Employment

North's Application Development B.A.S. Degree program prepares students for software development roles in a variety of industries. Such roles account for 6 out of the 10 most in-demand jobs for growth over the next decade. The Puget Sound region remains one the largest – and best paying – locations for this work.

Entrants to the field can expect to see a requirement of an in-progress Bachelor's degree for internships and a completed degree for entry-level jobs. The Application Development B.A.S. degree prepares you to achieve your employment goals through challenging and rewarding project work and detailed employment preparation and assistance.

Program Support

Our AD program employs a full-time Technical Employment Program Manager to help students navigate the complexities of the internship and job application process, and works with the campus Career Services specialist to provide even more help.

We’ve built extensive Employment-related support into our program, including:

• Work-based learning courses to build out project portfolios (Internships, Practicums, and more)
• 1-on-1 assistance with setting, reviewing and executing on employment goals
• Workshops and practice sessions for resumes, online profiles, networking, interview skills, negotiations, and more
• Direct referrals for jobs and internships from industry contacts, alumni, and advisory board members
• Company information sessions, career fairs, visits to company offices, external hiring events, and both networking and technical events throughout the year

Job Titles

AD students and graduates can expect opportunities for a variety of roles, including: 

• Software Developer
• Web Application Developer
• Mobile Application Developer
• Software Engineer
• Site Reliability Engineer  
• Software Analyst  
• Software Developer in Test (SDET)
• Software Quality Assurance
• Program or Project Manager
• Quality Assurance Engineer
• Data Analyst
• ... and more

Wages

Wages for the above titles vary by region, experience level, responsibilities, employer field, size of business, and other compensation.

According data from Glassdoor.com, Seattle Software Developers can expect to earn:

• Paid Intern: $24 - 55 per hour
• Entry-Level: $82 -142,000 per year
• 1-3 Years Experience: $87 - 153,000 per year
• 3+ Years Experience:  $131 - 244,000 per year

Note that these numbers can quickly go much higher with job title changes, such as Software Engineer, Software Development Lead, or Manager roles.

Employers

Our technical bachelor’s students have landed internships and jobs at over 170 different companies and institutions, including major technology companies, startups, non-profits, international corporations, educational organizations, government agencies, and more. 
North’s Application Development program has active engagement with industry partners, including recruiters and engineers at Amazon, Slalom, Microsoft, Expedia, Smartsheet, Disney, Expeditors, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Premera, Salesforce, T-Mobile, and many more.