Uses of Computer Aided Software Engineering 2025
The primary uses of computer aided software engineering are in the development and implementation of information systems, especially for the automation of some aspects of the software development process, such as requirement engineering, design, program development and testing. These activities are usually supported by a set of CASE tools, which include analysis, design, and programming tools that automate methods for designing, documenting, and producing structured computer code in the desired programming language.
Examples of CASE tools are design editors, data dictionaries, compilers, debuggers, system building tools, and others. These are used to support the software process activities, including requirements engineering, design, and program development, as well as verification, maintenance, and generation of processes and artifacts, such as software documentation, test plans, test cases, and testing results.
Employment of computer software engineers is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations, as businesses and other organizations adopt and integrate new technologies and seek to maximize the efficiency of their computer systems. Most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or software engineering. Graduate degrees are preferred for some more complex jobs.
Free Software Engineering Practice Test Online
Software Engineering At Google
Software engineers develop, design, and build software systems that meet user requirements. They also optimize their code for speed, quality, and scalability. They consult with members of other teams within the company to ensure that their software system is compatible with other systems.
If you want to become a software engineer, consider getting a bachelor’s degree in computer science. It will give you a deep understanding of the theory behind programming languages and related topics.
At Google, you’ll find a vibrant community of roles and teams that tackle a wide range of computer science problems. You’ll also find a strong focus on product excellence and engineering productivity.
To be successful in this career, you need to demonstrate your technical knowledge and expertise through extensive training and certification. It’s also important to create a layered portfolio that showcases your skills and experience
Highest Paying Software Engineering Jobs
If you’re looking for a high-paying career in technology, software engineering may be for you. Recent BLS data shows that software engineer jobs are expected to grow 22 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Using computer science principles and programming languages, software engineers develop, test, debug, and maintain complex information systems and tools. They create software systems that are efficient, reliable, secure, and accessible.
They gather user requirements, organize them into categories, and use these to build software that meets those needs. They also work with teams to ensure that they’re developing the best possible products for their users.
Aside from writing code, software engineers need to have strong communication skills and be able to communicate their ideas clearly with others. This will help them be successful in their career.
If you’re interested in a career as a software engineer, you can start by getting training and certifications, completing internships, and building a layered portfolio. These will show potential employers that you’re passionate about the field and are prepared to take on a variety of roles, which can boost your chances of landing an interview.
Types Of Software Engineering
Software engineers develop computer programs that solve real-world problems. They create solutions to issues like data processing, artificial intelligence, and network security.
A software engineer often works in collaboration with other members of the team. They may help design systems or participate in the testing phase.
Some software engineers specialize in a specific aspect of the design process, such as front-end development. They also have skills in back-end development, coding, and database management.
A software engineering career is a highly popular choice among those who are technologically savvy. It offers many challenging opportunities, high salaries, and a wide range of options for job growth.
Academy For Software Engineering
Academy for software engineering is a high school that offers programming, web design, entrepreneurship, user experience, 3D computing and mobile application development. The institution opened in 2013 and is part of the New York City Department of Education.
To become a software engineer you need to have practical exposure and not just theoretical knowledge. Pursuing a computer science degree is not a requirement and there are many coding boot camps that you can join to start your career in this field.
You should also consider specialized courses to develop skills in areas like data engineering and machine learning. These are areas where there is a lot of demand for software engineers in 2025.
One of the most important aspects of being a software engineer is developing algorithms and data structures to solve problems efficiently. This is because algorithms require less time and memory to perform and data structures help in organizing information. You can find a number of free online courses to learn these skills.
Best Software Engineering Book
If you’re a software engineer, you know how important it is to keep up with the latest developments in your field. One of the best ways to do this is to read a few of the best software engineering books.
Clean Code is a book by legendary software engineer Robert C. Martin, affectionately known as “Uncle Bob.” The book teaches software engineers how to improve their code and minimize future issues.
Another book that’s a must-read for anyone involved in computer programming is Code Complete. It was first published in 1993 and has since become a valuable resource for those looking to improve their code.
It focuses on the core process of software development, including career development, personal responsibility, architectural techniques, and adapting and reusing your code. It also examines the biggest problems that software engineers might face and provides guidance on dealing with them.
