Entering college and can’t decide on a career path? Check out software engineering, if you want to exit college in a good paying, job friendly environment.

No matter where you look, this field has nothing but positive forecasts for the future. Here are just a few examples…

According to CNN Money magazine and Salary.com, software engineers average pay is $80,427 and ranked 2nd in the top 10 fastest growing fields with a projected 10 year job growth of 46%. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2006/snapshots/1.html

Software engineer salary range for the middle 50% is between $67,130 and $101,520. Software engineer salaries for the lowest 10% are less than $53,180. Software engineer salaries for the highest 10% are more than $144,240. Software engineer starting salary for new graduates with a BS - Computer Engineering averages $62,680. Software engineering is projected to be the second fastest growing segment through 2015, behind electrical and RF engineering - in terms of both salary and opportunities. http://www.engineersalary.com/Software.asp

Formal education is not always required, but expect to get a bachelor’s degree for this occupation. The share of software developers with a bachelor’s degree or higher is 73%. About 22% of workers got additional education after high school, but did not have to get a college degree. There was no need to go beyond high school for 6% of employees. http://www.jobbankusa.com/career-profiles/software-developers.shtml

Another point to be made is that this career path is open to every industry imaginable. Wherever your interests are, healthcare, environmental management, retail, fashion, finance, government, travel, manufacturing, etc., there will be a demand for software developers and engineers. Flexibility is often overlooked, but many times this work can be done from remote locations or as independent projects right from your home.

So if you like to be creative, enjoy a little mathematics, want to work independently in a satisfying field, check out the career of a software engineer. It will open the doors to many opportunities and the best part is that you will actually be able to pay off your college loans after you graduate.