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Network Engineering vs. Software Engineering
Ready to Level Up In Your IT Career?
Get started on a IT degree program of your choice from WGU.
Ready to Level Up In Your IT Career?
When comparing your IT degree options, it’s important to look at a variety of factors to help you decide which is the best fit for you, particularly when it comes to the Bachelor of Science in Network Engineering and Security and Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering degrees. While these two degrees may seem similar, they’re actually very different and can lead to distinct career options down the road.
This guide will help you make an informed decision when picking the right program for you.
Technology
Software Engineering – B.S.
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities....
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish similar programs within 35 months.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 36 or 38 total courses in this program depending on your track.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost are:
- CompTIA Project +
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®1 Foundation Certification
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Scripting and programming
- Web development
- Mobile application development
- User experience design
- Software quality assurance
Technology
Network Engineering and Security – B.S.
Launch your career in designing, securing, and optimizing complex networks....
Launch your career in designing, securing, and optimizing complex networks.
- Time: 61% of graduates finish similar programs within 36 months.
- Tuition: $3,835 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 34 or 37 courses in this program depending on focus area
- Two focus areas: Students can choose between a Cisco or general program, allowing them to learn and gain experience in their chosen specialty.
Certifications:
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Cloud+
- ITIL®*^ Foundation Certification
- LPI Linux Foundations
The Cisco program also includes:
- Cisco CCNA
- Cisco DevNet
- Cisco CyberOps
The general program also includes:
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist (Stacked)
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist (Stacked)
- CompTIA Cloud Admin Professional (Stacked)
- CompTIA Secure Cloud Professional (Stacked)
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Network engineering
- Network operations
- Security management skills
This program will help you develop strong skills in network design, network operations, and security management.
Network Engineering or Software Engineering: Which One Is Right for Me?
Thinking of a career in IT engineering? Information technology is a vast, ever-evolving field, and that means that engineers with differing skill sets are needed to help companies and organizations run smoothly. Network engineering and software engineering are two of the most common types today, and learning the differences between them will help you decide which would be the best fit for you.
WGU offers bachelor’s degree programs for both, but each program teaches different skill sets and prepares students for different career roles. Below, you’ll find the key differences between network engineering and software engineering, as well as specific WGU courses, industry certifications, and potential careers paths for each.
B.S. Network Engineering and Security
Networking engineering involves designing, building, and maintaining networks for optimal performance. A network is a group of computers that share information and resources and that communicate with each other to perform tasks. A network engineer is primarily responsible for managing the foundation of an organization’s IT networking system. This system includes wired and wireless communication channels like phones and the internet. Engineering in this role is all about keeping that communication running smoothly and securely.
If a network is damaged, hacked, or compromised in some way, an entire set of computers may stop performing tasks crucial to an organization’s business operations. The duties of a network engineer include maintaining and updating antivirus software to prevent such threats.
Program Details
WGU’s program offers two tracks: one specializing in Cisco technologies and certifications and the other offering a more general, vendor-agnostic approach. For a detailed look at courses specific to each track, visit WGU’s network engineering and security degree page.
Certifications:
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
- LPI Linux Essentials
- ITIL Foundation Certification
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Cloud Essentials
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- Amazon AWS SysOps Administration-Associate
Career Paths
Careers in network engineering put you at the forefront of solving networking and communication challenges that can affect entire organizations.
- Network security administrator
- Computer systems analyst
- Network infrastructure administrator
- Network and computer systems administrator
- Computer support specialist
- Network security analyst
- Computer and information systems manager
Who Should Apply?
You might want to pursue a network engineering program if you love tackling high-level challenges and take an interest in managing entire infrastructures rather than individual programs. This role is most rewarding for those who enjoy iterating on and improving software programs and hardware solutions. That often includes troubleshooting various issues and working patiently with others who may lack the in-depth knowledge you have.
If you’d like to become a network engineer, make sure you’re comfortable overseeing or helping to oversee entire computer networks.
B.S. Software Engineering
Software engineering involves driving technological transformation through coding and scripting, as well as creating scalable software solutions. Software includes a variety of computer programs that are the building blocks to making the applications we use every day work. A software engineer primarily ensures that individual applications and programs run smoothly. This type of engineer creates, tests, and maintains networking control systems, computer programs, and business-wide operating systems.
Software engineers also need to be familiar with specific programming languages before they can run or improve computer applications.
Program Details
WGU’s program offers two tracks: one specializing in Java scripting and the other specializing in C# scripting. Java scripting is used across a wide range of tech devices. C# scripting is commonly used for large infrastructures in big tech companies like Apple and Google. For a detailed look at courses specific to each track, check out WGU’s software engineering degree page.
Certifications:
- CompTIA Project+
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL Foundation Certification
- Back End Developer (earned in the Java track)
- Front End Developer (earned in both the Java and C# tracks)
Career Paths
Careers in software engineering let you flex your creative and technical muscles as you manage the programs and applications crucial to keeping organizations running.
- Computer programmer
- Video game designer
- Web developer
- Software developer
- C# programmer
- Java programmer
- Software engineer
- Algorithm engineer
- IT consultant
- App developer
Who Should Apply?
You might want to pursue a software engineering program if you enjoy taking a more creative approach to technological development, coding, and programming, especially as part of a team. You would be a good fit for a software engineer if you like creating and identifying language patterns, as computer programs need these patterns to function. It’s best to think thoroughly and analytically—able to deftly navigate entirely digital spaces—to thrive as a software engineer.
Differences Between These Two Programs
Network engineering and software engineering call for distinct skill sets, certifications, and theoretical knowledge. Both involve engineering, and both are common positions in the field of information technology. But you might gravitate toward one more than the other based on the type of career you want and what kinds of technology interest you most.
If you choose network engineering, make sure you develop a passion for a high-level approach to all you do. That means you maintain a birds-eye view over an organization’s entire network, while still being able to identify and resolve the granular problems that affect that network.
If you opt for a career in software engineering, know that you’ll most likely play a specific role within a team of engineers. You should prepare to be a team player, able to synergize with others as you write computer programs and identify the patterns that make up everyday computer applications.
Why WGU?
Be Career Ready
Designed with input from healthcare leaders, our accredited programs give you the skills and credentials today’s employers need. That’s why 97% of employers said they’d hire another WGU grad.1
1: 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU grads.
Get and Keep the Job You Want to Have
85% of WGU graduates are employed in their degree fields—and 87% are employed full-time.2
2: 2023 Harris Poll of 1,655 WGU grads.
Save Money
With flat-rate tuition that is 47% lower than the national average3 and generous need-based scholarships, our degrees are an excellent investment that you can afford.
3: National rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System in 2022. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Prelicensure program.
Work as You Need While Going to School
At WGU, you can complete courses, take tests, and graduate on your schedule. In fact, many of our healthcare students work full-time while earning their life-changing bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
COST & TIME
An Affordable Bachelor's Degree
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