Software Engineering vs Software Development
The software engineering and software development fields often overlap in a number of ways. Nevertheless, these professional roles have very distinct approaches to computer science and programming.
Software engineers use their advanced technical skills to design and create specialized computer applications for consumer markets. These professionals rely on deep insights into user needs, a strong grasp of design principles, and a comprehensive understanding of the latest technology solutions.
They also apply a broad range of skills to write and test code. This includes extensive knowledge of developer environments and programming languages.
They are also responsible for analyzing existing software and making recommendations for performance enhancements. They also work closely with clients to understand their specific needs and requirements.
Software Engineering Services
Software engineering is the process of designing, building, and maintaining customer-facing software products, complex computer information systems, and useful tools. It involves using software engineering methodologies, computer science principles, and programming languages to solve real-world problems.
In addition to writing code, software engineers also use a wide range of other software development techniques and technologies to build, deploy, and maintain their software projects. These include full-stack web development, mobile application development, game development, and operating system development.
One of the most important skills for a software engineer to have is data structures and algorithms. This allows you to write scalable and maintainable code that works efficiently on different platforms.
Another skill that software engineers need is empathy, which is the ability to understand and relate to other people’s perspectives. Empathy can help you better understand the needs of your end users and how to solve their problems.
This skill is essential in a career as a software engineer because it allows you to create applications that are efficient, reliable, secure, and accessible. It can also help you work more effectively with others in your team and improve your overall performance.
Highest Paying Software Engineering Companies
Software engineering is an exciting career path that allows you to work on cutting-edge technologies and help shape the future of our world. Whether you are an experienced engineer looking to move up the ranks or just starting out, there are many companies that offer high-paying jobs for software engineers.
Regardless of where you decide to work, it is essential that you are compensated enough to cover your living expenses and savings. The best places to work for software engineers are companies that pay competitive salaries and offer benefits.
The top paying companies for software engineers include Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. They offer high-paying jobs for those with a master’s degree in a specialized field and who have the skills and experience needed to advance in their careers.
Besides these companies, there are also many startups and other early-stage digital businesses that need creative and hardworking programmers. They often pay a premium and have perks like free transportation, meals, and a healthy work-life balance.
Software Engineering Test Questions and Answers
In the US, a software engineer has an average pay of $141,267. An additional $20,172 in cash is the standard salary for software engineers in the US. Software engineers in the US receive a total annual salary of $161,439.
The most common path to becoming a software engineer is completing a bachelor’s degree program, completing an internship, and then looking for employment. Additionally, associate degrees are a possibility for software engineers to start with before upgrading to a bachelor’s program.
Software engineers are in charge of planning and creating efficient software solutions that satisfy the needs of their customers. Most software engineers have a specific area of expertise, and their job may involve everything from databases and operating systems to web applications and content management systems.
Designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software applications falls within the purview of software engineering, a branch of computer science. Software engineers use their knowledge of programming languages and engineering principles to create software solutions for end users.
Studying software engineering can be difficult, especially for those with programming or coding experience or another technological background. But there are many programs, resources, and other things you may use to help you learn how to become a software engineer.
A bachelor’s degree, which takes four years of full-time study to complete, is often required for software engineering positions.
With the necessary coding abilities, software engineers may find work with or without degrees. This article examines the tasks performed by software engineers, identifies possible advantages, offers advice for beginning a career outside of a college degree program, and outlines a step-by-step process for those wishing to become software engineers without a degree.
Many software engineers claim to have dealt with a mental health issue at work at some time in their employment. Concerns such as fatigue, a lack of motivation, anxiety, a poor work-life balance, or depression may also be present.
If you have the necessary tools and skill sets, you can work from home doing software engineering.
No, a degree is not required to work as a software engineer or web developer. Self-taught engineers and graduates of bootcamps are becoming more and more popular entry points into the profession, even if earning a degree in computer science or a related discipline is still a frequent method to get started.
The qualities of a good profession may vary depending on an individual’s interests and aspirations. When selecting a career, you may take into account perks like a high pay, the flexibility to work from home, job security, or room for advancement. You may be able to obtain these advantages by choosing a job in software engineering. A career in software engineering may be lucrative given the range of employment opportunities and the anticipated expansion of the sector
Because of how technology has affected our everyday lives, software developers will continue to be in high demand in 2025. Software engineers will be in such high demand in 2025 across practically all businesses as technology enters every aspect of daily life.
