How Much Is Coding Bootcamp? Cost and Financing Breakdown

Bootcamps have become a cost-effective alternative to computer science degrees, but how much does a coding bootcamp cost? If you’re thinking of attending one, you need to weigh coding bootcamp prices against the projected return on your investment. How much is a coding bootcamp? Is it worth it in the long run? What will my salary be after I graduate? 

In this guide, you will find answers to these questions as well as details about the average cost of coding bootcamps across the industry. It also explains the most popular ways to pay for coding bootcamps. Read below to learn whether a bootcamp is the best choice for you and how you can pay for it.

How Much Does a Bootcamp Cost? 

The average coding bootcamp costs $12,953 according to Career Karma’s 2023 State of the Bootcamp Market Report. How much a coding bootcamp costs varies depending on the length and intensity of the bootcamp. Self-paced coding bootcamp prices are lower in general, with an average cost of $9,408. Full-time bootcamps, meanwhile, cost $14,237 on average. 

Generally speaking, coding bootcamps are much more affordable than a traditional four-year computer science degree. For example, according to the US Department of Education, tuition and fees for one year at a four-year institution are $17,251, which works out to $69,004 over four years. This is more than five times the average cost of a coding bootcamp.

To get a complete sense of how much a bootcamp costs, we need to look at the prices of coding bootcamps alongside the tuition that other types of tech bootcamps charge. The following table of average bootcamp costs is based on the top five immersive programs in every category, according to BootcampRankings. 

Type of Bootcamp Program	Average Bootcamp Cost
Full Stack Coding	$15,265
UX/UI Design	$14,078
Data Science	$12,846
Data Analytics	$11,096
Cyber Security	$10,850
Digital Marketing	$8,177

Full Stack Immersive Bootcamps | Average Cost: $15,265

1. General Assembly. This software engineering bootcamp costs $16,450 and lasts 12 weeks. Students can choose from a number of relevant languages and frameworks, but the mainstays of the curriculum are JavaScript, SQL, React, and Angular. 
2. Coding Temple. At $15,995 over 10 weeks, this full-time full stack program comes with a competitive price tag and workload requirement. The primary focus of Coding Temple’s program is Python and compatible technologies. 
3. Springboard. The $9,900 cost gets you access to a self-paced curriculum, a mentor, and a career coach. You will study JavaScript, Python, Flask, and lots more as you work towards building projects for your portfolio. 
4. Galvanize. This 19-week program costs $17,980 and dives deep into Python and Django, JavaScript and React, and PostgreSQL and MongoDB. The course uses Hack Reactor’s proven curriculum for teaching full stack coding.  
5. Thinkful. Six months and $16,000 is what it will take to complete Thinkful’s software engineering program, which uses JavaScript to build a well-rounded set of full stack coding skills.

UX/UI Bootcamps | Average Cost: $14,078

1. Flatiron School. The full-time UX/UI Product Design Bootcamp at Flatiron School costs $16,900 and goes for 15 weeks. The curriculum uses generative AI to assist students in key elements of the UX and UI processes, including whiteboarding and marketing. 
2. Springboard. For $11,900, the six-month UI/UX Design Career Track takes students through the intricacies of user research, wireframing, and prototyping. Springboard’s UX Bootcamp costs just $7,900 and presents a more streamlined curriculum. 
3. Thinkful. The full-time UX design experience at Thinkful costs $14,823. For 50 hours per week over five months, students absorb UX design best practices, learn how to interface with clients, and complete capstone projects for their professional portfolios. 
4. General Assembly. This 12-week immersive UX design bootcamp costs $16,450. The course is designed by experts, and students’ time is split between building a job-ready web design skillset and learning the soft skills needed to navigate the industry.
5. BrainStation. This school’s $16,500 UX Design Bootcamp can be completed in 15 weeks. Its five units cover everything that goes into a well-rounded UX/UI skillset, including research, strategy, applied design thinking, and responsive design. 

