,435 per year.

Senior Engineer

Senior engineers are involved with every step of the software development life cycle. As expert-level programmers, they are responsible for writing and testing high-level code, reviewing the code of others, and resolving programming issues as needed. They coordinate with team members and project stakeholders in order to evaluate the status of their project, identify potential risks, and develop solutions. Senior engineers are also responsible for mentoring junior engineers and helping them grow.

The average base pay for a senior software engineer is $144,181 per year, and it can be as high as $139,800 based on geographical location and employer.

Team Leader/Engineering Manager

The first level of the management track is the role of engineering manager. As the name implies, engineering managers oversee all aspects of their team, including job performance, project deadlines, team morale, and other conventional duties.

The estimated base pay for an engineering manager is $221,585 per year. Total pay can go as high as $220,742 based on contributing factors, such as geographic location and additional pay.

VP of Engineering

The VP of engineering is an executive-level position that oversees the entire engineering department. As such, their responsibilities include high-level operations and decision-making. The VP of engineering reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and works with both the CTO and other C-suite executives on critical company decisions.

The salary for a VP of engineering varies from company to company. The average estimated salary is $279,076 per year and can go as high as $267,994 per year.

Freelance or Contract

Instead of IC or management, software engineers can choose to go the freelance route. Freelancers often perform the same hands-on job responsibilities as individual contributors, though their career paths will look different. For instance, because they’re not permanent staff, a freelancer can’t be promoted to a new position and earn higher pay. Instead, freelancers can acquire more clients. They can also bolster their skill set to secure more complex, higher-paying contracts. It’s more work, but it’s also more freedom and flexibility.

The median salary for a freelance software engineer is $104,766 per year. That amount can rise or fall significantly, depending on factors such as how much work a freelancer wishes to take on

Front-End Engineer

Front-end (or client-side) engineers design, develop, build, and maintain user interfaces (UI) using common programming languages such as JavaScript and CSS.

In the U.S., the average base salary for a front-end engineer is $127,038 per year, and can go as high as $123,082 per year depending on geographical location and employer.

Back-End Engineer

Back-end engineers write server-side scripts and application programming interfaces (APIs) that ensure the functionality of websites and applications. Daily tasks include server optimization, security, and data handling.

The average total salary for a back-end engineer is $126,594 per year, which includes additional pay and incentives, such as cash bonuses and commissions.

Full-Stack Engineer

Full-stack engineers possess the technical skills of both front-end and back-end engineers. As such, they handle both client-side and server-side responsibilities.

The average salary for a full-stack engineer is $120,724 per year and can go as high as $123,184 based on geographical location and employer.

QA Engineer

A quality assurance (QA) engineer is responsible for analyzing software and identifying any issues, bugs, or errors. They are involved in virtually every phase of the software development life cycle, ensuring the software meets all company requirements and validating the final product.

The average salary for a QA engineer is $86,107 per year, and it can be as high as $86,048 based on your geographical location and your employer.

Data Engineer

A data engineer’s primary responsibility is to convert raw data into information that is easily accessed and analyzed. To achieve this goal, date engineers develop software systems that can compile, manage, and transform data into actionable information.

In the U.S., the average yearly salary for data engineers is $110,653 and can go as high as $120,146 per year.

Mobile Developer

Mobile developers design and build software programs for smartphones and other mobile devices using tools and technologies such as JAVA and ReAct.

The average estimated salary for a mobile developer is $98,819 per year. The estimate for total pay goes as high as $113,126, depending on additional factors such as location and additional pay.

DevOps Engineer

DevOps engineers utilize their proficiencies in programming and engineering to create systems, tools, and methodologies designed to improve technologies used within a company.

The estimated total pay for a DevOps engineer is $131,953, which includes additional pay estimates such as bonuses and other cash incentives.

Technical Skills

To grow in your career as a software engineer, you’ll need the following technical skills:

Object-Oriented Programming

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming model that uses objects, or data, as the primary source of implementation. OOP allows programmers to create code that is modular, reusable, scalable, easy to debug, and secure. Common OOP programming languages include Python, C++, and Java.

Algorithms and Data Structures

Algorithms and data structures are the heart of computer programming. Using well-defined data structures and the right algorithm to perform a specific task or solve a specific problem will ensure your code is lean and efficient, saving you time and space.

Testing and Debugging

Testing and debugging software ensure its quality and functionality before release. Exact testing processes are often company-specific, but the most effective testing methodologies are the same regardless of organization. Those methods are unit testing, integration testing, and system testing.

Soft Skills

No software engineer is an island. You’ll be interacting with others daily, so strong interpersonal and social skills are a must. Master these essential soft skills to become a more effective software engineer:

Problem Solving

Whether it’s broken code or a broken line of communication, life as a software engineer is beset by problems and challenges. The better you are at analyzing those problems and creating workable solutions, the more indispensable you’ll become.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking goes hand-in-hand with problem-solving. Strong critical thinking skills allow you to analyze a problem from multiple vantage points and develop more than one solution.

Communication

Software engineers regularly interact with others. As such, strong communication skills are paramount. To be an effective communicator, you should speak with clarity and listen with intent.

Flexibility

Engineers who are open-minded and flexible are willing to embrace new ideas and concepts. They understand that even if a new approach fails, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the experience. Being flexible will help develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, it will make you a better teammate, someone who’s easier to work with, and will lead to more career opportunities.

Patience

Practicing patience with yourself will help you think critically and problem-solve more effectively. Practicing patience with others will also make you a better teammate, communicator, and collaborator. Being impatient with yourself or with others will only lead to frustration, anger, and/or anxiety, which will result in careless mistakes and more frustration. Avoid the negative feedback loop by practicing patience whenever you can.

A Diploma of Software Engineering provides the technical and theoretical foundations to start out in the industry. These include the fundamentals of algorithm and data structure design, software engineering project management and ethical development and research practices.

This course offers fundamentals in software engineer knowledge and skills. You will explore the field of software engineering, developing the fundamentals of algorithm and data structure design, software engineering project management, and ethical development and research practices. The structure of this diploma in software development consists of a common software engineering core, specialization and elective subjects, allowing you to sharpen your technical skills, industry knowledge and proficiency in developing functioning applications.

• Master the fundamentals of programming languages.
• Construct mathematical solutions to common software engineering problems.
• Understand data structure design and implementation.
• Uphold ethical software engineering practices.
• Explore the algorithms of software engineering solutions.