Software Engineering programs in Ontario
44 programs across 18 campuses, with published admission ranges starting at 65%. Sorted by the range each one publishes, lowest first, so you can see where you land.
Programs
44
Campuses
18
Lowest range
65%
What this leads to
The picture for software engineering as of 2026-08-17, not a description of this particular program.
Software engineers build, test, and maintain applications and systems—work ranges from backend API development to full-stack roles at companies like Amazon and fintech startups. Jobs are on Glassdoor right now (7,400+ postings in Canada as of August 2026) for roles like Frontend Engineer, Backend Engineer, and DevOps Engineer.
In its favour
- Entry-level salary around $89,000; experienced engineers earn $125,000+, with AI specialists commanding 15–20% premiums
- Strong hiring volume with job postings stable across Canada, and 70% of employers actively seeking candidates with AI skills
- Remote work is standard; ability to move into architecture and leadership roles without leaving the field
Worth knowing
- Routine coding tasks are being automated now; up to 60% of development work could be automated by 2027, especially affecting junior developers
- Entry-level developers writing boilerplate code are seeing structural displacement—the role is shifting from 'write code' to 'architect and decide what to build'
- Generalist roles have flat wage growth as salaries plateau; only specialists (AI, DevOps, blockchain) get raises, creating pressure to keep learning new stacks
How AI is changing this work
Routine code generation, testing, and maintenance are already being automated—AI tools like Copilot are standard in 70% of development shops and boost productivity 50–94%. The human work that remains is architecture, problem-solving, and deciding *what* to build, not *how*. If you're willing to specialise (AI/ML, DevOps, cloud infrastructure), demand is strong and pay jumps 15–40%. If you want a straightforward "write code" job, that role is disappearing—you'll need to move up or out within five years.
Where this came from (6 sources)
- 1. Software Engineer Jobs in Canada - 2026 | Wellfound
- 2. Software Engineer Salary in Canada (2026)
- 3. Software Engineer Salary in Canada (2026) - SalaryExpert
- 4. Software Engineer Salary in Canada 2026: $28–$95/hr by Seniority
- 5. Software Development Engineer - 2026 (Canada) - Job ID: 3165932 | Amazon.jobs
- 6. 7,422 software engineer jobs in Canada, August 2026 | Glassdoor
All 44 programs
- 65%AlgomaComputer Science (BCOSC 4 year)
- 70–75%WindsorComputer Science
- 70%LakeheadEngineering (co-op available) (Thunder Bay and Barrie)
- 73–77%Ontario TechComprehensive Engineering
- 73–77%Ontario TechInternet of Things
- 73–77%Ontario TechInternet of Things (Co-op)
- 75–80%CarletonEngineering – Software
- 78–80%OttawaGénie informatique (4 ans)
- 78–80%OttawaGénie logiciel (4 ans)
- 80%OttawaComputer Engineering (4 years)
- 80–85%CarletonComputer Science
- 80–87%WesternComputer Science
- 80–83%YorkComputer Science (BA - Co-op available)
- 80–83%YorkComputer Science (BSc - Co-op available)
- 80–83%YorkComputer Science (iBA - Co-op available)
- 80–83%YorkComputer Science (iBSc - Co-op available)
- 80–85%CarletonCybersecurity
- 80–83%YorkCybersecurity (BA - Co-op available)
- 80–83%YorkCybersecurity (BSc - Co-op available)
- 80–87%YorkEngineering (BEng - Co-op available)
- 80–87%York (Markham)First Year Engineering
- 80–83%BrockGame Programming
- 83–87%Queen'sComputing
- 83–90%WaterlooManagement Engineering (Co-op Only)
- 84–89%GuelphComputer Engineering (BEng) (co-op admission only)
- 84–89%GuelphEngineering Systems and Computing (BEng) (co-op admission only)
- 85–90%GuelphBachelor of Computing (BComp) General
- 85–90%GuelphComputer Science (BComp) Honours (co-op option)
- 85%OttawaSoftware Engineering (4 years) (French Immersion Stream is available)
- 85–90%TMUUndeclared Engineering (First Semester Studies Only)
- 87–90%U of T (Mississauga)Computer Science
- 87–93%WesternEngineering
- 87%McMasterEngineering I - Discovery Track
- 87%McMasterEngineering I - Mechatronics Engineering
- 87%McMasterEngineering I - Software Engineering
- 87–93%WaterlooMechatronics Engineering (Co-op Only)
- 90–97%WaterlooBusiness Administration (Laurier) and Computer Science (Waterloo) Double Degree (Co-op Only)
- 90–97%U of T (St. George)Computer Engineering
- 90–97%WaterlooComputer Science (Regular/Co-op)
- 90%McMasterIntegrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences I- Mechatronics & Biomedical Engineering
- 90%McMasterIntegrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences I- Software & Biomedical Engineering
- 90–93%Queen'sSmith Engineering - Direct Entry Computer Engineering
- 90–97%WaterlooSoftware Engineering (Co-op Only)
- 93–100%U of T (Scarborough)Computer Science (regular and co-op)
Other subjects
- Business Studies 203
- Interdisciplinary Studies 187
- Computer Science 135
- Education Studies 117
- Environmental Studies 116
- Psychology 109
- General or Integrated Engineering 104
- Law & Criminology 101
- Media and Communication Studies 98
- Economics 95
- Biological Sciences 92
- Others in Subjects Related to Medicine 92
Ranges are what universities publish, not guaranteed cutoffs. Work out your top 6 to see which of these you actually clear.