DEBUG: Raw major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Initial offers_url = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json", major_slug = ""
DEBUG: After cleaning major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Before URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json"
DEBUG: After TrimSuffix = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json"
DEBUG: After HTTPS placeholder = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json"
DEBUG: After slash cleaning = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json"
DEBUG: After URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json"
DEBUG: offers_url = https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/offers.json
DEBUG: major_slug = ""
DEBUG: offers_url is valid, proceeding to fetch data
DEBUG: offers_data.offers found, count = 11
DEBUG: Specific major detected (cip4 = 14.09), keeping min_relevance at 0.8
DEBUG: Starting relevance filtering - min_relevance = 0.8, max_relevance = 1
DEBUG: Checking offer "Software Development & Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 1
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Software Development & Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 1)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Software Development & Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 1
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Software Development & Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" ACCEPTED (relevance 1)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Software Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 1
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Software Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 1)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Software Engineering Boot Camp (All Degree Levels)" with relevance 1
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Software Engineering Boot Camp (All Degree Levels)" ACCEPTED (relevance 1)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Software Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 1
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Software Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" ACCEPTED (relevance 1)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Computer Science (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Computer Science (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Computer Science (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Computer Science (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Computer Science (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Computer Science (I Have a Bachelors)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "BS in Computer Science - Software Engineering" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "BS in Computer Science - Software Engineering" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Electrical Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.6
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Electrical Engineering (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" REJECTED (relevance 0.6)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Electrical Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 0.6
DEBUG: ✗ Offer "Electrical Engineering (I Have a Bachelors)" REJECTED (relevance 0.6)
DEBUG: relevant_offers count = 9
DEBUG: relevant_offers > 0, checking for ESYOH offers
DEBUG: ESYOH filtering - found 8 ESYOH offers with relevance >= 0.8
DEBUG: esyoh_offers count = 8
DEBUG: ESYOH offers found, rendering ESYOH widget
DEBUG: most_relevant_only = true, filtering for most relevant
DEBUG: Found 5 offers with relevance >= 1.0
Best Schools for Software Engineering in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the software engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Software Engineering
Our analysis ranked California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo the best school in the country for a degree in software engineering. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public university. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates 86% of students within six years. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo awarded about 37 software engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo generally make around $111,560. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates carry a median of $20,556 in student loans.
Read more about the software engineering program at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
San Jose State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in software engineering, ranking #2. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public university. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 475 software engineering degrees were awarded at San Jose State University in the most recent year.
Get the full software engineering details for San Jose State University
University Of California Irvine came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best software engineering schools. University Of California Irvine is a very large public school located in the city of Irvine. University Of California Irvine graduates 87% of students within six years. About 111 software engineering degrees were awarded at University Of California Irvine in the most recent year. Graduates of the software engineering program make about $79,812 in their early career. University Of California Irvine graduates carry a median of $19,233 in student loans.
More information about a degree in software engineering from University Of California Irvine
Chapman University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in software engineering, ranking #4. Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. About 82% of students finish within six years. Chapman University awarded about 10 software engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their software engineering degree from Chapman University earn around $50,947 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,657 to complete this degree.
Read more about the software engineering program at Chapman University
A rank of #5 makes California State University San Marcos one of the top schools for software engineering. Located in the suburb of San Marcos, California State University San Marcos is a large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 55%. California State University San Marcos awarded about 36 software engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from California State University San Marcos generally make around $48,726. California State University San Marcos graduates carry a median of $17,527 in student loans.
More information about a degree in software engineering from California State University San Marcos
California State University Fullerton landed the #6 spot for software engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a very large public institution. California State University Fullerton graduates 70% of students within six years. About 75 software engineering degrees were awarded at California State University Fullerton in the most recent year. Students who receive their software engineering degree from California State University Fullerton earn around $84,047 in the first couple years of their career. California State University Fullerton graduates carry a median of $18,500 in student loans.
Get the full software engineering details for California State University Fullerton
California State University Northridge ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best software engineering schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Northridge. Roughly 57% of students complete a degree within six years here. California State University Northridge awarded about 12 software engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their software engineering degree from California State University Northridge earn around $75,692 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $19,548 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in software engineering from California State University Northridge
University Of California Merced ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best software engineering schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Merced. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 18 software engineering degrees were awarded at University Of California Merced in the most recent year. Graduates of the software engineering program make about $58,835 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $19,086 to complete this degree.
Get the full software engineering details for University Of California Merced
Ashford University placed #9 among the best software engineering schools. This very large private for-profit university is located in the city of San Diego. About 10% of students finish within six years. Ashford University awarded about 72 software engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Software Engineering graduates of Ashford University earn a median of $48,441 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $39,515.
More information about a degree in software engineering from Ashford University
California Baptist University landed the #10 spot for software engineering this year. California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Riverside. California Baptist University graduates 62% of students within six years. There were roughly 10 software engineering students who graduated with this degree at California Baptist University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the software engineering program make about $75,087 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
See the full software engineering program report for California Baptist University
