How to become a software developer without a degree

Many careers in the tech industry require applicants with strong job-specific technical skills. Various employers in the field are realizing that you don’t necessarily need a college degree to perform well in roles like computer programmer or software developer. As a result, you can now land software engineering jobs without a degree.

Due to the fast-growing number of software applications, there is a high demand for talent in the field of software engineering. Additionally, employers are increasingly more concerned with applicants’ skills than their educational qualifications. In this article, you will learn about the best ways to land software engineering jobs with no degree. 

Find Your Bootcamp Match

• Career Karma matches you with top tech bootcamps
• Access exclusive scholarships and prep courses

Select your interest
First name

Last name

Email

Phone number

By continuing you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and you consent to receive offers and opportunities from Career Karma by telephone, text message, and email.

What Education Do You Need to Get a Software Engineer Job?

Historically, the education requirements for a software engineer job have included a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Programming, Mathematics, or a similar field. While some hiring managers still prefer a four-year degree, many consider a coding bootcamp education as an acceptable alternative. 

Why College Is Not for Everyone

There are many reasons why college may not be a viable or effective option for you. Not all career skills can be learned well in an academic environment. Traditional learning systems may be useful in some fields, but trade schools and coding bootcamps are popular for a reason. 

Another crucial factor is the cost of a college education. Even if you land a high-paying job after graduation, dealing with student debt can make your life very difficult. Most bachelor’s degree programs also require four years of study, which means it will be a long time before you can enter the job market. 

This is why many students hoping to start a career path in software engineering turn to coding bootcamps. Coding bootcamps cost less than a college degree and prioritize in-demand skills to get you ready for an entry-level job in the tech field in only a few months.

Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Software Engineer Job?

A coding bootcamp can help you land a job as a software engineer. These programs have grown in popularity in recent years due to their ability to produce job-ready tech employees. The programs start from scratch with basic coding skills and cover all the topics you will encounter in your career as a software engineer. 

Coding bootcamps use a hands-on learning method to provide practical experience. Before the program ends, bootcamp graduates will have a portfolio to show potential employers the extent of their abilities. 

High-Paying Software Engineer Jobs Without a College Degree

*Job outlook information is from the BLS listing for computer and information research scientists.

**Job outlook information is from the BLS listing for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers.

Best Software Engineer Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree: A Closer Look

A coding bootcamp is the most popular way to land development, data science, and software engineer jobs without a degree. Below, we list some of the highest-paying tech jobs you can land without a college degree, as well as which bootcamp program can help you get started. 

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers create algorithms and programs that allow machines to act autonomously. A good example of their work is a customized news feed or a self-driving car. To thrive as a machine learning engineer, you need to understand data structures, computability, algorithms, and computer architecture. 

These experts are also responsible for producing project outcomes and isolating the issues to be resolved. They also use mathematical skills to perform computations required for algorithms to function properly.

How Can Springboard Help You Become a Machine Learning Engineer?

Springboard offers a machine learning bootcamp for students with experience in software engineering or data science. This six-month online program allows you to build a unique portfolio designed to attract potential employers. You’ll study machine learning models, deep learning, computer vision, and image processing.

Game Engineer

Game engineers are software developers who create video games. Their primary responsibility is the game design process. Game engineers collaborate with other professionals such as programmers, engineers, and designers to complete the functional and visual aspects of a video game.

These professionals also ensure that visual elements of a game are well designed to work on different hardware pieces. In some cases, these experts work independently to build smaller games. However, most work for larger tech companies to produce high-performance games for consoles. 

How Can General Assembly Help You Become a Game Engineer?

General Assembly’s full-time software engineering bootcamp provides a comprehensive curriculum. You’ll master object oriented programming, multiple frameworks, and other essential technologies. You’ll get a chance to work on various projects to practice your new skills, which some students have used as an opportunity to create online games to add to their portfolio. 

Big Data Engineer 

Big data engineers are responsible for building systems for collecting, managing, and converting raw data into useful information for business analysts and data scientists. The main responsibility of these experts is making data accessible when needed by organizations to check business performance and optimize it. 

They are also responsible for developing algorithms to transform data and acquire datasets useful to the company. Additionally, they maintain pipeline architecture, ensure compliance with security policies and data governance, and create data analysis tools and data validation methods. 

How Can Metis Help You Become a Big Data Engineer?

Metis is a school that specializes in all things data science. You can choose between four bootcamp programs: data analytics, data science, data engineering, and data science and machine learning. 

The data engineering course includes five projects to give you plenty of hands-on practice. Metis programs also include a full week of job preparation to help launch your tech career after graduation. 