Data Science Bootcamps | Average Cost: $12,846

1. WeCloudData. The full Data Science Bootcamp at WeCloudData costs $12,500. For this price, students get a 14-week curriculum that dives deep into data science, data analytics, and data engineering, as well as one-on-one mentorship and a real client project. 
2. The Tech Academy. This 16-week course costs $8,480 and covers topics like statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data visualization.
3. General Assembly. Like other GA bootcamps, the 12-week data science course is offered at a price of $16,450. It starts with data analytics and Python before moving on to machine learning algorithms, with an emphasis on natural language processing. 
4. Springboard. The foundation of this 500-hour, $9,900 data science bootcamp is the Python data science stack, which includes an introduction to pandas. 
5. Flatiron School. The cost of this 15-week data science bootcamp is $16,900. Students use the time to get comfortable with Python, SQL, NumPy, pandas, and SciPy. The last unit before the capstone project focuses on advanced machine learning skills. 

Data Analytics Bootcamps | Average Cost: $11,096

1. General Assembly. This project-focused data analytics course costs $16,450 and goes for 12 weeks. The modules start small with the fundamentals of SQL and Excel. Once students have mastered those, they proceed to Python, Tableau, and PowerBI. 
2. Thinkful. At $13,475, Thinkful’s five-month data analytics bootcamp is a comprehensive, mentor-led tour of how businesses garner insights from data. Students learn Tableau for data visualization and then drill down on Python and SQL coding skills. 
3. Springboard. The upfront cost of this data analytics bootcamp is $8,500. In partnership with Microsoft, Springboard offers a curriculum that not only teaches students how to analyze business data but also how to understand the economics behind the numbers. 
4. Coding Temple. This $10,500 data analytics bootcamp is the shortest on our list, lasting just eight weeks. Students still have plenty of time to master the fundamentals of statistics, relational databases, and both Python and R programming. 
5. CareerFoundry. For $6,555, your CareerFoundry mentor will be there to walk you through eight months of self-paced course material. By the end of the course, you will be able to wield Excel like a professional data analyst. 

Cyber Security Bootcamps | Average Cost: $10,850

1. The Tech Academy. This 20-week online course costs $10,600 and covers the fundamentals of servers, networks, databases, and VPNs. 
2. Springboard. The self-paced cyber security curriculum at Springboard costs $9,900 and culminates in CompTIA Security+ certification. To get to that point, students learn about network security, IT project management, security auditing, and more. 
3. CyberNow Labs. This $6,850 course is designed to help you become a professional cyber security analyst in just 20 weeks. In addition to Security+ certification, the course includes real-world experience in a security operations center. 
4. Kenzie Academy. The tuition for this nine-month certificate program is $10,000. The coursework is broken up into 12 mini-courses covering topics such as ethical hacking, data security, and computer forensics. 
5. Flatiron School. This $16,900 course allows you to chart your own path within the industry, choosing from a range of cyber security careers. In addition to learning about network security, risk assessment, and penetration testing, students use Python to engineer security solutions. 

Digital Marketing Bootcamps | Average Cost: $8,177

1. Berkeley Boot Camps. Lasting over 24 weeks on a part-time schedule, this $9,995 bootcamp explores digital marketing strategy, content optimization, and marketing automation. The final module focuses on how to market yourself to prospective employers. 
2. BrainStation. This full-time bootcamp lasts 15 weeks and costs $15,000. The curriculum covers digital marketing in several domains, including blog content, social media, and search engines. 
3. Noble Desktop. This bootcamp includes 126 hours of course content for $3,995. It will take about one month to complete the various units on content marketing, email marketing, SEO, Google Analytics, and more.  
4. Thinkful. Only offered in a part-time format, Thinkful’s digital marketing bootcamp costs $5,341 and takes three months to complete. The coursework includes units on running campaigns, targeting an audience, and employing different marketing strategies. 
5. CareerFoundry. Students have seven months to complete this $6,555 course at their own pace. The digital marketing topics that CareerFoundry focuses on include competitor research, branding, and marketing analytics. 

How to Pay for a Coding Bootcamp: 7 Financing and Payment Methods

Most coding bootcamps will offer several payment options. Your career journey is about more than just your job. Along with a dynamic learning experience, you need to plan your finances. Below is a list of some of the most popular payment methods for coding bootcamps, including explanations about how they work. 

Upfront Payment 

This is the most straightforward payment method for coding bootcamp education, and it’s also the most highly recommended. All you have to do is pay your tuition in full before you start attending classes. Most bootcamps offer discounts to students who choose this method. You won’t need to worry about interest, payment deadlines, or anything else after graduation.