Yes, math is necessary in software engineering. The math level will depend on the type of employment you hope to pursue in the future.
A bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a related field is often required to become a software engineer.
The majority of software engineering positions demand at least a bachelor’s degree, according to Frederick. The best education is a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, although computer science or other STEM fields like math, science, or engineering can also be beneficial.
A staff engineer, sometimes known as a staff software engineer, is a qualified software developer who collaborates with an organization’s technical divisions.
Programming languages used by software engineers include C++, Java, and Python.
The highest known income package for a software engineer at Google is $430,000 per year in total compensation. This covers the base pay as well as any prospective stock bonuses and incentives. For the position of Software Engineer, Google has indicated that the typical annual total pay is $272,221.
Most software engineers in the United States presently earn between $53.12 (25th percentile) and $83.17 (75th percentile) per hour.
Many industries, including telecommunications, manufacturing, aviation, electronic entertainment, banking and finance, e-commerce, professional services, consultancies, retail, the public sector, and specialized software businesses, are in need of software engineers.
Since there is a huge demand for them, they are highly specialized, and they work in high-paying sectors, software engineers are compensated very well. The average income for software engineers is more than $25,000 more than the national average.
With 70.3% of software engineers reporting happiness at work, 14.4% dissatisfaction, and 15.3% apathy, there is evidence of a favorable job satisfaction trend.
Senior software engineers may expect to make between $75K and $366K annually.
In the United States, software engineers typically earn $114,622 year, with a $5,000 cash incentive. reported wages of 62.8k
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical subject is often required for software engineers. A master’s degree could be required for some employers. The ability to work in the field may also be advantageous. Software engineers are not needed to pass certification examinations or accreditation exams, hence less conventional educational tracks have evolved to qualify entering professionals. While some employers are willing to hire software engineers with an Associate’s Degree, others could succeed in landing a software engineering position after attending a technical boot camp. The intellectual demands of the work are prepared for by this two- to three-month immersion course.
A principal software engineer is a management and technical expert who creates and tests software to aid in the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Principal software engineers manage the technical elements of computer software projects while fostering team development.
A software development approach known as unit testing involves checking the functionality of the tiniest testable components, or units, of an application one by one. Unit tests are carried out by software developers and occasionally by QA personnel.
The typical work week for software developers is 40 hours, while 17% of them work 50 hours or more. Additionally, in order to meet deadlines and handle issues, software developers sometimes need to work on the weekends and evenings.
Entry-level software engineers report an additional income of an average of $27,164 year, which brings their average salary to $83,195.
A bachelor’s degree and extensive experience in a junior job are requirements for a career as a senior software engineer. You should seek a degree in software engineering, computer science, or information technology. Some colleges offer master’s programs in software engineering, and these courses can help you construct a strong portfolio while also honing your programming abilities. This is not an entry-level post, as senior titles typically are. From a junior software engineer, you must advance in the field. An understanding of a programming language, design patterns, applications for integrated development environments (IDEs), and software testing are prerequisites.
Software engineering is not oversaturated, despite the fact that there are probably many ordinary software engineers out there. Instead, employers prefer to work with talented and highly qualified software engineers.
A new software build is evaluated using the smoke testing method, also known as build verification testing or confidence testing, to see if it is prepared for the following testing step. This testing approach checks the functionality of a program’s most important features but skips over its more intricate components.
While both software developers and software engineers work on designing software, their responsibilities are different. Software engineers handle the overall design of a computer system or program, whereas software developers concentrate on a single component. Despite these distinctions, some organizations and groups use the phrases synonymously.
The area of computer science known as software engineering is concerned with the planning, creation, testing, and upkeep of software programs. Building software solutions for end users requires the application of engineering concepts and a working grasp of programming languages.