Site Reliability Engineer

The site reliability engineer creates a bridge between the operations and development departments. They apply software engineering skills to system administration issues, and their time is split between developing systems, operations, and software development to increase the site’s performance and reliability. 

These professionals are hired to automate jobs in most cases. They accomplish this by building self-service tools such as statistics visualization, logs, and test environments. Their work makes other developers work less and focus on more important tasks since some can be automated. 

How Can Simplilearn Help You Become a Site Reliability Engineer?

Simplilearn offers a wide range of online courses and bootcamp programs. You can enroll in the full stack developer program if you want a comprehensive education in software development, but the school also offers courses in automation, DevOps, business, leadership, and quality management.

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

These professionals are responsible for building and implementing software for embedded systems and devices. They also contribute to system stability and efficiency by analyzing and monitoring system performance. Since this is a senior position, software engineers may take some time to advance.

Senior embedded software engineers manage software version control, use tools such as SCons, and build environments to automate different processes. They also create databases to manage test requests and perform software releases for clinical studies and product validation. 

How Can Flatiron School Help You Become a Senior Embedded Software Engineer?

Flatiron School is a well-known bootcamp that can help you master the skills you need to become a software engineer in as little as 15 weeks. You can choose between the part-time and full-time program and study online or in-person. The software engineering bootcamp goes over JavaScript, ReactJS, Ruby, databases, and API servers. It finishes with a capstone project. 

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Mobile Engineer

Mobile engineers are responsible for developing, designing, and implementing software programs for mobile devices. In most cases, their software is suitable for different operating systems such as iOS and Android. Mobile engineers work with designers, analysts, and engineers to create mobile software.

They create detailed plans and specifications and debug, test, and write code. They also use data-driven insight during the development process to satisfy the needs of the users. Additionally, mobile engineers are involved in the entire development process, from conception to rollout and launch.

How Can Devmountain Help You Become a Mobile Engineer?

If you want to specialize in mobile development, Devmountain offers an iOS development bootcamp. You can attend in person or online and choose between the full-time and part-time scheduling options. The 16-week program goes into languages like Objective-C and Swift, as well as tools like Github and Xcode. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to create complex apps for Apple products. 

Cyber Security Engineer

These professionals are also known as information security engineers. They are responsible for identifying vulnerabilities and threats in software and systems. Cyber security engineers also develop and implement high-tech solutions to prevent malware, ransomware, and hacking. They handle security procedures and policies. 

Cyber security engineers also develop trusted systems, perform assessments, manage security technology, and perform penetration testing. They also work on intrusion systems and develop secure network solutions to prevent cyberattacks. 

How Can Kenzie Academy Help You Become a Cyber Security Engineer?

Kenzie Academy offers an online cyber security certificate program. It lasts for nine months and students can attend live classes or work from recordings on their own schedule. Some of the topics covered include network security controls, data security, ethical hacking, computer forensics, and cyber threats and countermeasures. 

Front End Software Engineer 

Front end software engineers are responsible for writing code to create different visual aspects and interfaces of software, websites, and apps. They work on the components and features that can be viewed and accessed by the end user. 

Front end software engineers work on the client side of the website or app. They are also called front end coders, client-side developers, and UI developers. Front end software engineers need to have strong skills with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. 

How Can Nucamp Help You Become a Front End Software Engineer?

Nucamp’s 17-week Front End Web and Mobile Developer Bootcamp provides the hands-on experience you’ll need to land web developer jobs. It is offered online on a self-paced schedule during the week with live workshops every weekend where you can get expert assistance. Some of the technologies you’ll work with include Bootstrap, React, Google Cloud, and Git. 

VR Engineer

Virtual reality (VR) engineers are responsible for creating virtual reality products with software design, 3D development, and programming languages like C++. These professionals work on VR projects and collaborate with other experts in engineering and science. They are responsible for analyzing, designing, developing, and debugging VR prototypes. 

How Can Holberton School Help You Become a VR Engineer?

Holberton School offers various software development programs, including one that specializes in augmented and virtual reality. AR/VR is a very in-demand skill for many major gaming companies. You’ll learn essential tools like Unity3D, ARKit, ShaderGraph, and C#, as well as build a VR game you can put on your portfolio. 

QA Engineer 

QA engineers test and handle quality management of software before they are released to the public. These experts find bugs and potential issues with the software. They also perform testing during the development process.

These professionals collaborate with others on the software development team to document and test the application to ensure that it is in good working order before it is released to the public. The primary responsibility of the QA engineer is to ensure that the application complies with regulatory standards and the company’s requirements.