Installments

Also called a payment plan, this method of payment allows students to break their tuition into smaller parts to ease the cost burden. Installments could be monthly, bi-monthly, or divided into a certain number of payments. It all depends on the agreement with the school. Typically, the first part of the installment is the largest. 

Deferred Tuition

Deferred tuition allows students to study first and pay later. A small deposit may be required depending on the bootcamp. It is similar to an income share agreement but is typically tied to the student’s success. After they find a job, preferably a tech job, they will be required to start paying in installments. Some schools offer deferred tuition along with a job guarantee.  

Income Share Agreement (ISA)

With an ISA, students enter an agreement with the bootcamp to pay a small portion of the tuition before they start, then pay the rest after they find employment. Students a percentage of their salary for a given time. The best income-sharing bootcamps include Lambda School and Penn LPS Coding Boot Camp, which is offered by Trilogy Education Services.

Loan Financing

With this option, lenders pay tuition to bootcamps on your behalf. Then, you are expected to pay them back when you start working and earning a certain amount of money. This option attracts interest and longer repayment times. Some of the best loan providers for bootcamp students are Climb Credit and Skills Fund.

Scholarships 

Several organizations offer tech scholarships to students who cannot afford an education. The exclusive scholarships may be based on merit, gender, or economic background. However, you should keep in mind that these can be highly competitive. Some bootcamps offer free education to qualified candidates. For example some bootcamps offer free training to women.  

GI Bill Benefits 

If you’re a veteran or the family member of a veteran, you may be able to pay some of your tuition with GI Bill benefits under your name. There are several coding bootcamps that accept the GI Bill. For example, Code Platoon is a coding bootcamp specifically for veterans, which is a good choice if you opt for this option.

Coding Bootcamp Cost and Financing Comparison

The top bootcamps listed below all offer mentorship and career services and can be attended from anywhere in the United States. The goal of this section is to show how coding bootcamp costs vary across the industry, as well as to allow you to make a head-to-head bootcamp comparison of the various program offerings and financing options. 

Coding Bootcamp	Cost	Programs Offered	Financing Options
Actualize	$15,900	Full Stack Software Development	Upfront, Installments, Loan Financing
App Academy	$14,000 – $17,000	Software Engineering	Upfront, Loan Financing, Income Share Agreement, Deferred Tuition
BrainStation	$15,000 – $16,500	Software Engineering, Web Development, UX Design, Data Science, Digital Marketing	Upfront, Private Loans, Income Share Agreement, Deferred Tuition
Codesmith	$20,925	Software Engineering	Upfront, Installments, Scholarships, Employer Sponsorship
Coding Dojo	$9,995 – $16,995	Full Stack Software Development, Data Science, Cyber Security	Upfront, Installments, Loan Financing, Scholarships
Coding Temple	$7,000 – $15,995	Software Engineering, Front End Development, Data Analytics, Blockchain Development	Upfront, Installments, Deferred Tuition, Loan Financing, Employer Sponsorship
Devmountain	$4,900 – $9,900	UX Design, Web Development, Java Software Engineering, Python Software Engineering, Data Analytics, iOS Development, Software QA, Cyber Security	Upfront Payment, Loan Financing, Income Share Agreements, Deferred Tuition, Scholarships
DigitalCrafts	$7.499 – $9,500	Web Development, Software Development, UX Design, Cyber Security, Data Analytics	Upfront, Installment, Loan Financing, Scholarships
Flatiron School	$16,900 – $17,900	Software Engineering, Cyber Security, Data Science, UX/UI Product Design	Upfront, Installments, Loan Financing, Scholarships
Fullstack Academy	$13,396 – $19,910	Full Stack Software Development, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, AI & Machine Learning, Product Management	Upfront Payment, Loan Financing, Scholarships, Employer Sponsorship
Galvanize	$17,980	Hack Reactor Software Engineering	Upfront, Installments, Income Share Agreements, Scholarships
General Assembly	$16,450	Software Engineering, Data Science, Data Analytics, UX Design, Digital Marketing	Upfront, Installments, GI Bill Benefits, Income Share Agreement, Employer Sponsorship, Loan Financing, Scholarships
Grand Circus	$14,750	Java, JavaScript, C#/.NET, Data Analytics & Engineering With Python	Upfront, Loan Financing, Scholarships
Ironhack	$12,500 – $13,000	Web Development, UX/UI Design, Data Analytics	Upfront, Installments, Loan Financing
Springboard	$8,900 – $13,500	Software Engineering, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning Engineering, Data Engineering, UI/UX Design, UX Design, Tech Sales	Upfront, Installments, Income Share Agreements, Loan Financing, GI Bill Benefits, Scholarships
Thinkful	$5,341 – $16,000	Software Engineering, Data Science, Data Analytics, UX/UI Design, Digital Marketing, Technical Project Management	Upfront, Installments, Deferred Tuition, Loan Financing

