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Career as Software Engineer

Software engineering involves the development of computer system software and application software. Software Engineers analyze the user's requirements specific to the software and create software that meets those requirements with the help of programming languages and other software. The field of software engineering is growing at a swift pace. There are new technologies such as cloud computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, IoT, Dev OPS, etc. which have increased the demand for Software Engineers specialized in these fields. There is an increased demand for high performing computer Software Engineers. As a result of which, there will be an increase of jobs in software engineering by 21% through 2028. Overall, it is a high demand career from future prospective.

Job Profile

Career as Software Engineer

Software Engineers have to work for 8 to 9 hours sitting in front of the computer. The daily responsibilities vary according to the different roles. Software Engineers have to discuss with clients to begin the development of the project and then design programs to meet those requirements. With the help of charts and diagrams, they represent the software visually then write code to create the final product. The testing team then performs the testing and finds and gets the issues fixed before final delivery. It is completely teamwork consisting of development and testing teams. The work hours are generally to 8 to 9 hours, but sometimes, there is an extension of the regular working hours to meet the project deadlines under more pressure.

The most famous roles in Software Engineering consists of Front end developer, back end developer, full-stack developer, QA Engineer, Dev Ops Engineer, Security Engineer, Project Manager, CEO, etc. The salary varies according to the roles, and most salary is withdrawn by the Cos and Project Managers. There are different types of specializations in Software Engineering consisting of Software developer, System Analyst, QA Engineer, Software Consultant, and Software Project Manager. Software Developer is the most common option who does all the programming related stuff. 

Software developers make a good system analyst. QA Engineers are responsible for performing the validation of the software developed. Good knowledge of software development and products makes good software consultants. Project Managers have software skills in addition to management skills.

An estimated salary of a software engineer is Rs 8 Lakh which can further grow up to Rs 20 Lakh. At the entry-level, the salaries are around Rs 15000 to Rs 50000. At mid-career level, the salary grows up to Rs 1 Lakh and at Rs 2 Lakh at the senior level. The leading companies that hire Software Engineers routinely are Infosys, Amazon, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Accenture, HCL, etc. Top cities where Software Engineers are in demand are Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, etc. with Bangalore as the highly paid city.

Future Growth Prospects and how to get there faster?

To get a good job and earn a handsome salary, one has to complete the four years B. Tech degree in Computer Science. One can also opt for three years Diploma or BCA and start working as a Software Engineer. Though, B. Tech degree gets you the more salary at the fresher level as compared to BCA or diploma course. To be successful, one can do the masters or do specialization in the latest technologies.

Pros and Cons of being a Software Engineer

Pros

  • There are high prospects in this career. There is a high demand for software engineers in all the domains, i.e. Development, Support, and Testing.

  • Software Engineers develop unique software and seeing this software working; it gives them the feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

  • Software Engineers earn a considerable salary which further increases with the increase in the experience.

  • Software Engineers can work as freelancers. They can work for a company or independent clients from remote positions.

  • Software Engineers have the opportunity to start their own SaaS companies with no extra cost. The only requirement for a software developer is a good computer and Wi-Fi connection.

  • Software Engineers also get the chance to work abroad in countries such as the UK, the USA, Germany, France, Switzerland, Canada, etc.

Cons

  • A career in Software Engineering needs continuous learning owing to the never-ending technological developments.

  • Software engineers need to attend the various meetings and client calls, making them a bit difficult to concentrate for a longer duration.

  • The software industry is the most competitive, so Software Engineers have to work hard to grow fast.

  • Software Engineers have to work in front of computers most of the time, creating health risks for eyes, neck, back, etc.

  • Software Engineers have to work for long hour durations on some days or work on some weekends to meet the deadlines.

How do I get there?

To be a Software Engineer, students need to opt for B. Tech in Computer Science or Diploma course. To pursue the B.Tech, you should pass class 12th with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as subjects. After class 12th, you need to clear the entrance examination conducted by different colleges and universities. These exams include JEE and AIEEE exams. Students who want to do masters can opt for Masters of Technology in Computer Science. To pursue the Masters, students need to pass the B. Tech and then clear the Gate exam. In addition to bachelor's and master's, one can go for higher studies by opting for a PhD.

How much does it cost?

The average cost of B.Tech is usually ranging from Rs 15,000 to 320,000, and the duration for this is four years. For some private colleges, the fee can be higher. The eligibility for this course is 10+2 from a recognized board. The course fee for M.Tech is around Rs 50,000 per semester. It may also vary from college to college, and the duration for M.Tech is two years.

What are the Top Colleges where one should be studying to become a Software Engineer?

Below are the top ranking colleges in India that offer Bachelors and Masters for Software Engineers. All the students with a dream of becoming a software engineer work hard to get admission to these colleges.

Rank of College 

Name of College, City

Programme Fees 

1

Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai

B. Tech – 211,400 for 1st year

M. Tech – 218,800 for 1st year

2

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

B. Tech – 224,900 for 1st year

M. Tech – 224,900 for 1st year

3

Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai

B. Tech – 938,000 (Course Fees)

M. Tech – 23,070 for 1st year

4

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

B. Tech – 214,050 for 1st year

5

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

B. Tech – 82,070 for 1st year

M. Tech – 231,500 for 1st year

6

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

B. Tech – 221,700 for 1st year

M. Tech – 220,500 for 1st year

7

Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati

B. Tech – 219,350 for 1st year

M. Tech – 201,800 for 1st year

8

Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

B. Tech – 280,000 for 1st year

9

Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi

B. Tech – 228,680 for 1st year

M. Tech – 200,000 for 1st year

10

Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology

B. Tech – 513,000 (Complete course)

Books and other Study Material

Below are the main books that every software engineering student studies while doing their B. Tech or M. Tech.

  • The Soul of New Machine: A book written by Tracy Kidder 

  • The C Programming Language: A book written by Brian W. Kernighan

  • The Computer Networking by Keith W. Ross and James F. Kurose 

  • The Artificial Intelligence by Stuart Russell

  • The Art of Computer Programming, Fundamentals of Algorithm by Donald Ervin Knuth

What if this career does not work out for me? What are the other options for a person with these credentials?

Software Engineers is a very challenging career and is the best career option for those having analytical thinking and have an interest in new and unique software. If someone does not want to do work as a developer, one can go for teaching. After completing the M.Tech, one can start a career as a teacher of Physics, Mathematics or Chemistry in college or university. One can also specialize in the field of Machine Learning and work as a data scientist if the large data excites you.

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Content on this page is by Career Expert
Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon
MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile
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