How Can Careerist Help You Become a QA Engineer?

Careerist offers a QA automation program that will train you to build your own algorithms from scratch. During your 15-week online bootcamp, you’ll have access to one-on-one mentorship, interactive training, and experience a short internship to give you real-life experience. Some of the technologies you’ll study include Selenium for UI testing and Python. 

What Skills Do You Need to Land a High-Paying Software Engineer Job Without a Degree?

If you want to succeed in the tech sector without attending college, you’ll need to develop an impressive skillset to impress hiring managers. Some of the top skills for a software engineering job are detailed below. 

Software Testing

As a software engineer, you will be responsible for testing the software and repairing any broken code. This facilitates the software’s deployment. When a software product is developed, software engineers subject the code to various tests to detect bugs and vulnerabilities. It is critical to test the software because bugs can degrade its performance.

To land a software engineer job, you must be familiar with testing frameworks for the most popular programming languages. To develop this technical skill, you must first learn the fundamentals of integration testing, unit testing, and system testing. This skill can increase your value to a prospective employer while also making salary negotiations easier.

Computer Programming

While it is true that software engineers do not spend their entire day writing code, it is necessary to have this skill. Even if they are not writing code, they may need to check and test it to ensure that it meets the required standard. To work as a software engineer, you must be familiar with programming languages such as Ruby, C++, Java, and Python.

Some employers may also prefer someone who knows about programming fundamentals such as data structure and algorithms. These programming skills can be developed independently or by enrolling in a coding bootcamp.

Networking

Software engineers need to have a solid understanding of networking. This is because most of the projects you will create will include network components. Additionally, client-server applications require networking skills to connect users to the server and grant them access to your software.

This process can be confusing for software engineers without this skill because it involves several protocols. The software will not function optimally if a single step is skipped or the proper gateways are not in place to assist clients in querying the server.

Databases

Solid knowledge of databases is also important to land a software engineering job. This is because databases are essential parts of app and software development. You may be required to handle some database administration functions such as creating, updating, storing, modifying, and inserting records. 

Regardless of your role in an organization, you need to understand this skill. You don’t need to work in the cyber security or system administration departments to know it. One important programming language in this area is SQL. It is used for database management, and you can learn the skill by practicing SQL queries.

Encryption and Cryptography

You must also be proficient in cryptography and encryption. Cybercriminals are constantly searching for software vulnerabilities. This is why you’ll need the skills to provide sophisticated security systems for both your software and your users. Encryption skills enable you to limit network or system access and ensure that third parties do not intercept valuable data.

Cryptography skills help you protect data transmission and secure databases over a network. Having these key skills will give you an advantage when applying for software engineering jobs. Employers prefer someone who can guarantee that their software will be safe from cybercriminals.

How to Get a Software Engineer Job With a GED

With rising university costs, many students wonder how to get a software engineer job without a degree. Once you have your GED, you are well on your way to finding work in the tech sector. All you have to do is develop the right software engineer skills, gain some relevant experience, and build your portfolio. 

Set Goals

The first step in getting a software engineer job with a GED is to set goals for yourself. It can be overwhelming to transition into a new career, but it is easier to navigate with the right goals. Make a full commitment and set a realistic timeline. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remembering your short-term goals can give you the motivation you need to keep going.

Choose a Programming Language 

The next step is to choose a programming language to start with. It helps to choose a popular language such as Python, C++, or Java. Once you have mastered one programming language, others will become easier to learn. You can then focus on learning to use new frameworks and technologies. 

You do not need to learn every single programming language to thrive as a software engineer. If you want to learn only in-demand programming languages, you can search for programming languages in job descriptions that employers value the most. Indeed is a good resource for this. 

Choose a Learning Method

When you’ve decided on a programming language to begin with, the next step is to select a learning method. There are many options when it comes to learning what you need to become a software engineer. 

You have the option of learning online or in person. There are online self-paced courses available, as well as coding bootcamps. Bootcamps may be ideal for complete beginners because they are comprehensive and offer more depth than online courses. 

Practice and Collaborate

You should practice as much as possible to learn strong programming skills and the fundamentals of software engineering. If you decide to take an online course, you may need to learn how to read code from other professionals. For documentation, you can search GitHub repositories. Code challenges are also a great way to practice your skills. 

If you attend a coding bootcamp, you will certainly be involved in hands-on projects to help you build your portfolio. It will be easier to understand the workings of a program for debugging and other purposes if you learn to read code.