A full-stack engineer is a skilled software engineer who develops, tests, and deploys a range of software applications. In addition to leading coding teams, they develop software, apps, and scalable online services. Full-stack engineers often have a wide range of expertise and are involved in all phases of software development. Data structure completion, architecture design, code review, performance assessment, administration of internal tools, and upgrades are a few examples of this. Being able to work on both the front-end and back-end development of an application is referred to as being “full-stack” by engineers.
A physical component can be managed and controlled by embedded software, which is tailored to the unique requirements of embedded systems. Using debugging tools or ports, developers flash binary executable files on an electrical circuit board.
Determining the architecture, interfaces, and data for a system that complies with certain criteria is the process of system design. Through cohesive and effective systems, system design satisfies the demands of your company or organization.
Computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering are the best fields for anyone interested in becoming a software engineer, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, but any other bachelor’s degree programs in computer systems or computer software should be sufficient to start a software.
Software engineers create specialized computer architectures and application software. Software development is a subset of software engineering, which is used to design, create, and test complete computer systems and application software for businesses or organizations.
A use case model outlines a new system’s intended functionality. A use case illustrates a specific instance of user (human or computer) interaction with the system. A single significant work unit, such as creating an account or viewing account details, is represented by this interaction.
For students interested in becoming software engineers, common degrees include computer science, information technology, and cybersecurity. Math requirements for degrees in computer science and engineering are frequently higher than those for IT and cybersecurity.
The fact is that high-value software developers who create complicated and cutting-edge software are unlikely to be replaced by AI.
Experts in software engineering will be required to create, maintain, and enhance the functionality of all software used worldwide. Thus, there will be a greater need for software engineers in management positions like managing automated software in the future.
One of the finest paying industries to work in is software engineering. Software engineers can absolutely end up being millionaires.
Out of its over 1 million workers, the online retail behemoth Amazon employs over 70,000 in technical jobs and over 35,000 in software engineering.
With an average income of $112,322, the anticipated yearly salary for a software engineer in California is $138,440. The predicted total yearly compensation, which includes cash bonuses, commission, gratuities, and profit sharing, is $26,118. The “Most Likely Range” of all wage data lies between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
Coding bootcamps, colleges, and independent study are the three primary educational avenues open to aspirant software engineers.
Step 1. Maximize your opportunities for selection
Step 2. Establish the interview’s structure.
Step 3. Determine a programming language.
Step 4 for interviews, improve your understanding of computer science principles.
Step 5 Make preparations for the coding interview
Step 6 (For mid-level/senior levels) Get ready for the system design interview Step 7 Getting ready for the behavioral interview Step 8 The offer package being negotiated
No, ChatGPT won’t totally take the position of programmers. It might, however, automate some elements of programming, like code creation, bug fixes, and documentation. In order to produce new code that is comparable to current code, ChatGPT may learn from enormous volumes of data and code.
Development teams create high-quality software using a time- and money-efficient procedure called the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
Python, SQL, Java, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and Java.
For a variety of businesses and organizations, high-end software must be developed by software engineers that have strong coding and algorithmic abilities. To improve skills and gain experience performing job obligations, it is crucial to pursue school, certification, or on-the-job training to become a skilled software engineer.
Software engineers are engineers in and of themselves, but they differ significantly from more conventional engineers like those in the fields of electrical, mechanical, civil, geomatic, agricultural, chemical, aerospace, or mechatronics.
As of May 1, 2025, the U.S. average hourly income for a software engineer internship is $44, however the salary range normally ranges from $38 to $51.
Step 1. Get to know your educational resources.
Step 2. Do some research on software engineering firms.
Step 3. Join the appropriate organizations.
Step 4. Create your resume.
Step 5. Pre-apply for internships.
Step 6. Interview preparation for internships
According to almost every metric, including pay, the number of vacant positions, and overall work satisfaction, software engineering is a strong career choice.
Due of its lower level of creativity than other professions, software engineering may come seen as uninteresting to certain individuals. Although creativity is crucial to software engineering, it is sometimes more vital to find logical and effective solutions to issues than to come up with original and creative ideas.
Software engineers require a unique blend of hard and soft skills to succeed. These skills include both the computer programming knowledge necessary to design, develop, test, and debug software, as well as the soft skills needed to handle communication with team members, management, and other stakeholders.