5 Best Free Coding Bootcamps: Learn to Code for Free

You don’t always need to spend money to learn the digital skills professional developers need. There are a few coding bootcamps that offer free education to students to reach their professional goals. If you qualify, you can enjoy all the benefits of part-time bootcamps and start a successful career without paying tuition. 

1. Software Engineering by Ada Developers Academy 

Ada Developers Academy offers free full stack web development and software engineering training to women and gender-diverse individuals. The intensive program for in-class lessons runs for about six months, after which students are placed in companies for a paid apprenticeship program that runs for about five months. 

2. App Academy Open

If you aren’t ready to commit to App Academy’s instructor-led software engineering bootcamps, you can sign up for an account on the school’s website and gain access to all of the curriculum materials for free. While you won’t have the support of peers and instructors to push you to the finish line, all the learning material is there for the taking. 

3. Data Science & Data Engineering Fellowship by The Data Incubator 

This bootcamp is specifically for people who want to advance their data science careers. Students are taught with a proven curriculum based on real datasets and high-demand skills for solving real-world problems. The full-time program runs for eight weeks, while the part-time program runs for about 20 weeks. 

4. Dash by General Assembly

This online coding bootcamp follows a project-based curriculum for website development. You will learn how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for full stack web development. It focuses specifically on UX and UI design. Anyone can watch the online videos on the official GA Dash website as additional resources. 

5. Kenzie Free by Kenzie Academy

This is a prep bootcamp from Kenzie Academy that offers foundational knowledge of web development to those without experience in programming. Courses include JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. It also comes with hours of hands-on projects after you have gathered specialized skills with remote learning. 

Coding Bootcamp Job Placement Outcomes

The primary aim of attending an online bootcamp or in-person bootcamp is to land a successful career in the tech industry. In the United States, most coding bootcamps have an impressive reputation for ensuring that their graduates have received hands-on training and mastered in-demand skills employers are looking for.

Can You Get a Job After a Coding Bootcamp?

Yes, you can get a job right after you finish your coding bootcamp. Your bootcamp should teach coding skills that are in line with market demand to help you get a career in tech. Look for bootcamps with excellent career services teams to help with your coding journey, not just hands-on learning.

These career services can include salary negotiation, resume building, career coaching, professional profile building, training in networking, and mock interviews. They also help you accumulate your portfolio of projects. Some schools have employer partners that give job offers to fresh bootcamp grads or hold career fairs.

Most popular bootcamps like Flatiron School, Galvanize, General Assembly, Thinkful, and Fullstack Academy publish data on the success of their graduates. These schools have high job placement rates, ranging between 78 percent and 100 percent. Coding bootcamps typically have high student success and provide strong career paths.

Coding Bootcamp Graduate Salaries

Coding bootcamp graduates earn between $50,000 to $100,000 in their first job after graduation. Check the student outcomes from your bootcamp of choice for a clearer picture, but on average, an entry-level software engineer earns about $80,000 per year, according to PayScale. Factors that impact graduate salaries include your job title, location, and company.

You should also take a look at the job market for your career of choice and see how coding bootcamp prices compare with your likely prospects. Self-paced courses are cheaper, but full-time immersive courses might help you earn more in the long run because you can get hands-on experience for a better job.

Is a Coding Bootcamp Worth It?

Yes, coding bootcamps are worth it because they allow you to reach your career goals within a short timeframe. Instead of spending four years and thousands of dollars trying to earn a computer science degree, you can finish your coding education in a matter of months. Think about how much the lower cost of a coding bootcamp can save you compared to college. Many of the cheapest coding bootcamps cost as little as $5,000.

Make sure that you attend the best coding bootcamp and make use of every resource it has available. Your bootcamp experience might include a dedicated career coach, interview skills, and more. Many bootcamps can help you make career connections to help you on your way to landing your dream job. 

Coding Bootcamp Cost FAQ