Build Personal Projects 

Regardless of your learning method, you must create personal projects. Don’t just rely on videos and tutorials to show you what to do. Learn to solve problems because you will face them as a software engineer. Staying on your toes in this manner will demonstrate to a potential employer that you are eager to learn and improve. 

Sometimes it can be hard to stay focused when you’re attending an online school. Working with others in the same field is beneficial because it is easier to stay motivated when you have a supportive community.

What Do Software Engineer Jobs Pay?

ZipRecruiter states that software engineers get an average annual salary of  $102,297.

The salary of a software engineer can vary depending on the location and nature of the business. 

The type of employment contract you have may also influence how much you can earn on the job. In general, a skilled software engineer will have plenty of opportunities to land a high-paying full-time job with good benefits. 

Companies That Offer Entry-Level Software Engineer Jobs

You can find entry-level software engineer jobs with no degree at some of the most influential tech companies in the field. If you are able to develop impressive technical skills and build a strong resume, you can find work in the following companies.

• Microsoft: This multinational corporation based in the United States manufactures consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company often has entry-level positions available for software engineers.
• Google: Google is another well-known multinational corporation that offers Internet-related products and services. Some of the services include online advertising, cloud computing, search engines, and the creation of software and hardware. 
• General Motors: This company focuses on automotive manufacturing and hires entry-level software engineers and other tech professionals in its research and development facility. 
• Revature: Revature is not like the other tech companies mentioned above. Instead, this American company focuses on hiring college graduates and teaching them software skills before deploying them to work with their government and corporate clients.
• IBM: Also known as International Business Machines, IBM is an American multinational corporation that offers cognitive solutions and cloud platforms. 

Where to Find Software Engineer Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree

Once you get your GED, high school diploma, or bootcamp certificate, you’ll likely be wondering where to get a software engineering job without a degree. For most students, the best place to start is online job boards. You can search for jobs based on location, amount of experience, and required educational background. 

Indeed

Indeed is a useful resource to find engineer jobs that don’t require a degree. The employment website lists available jobs in the US. This job board collects job postings from various sources and allows users to search for specific jobs. The service is free, and the job search can be narrowed down to only jobs that do not require a bachelor’s degree.

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn is a professional networking site that caters to both job seekers and professionals. LinkedIn’s services include a job board where users can find job postings that do not require a college degree to apply for. Recruiters can also use it to find qualified candidates for open positions.

ZipRecruiter 

ZipRecruiter is a job board and American employment marketplace that posts open positions throughout the United States. It connects job seekers with recruiters and employers by utilizing AI-driven matching technology. You can also use this website to look for jobs in software engineering that do not require a degree.

Dice.com

Dice.com is a tech job board that has over 4.6 million users. You can search for open jobs by location, company, job title, skill, level of experience, and more. It gathers jobs from 130 social sites to ensure it always has the most up-to-date information. You can also get job interview tips, salary information, and resume and cover letter support. 

Angel.co

This job board specializes in tech startup jobs that are difficult to find on other platforms. You can search among over 130,000 remote and local jobs for tech workers at all stages of their careers. You can also upload your resume so recruiters can find you based on your skills. 

Consider a Software Engineer Degree Later in Your Career

You can land software engineering jobs without a degree. However, you can still pursue a degree later in your software engineering career to supplement your qualifications and knowledge. This demonstrates to potential employers that you are eager to learn more and broaden your knowledge.

Getting a degree later in your career can also help you advance to managerial positions or negotiate a higher salary. There are various online and flexible degree degree programs at all levels so you can study without having to leave the workforce.  

Software Engineer Jobs Without a Degree FAQ

Can you get a software engineer job without a degree?

Yes, you can get a software engineer job without a degree. Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with hard and soft skills rather than a degree. Attending a coding bootcamp can help you gain the necessary skills to work as a software engineer without a degree.

Where can you learn software engineering skills?

You can learn software engineering skills online or in a traditional school setting. There are a lot of online resources to guide you, and you can also choose to attend a coding bootcamp to learn the technical skills needed to land an entry-level job.

Is it easy to get a software engineer job without a degree?

It is not easy to get a software engineer job without a degree, because many employers prioritize applicants with impressive educational qualifications. However, gaining relevant work experience or industry certifications can help you prove your skills and impress employers. 

Can you get a job as a software engineer with a computer engineering degree?

Yes, you can get a job as a software engineer with a computer engineering degree. This degree is one of the most popular educational paths for this career. You can also get a degree in computer science, software development, or similar fields. 

Can you become a programmer without a degree?

Can I become a software developer on my own?

How can I become a software developer with no experience?

How do I start coding without a degree?