According to data that Vox received from workforce analytics startup Revelio Labs, software engineers held the position with the most overrepresentation of layoffs in 2025 relative to their employment. Recruiters and customer success experts saw the most noticeable effects when massive tech layoffs initially started last year.
Developers should attempt to learn at least three programming languages, even if there is no perfect number to know. The majority of market-leading businesses construct their technological infrastructures using a mix of programming languages.
Google employs 27,169 software developers, according to the official employee report.
Around the world, software developers are in demand. Professional software engineers are expected to number 26.9 million by 2025, up from 21 million in 2016.
In Texas, a software engineer has an average yearly pay of $88,513. The 429319 anonymous salary contributions made by Software Engineer workers in Texas to Glassdoor are used to calculate average wages.
Your top picks when hiring developers are probably going to be those with: earned a college diploma or a university degree in computing or technology. got a great deal of job experience with related companies. specialization in one or more programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, SQL, Python, or C++, and ideally earning certifications in at least one of these. talents that have been shown to be relevant to the industry of your firm
You will research the mathematical and scientific underpinnings of computer software as a major in software engineering. You’ll discover several programming languages as well as how to create, evaluate, and manage software.
Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are the leading employers of software developers. These businesses are renowned for their innovative technology and for their capacity to draw in and keep the top employees.
The software development lifecycle for diverse projects is managed by a team of software engineers under the supervision of a senior software engineer. Working on both new and old software products, this highly skilled individual also gathers user data to learn how to enhance the user experience.
In software engineering, coupling is a measurement of how interdependent two software modules are; it also describes the strength of the connections between modules.
Scrum is a method for organizing software engineers into teams so they can work together to build products that are ready for the market. This popular branch of agile software development
In the US, there are 27.2% female software engineers. This is 0.3 points greater than it was the previous year. Additionally, since 2010, there are 3.2 fewer female software developers than there were. Accordingly, there are 239,919 male software engineers and 89,640 female software engineers in the country as a whole. It should be noted that Zippia’s assessment only takes into consideration the 329,559 persons who have the exact job title of software engineer and excludes grouping others with possibly comparable work titles or educational backgrounds.
Both software engineers and data scientists are well-versed in the foundations of computer science, but their uses for these skills vary. Even said, there are many areas where these two disciplines overlap, which is why it’s typical for data scientists to switch over to software engineering.
To become a senior software engineer, one typically needs at least 5–6 years of experience in a relevant discipline of software engineering.
In New York City, NY, a software engineer’s annual compensation is predicted to be $117,779, with an average pay of $99,620. Cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing total $18,158 in additional salary annually. The “Most Likely Range” of all wage data lies between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
Importantly, the salaries for all of these positions range from $14,070 (9.3%) to $48,979 (32.4%) over the $151,041 median wage for embedded software engineers.
- Determine the priorities for your remuneration.
- When to begin pay negotiations.
- Do not negotiate your offer by email; instead, make a phone call.
- Asking for more should be accompanied by backup plans. You must communicate constantly if you want to succeed.
A software engineer focuses on native programs that you might download on your system, while a full stack developer concentrates on web applications. The phrase “software engineer” is also broad and can refer to both an embedded engineer and a C++ expert.
Web developers are experts in building websites and web apps, while software engineers concentrate on writing code for operating systems.
One of the most sought-after careers in the technology sector is software engineering.
The Associate Software Engineer will be a member of the software development team and will take part in the analysis, design, development of code, testing of business software applications, and project implementation phases across the software development project life cycle.
- Flexibility to a great extent
- Software engineering offers a high degree of freedom in terms of career opportunities, working conditions, and hours. Software engineers have a wide range of career options, including positions in project management, technical leadership, and software development.
Instead of concentrating just on one topic, small software developers expand their work into numerous ones. Large organizations can narrow their focus and delve deeply into a specific topic since their roles are well defined. However, some populists think that engineers at large corporations are better or that having a large corporation name on their CV will increase their chances of getting interviews and social media views. We haven’t yet established what constitutes a good or terrible software engineer, and we most likely never will. Perhaps there are too many software engineers claiming to have worked for large corporations.
Yes. A software developer may be anyone with the right education and commitment.
Similar to other professions, software developers manage their holidays and vacations.
