Is This Program for You?

Students entering the IT Software Developer program should:

• Be curious about technology and excited to learn new programming languages and tools.
• Pay attention to details and be able to solve problems by thinking carefully.
• Enjoy taking on challenges and trying different ways to fix problems.
• Be organized and able to follow steps to write clean, working code.
• Think creatively and come up with new ideas to build useful software.
• Think creatively and come up with new ideas to build useful software.
• Be patient and determined, willing to keep working until the job is done right.
• Communicate well and work with others, especially when testing or fixing code.
• Be comfortable working alone or with a team, where both creativity and rules matter.

Program Basics

• Associate degree, requiring a minimum of two years to complete.
• High school articulation courses accepted.
• Financial aid available.
• Classes start in August and January.

Cost of Attendance (COA) 25-26

Cost of Attendance (COA) is a total of all the usual expenses of being a student. The COA sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive.

Based on Wisconsin Residents.

Approximate school costs are for a full-time (12 credit) student over a semester span of 17 weeks.

Fees are legislated by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.

These costs are estimates and are subject to change without notice.

Admission and Program Requirements

• Submit Application
Admissions Preference Policy
Most programs admit students as applications are completed. For certain high-enrollment programs with limited space, applications are reviewed in order of residency and review dates. Programs currently in this category include Radiography, Electrical Power Distribution, Midwifery, Cosmetology, and Nail Technician. Learn more about our Admissions and Wait List Policy.

Send your transcripts and scores: Although not a requirement, to make sure your classes are the right fit, we consider any previous college credit you've earned, Accuplacer or ACT scores, high school GPA, or an assessment at your registration session. Submit High School Transcripts, College Transcripts, and Test Scores to: Southwest Tech, Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
• To make sure your classes are the right fit, we consider any previous college credit you've earned, Accuplacer or ACT scores, high school GPA, or an assessment at your registration session. Submit High School Transcripts, College Transcripts, and Test Scores to: Southwest Tech, Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
• Admissions Meeting: After applying and submitting transcripts, work with your advisor to begin or continue your student success plan to talk about your career interests and goals, develop a plan for paying for college, learn about various funding options, create an academic map, and discuss supports and services. Schedule an admissions meeting by clicking "Make an appointment" with your program advisor.

Helpful Academic Background

• Oral and written communication skills
• Keyboarding
• Computer applications and concepts
• Critical thinking, continuous improvement, and problem solving skills

Program Fees

• This program is eligible for Financial Aid.
• Estimated cost for each semester can be found under the Curriculum tab. Please note that costs are approximate and are based on the current academic year.
• Please discuss additional fee questions with the program advisor or instructor.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of the program, students are expected to be able to:

• Design software systems
• Develop software applications
• Develop technical documentation
• Implement a team-based software development methodology
• Integrate data technologies
• Navigate in a software development environment

Graduates are prepared for positions in a wide variety of organizations and businesses. Opportunities for employment exist in accounting firms, banks, schools, hospitals, insurance companies, manufacturing firms, and government agencies as:

• Junior Software Developer
• Application Developer
• Web Developer
• Software Support Technician / Specialist
• QA Tester (Quality Assurance Technician):
• Database Assistant / Junior Database Developer
• IT Technician with Programming Focus
• ERP / Systems Support Assistant
• Technical Implementation Specialist
• Technology Solutions Specialist

Graduates of the IT-Software Developer Associate Degree can expect to earn in our region:

• $51,500 (Entry Level) – $74,200 (Experienced) per year

What Impacts Your Salary?

• Industry (e.g., healthcare, manufacturing, education, finance)
• Employer size (startups vs. large tech firms like Epic in Verona)
• Experience and certifications
• Continued education or a bachelor's degree

Opportunities for career advancement

Examples of Career Growth Paths:

• From Junior Developer → Software Engineer → Senior Developer
• From QA Tester → QA Analyst → Test Automation Engineer
• From Developer → Team Lead → Software Development Manager

With More Experience or a Bachelor’s Degree, You Could Advance Into:

• Full-Stack Developer
• Systems Architect
• DevOps Engineer
• Product Manager
• IT Project Manager
• Cybersecurity Analyst (with additional training)

Southwest Tech's Career Connections Center offers Services to assist students looking for job placement.