Yes. Calculus I–III, Differential Equations, Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra, and other advanced math courses are frequently seen on a list of prerequisites for a degree in software engineering.
Yes. If an engineer’s performance falls short of expectations, Amazon will fire them.
Software developers typically put in 40 hours a week, while 17% of them put in 50 hours or more. Additionally, in order to meet deadlines and fix issues, software developers may need to work on the weekends and evenings.
For the position of Software Engineer, Amazon has revealed that the median annual total pay is $225,300.
In San Francisco, California, a software engineer typically earns $153,240 year, with a $5,000 cash incentive. 3.2,000 reported salaries
A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a similar technical subject is required, as is equivalent real-world experience. You may still apply even if you didn’t study engineering at a prestigious university like MIT or Stanford. Google prioritizes your abilities and performance over your educational background.
- Examine your existing knowledge in software engineering to choose where to begin your studies. Learn more about software engineering by enrolling in a certification engineering. Work in IT or tech support to help you learn. To learn how To code for a range of different programming languages, enroll in additional certification courses for those languages. To increase your employability without a degree, earn certificates at the basic, intermediate, and expert levels.
- Learn to understand and analyze other software engineers’ code to help rewrite current applications. To improve your professional portfolio, finish your own work. Consult with experts in the field to gain their input on your work. To make contacts and learn about career prospects, join an online software engineering network.
- Determine your recruiting criteria and candidate profile in step 1. You have a better probability of success the more time you give yourself to get ready for your hire.
- Analyze the engineering landscape in step two.
- Comparing wages is step three.
- Verify the talent’s availability.
- Build your hiring funnel in step five.
- Improve the hiring procedure
It takes serious consideration and thoughtful decision to revamp the programming interview process at any organization. The best candidate for the software engineering post must be selected by the hiring manager based on objective criteria. Although it appears straightforward, they must be informed and perceptive. They ought to pick from a large selection and draw upon the knowledge of other programmers working for the same organization.
- Analytical Thinking
- The finest software engineers are able to distill a complicated set of instructions down to its essential components because they have a rational, analytical approach. There’s a strong chance you’ll be successful in software engineering if you enjoy logic games like chess or solving puzzles.
Reverse engineering is the technique of reconstructing the binary code of a software program from the original source code. It is used to hardware and software for computers in order to improve functionality or solve issues. It is necessary to translate high-level language code into low-level or machine language. It is comparable to taking apart a car to figure out how it works fundamentally, then making changes to create a better-performing or superior car.
A DevOps engineer is a software engineer who works in a setting where the creation and distribution of software merges the functions of development and operations.
Anyone who works in this field will tell you how much fun software engineering is.
In the soon-to-come recession, there won’t be as many openings for more junior positions in software engineering, but those positions won’t go away either because of the expanding need for software.
A talent shortage exists in the software development sector. The need for new software development projects is growing, the complexity of software development is becoming more sophisticated, and there is a scarcity of skilled software developers. By giving access to a broader pool of competent developers, nearshore development can assist to ease the talent crisis.
Technical goals are those that concern your software-related hard skills, such as database administration, statistical analysis, and program expertise. Job goals are the objectives you set for yourself in relation to your software position, such as obtaining a position as a lead software engineer, accumulating sufficient experience in your current position to submit an application for senior engineer, working as a software engineer for Light Software Company, and moving up to a lead software engineer position. These objectives might assist you in determining the qualifications or experience necessary to be a competent applicant for that position. To build a software company or offer software services on a freelance basis are entrepreneurial aims. To move into a software-management post, leadership objectives are necessary.
- Entrepreneur Financial Analyst Fund Manager IT Specialist Lawyer Market Researcher Mathematician Media Correspondent Mobile Software Engineer Modeling Specialist Code Developer Communications Specialist Corporate Trainer Embedded Software Engineer
- Smartphone Application Programmer Research and Development Consultant Quality Assurance Specialist Network Engineer Operations Manager
- Technical Analyst Video Game Developer Website Designer Software Engineer Banker Brand Strategist Technical Writer
A typical curriculum may cover topics like data analytics, Python programming, discrete mathematics, and web development utilizing PHP and MySQL. Earning associate degrees in software engineering typically takes students two years of full-time study.