What Are Coding Bootcamps?
Coding bootcamps are gaining popularity. They’re a fast-track to gaining the skills you need to land your dream job in the tech industry. Learn everything you need to know about coding bootcamps, how much they cost, and what bootcamp students can expect to earn after graduation.
How Long Do Coding Bootcamps Last?
Coding Bootcamps are short-term, intensive technical training programs that help students and professionals transition into careers that involve coding in software and web development. The average length for coding bootcamps is about 14 weeks (or 3.5 months), although some programs can last up to six months. Most part time bootcamps will last 34 weeks, while full time programs will last about 17 weeks.
In addition to part-time and full-time offering, most bootcamps offer online options with flexible schedules to accommodate the working professional. Some programs are even self-paced to allow for even more flexibility. In-person bootcamps, on the other hand, provide a more structured approach with easy access to instructors and a greater sense of community with other students.
What Do You Learn in Coding Bootcamps?
Coding bootcamps help students to become familiar with, build a foundation, and gain proficiency in coding in order to build applications in real-time at a workplace. Over the last few years, the popularity of bootcamps has increased. Now coding bootcamps are not just limited to software development, but they have extended to other digital skills as well like UX/UI Design, Data Science, and Cybersecurity.
Coding bootcamps teach the popular languages that employers look for when hiring graduates. You can find bootcamps that focus on Java or another specific language as well as programs that teach multiple languages as part of a wider discipline, such as web development or data analytics. Some of the languages that bootcamps teach include:
- Ruby on Rails
- Python on Django
- JavaScript
- PHP stacks
- Java
During bootcamp training, students gain enough knowledge of these languages that they are able to do data analysis and create fully functioning apps by themselves. Since enrolling in a degree at a regular college or a university is expensive, many students resort to cheaper means–bootcamps being one of them. Coding bootcamps equip students with all the necessary information and practical learning equipment at a lower cost and in a shorter amount of time.
How Much Do Coding Bootcamps Cost?
Coding bootcamps usually last about 14 weeks and cost an average of $11,874, depending on the state and whether the bootcamp is in person or online. Many bootcamps offer scholarships to help with the cost.
Most bootcamps offer a variety of payment options. Some bootcamps take payment upfront, while others allow you to pay in installments. Income-sharing agreements (ISAs), which are the option to waive any fees until after you graduate and find a job, are also available for many programs. Additionally, some job placement-oriented bootcamps offer a job guarantee.
How Much Can I Expect To Earn as a Coding Bootcamp Graduate?
Most of the graduates of coding bootcamps are able to find full-time employment due to the skills they have learned at the bootcamp. The salary you receive after graduation depends on your level of experience.
Most bootcamp graduates who enrolled with no prior coding experience can expect to earn an average salary of $60,000 after graduation. Students who enter their bootcamp with some prior self-taught knowledge will often earn up to $100,000 in their first year. Lastly, experienced programmers can anticipate an average salary of $120,000 in their first year after graduation from their bootcamp. Typically, these experienced programmers hold advanced degrees in computer science.
In Course Report’s study of 1450 graduates, the average starting income of fresh graduates of coding bootcamps was found to be $70,698. The numbers were found to increase by 25% once the students gained work experience.
Where Do Bootcamp Grads Work?
Since 2018, bootcamp grads have found employment in large companies such as:
- Dropbox
- Amazon
Indeed reports that 4 out of 5 companies in the US hire bootcamp graduates and that most HR managers will continue to do so.
How Do I Choose the Right Coding Bootcamp?
There are many bootcamps available both online and in person. However, there can be some misleading ones that you need to beware of. As a student, you need to do your research to find the ones that are authentic and right for you.
Bootcamps usually are hosted by private companies. Start by reading the reviews on their website, social media, or other review sites like Yelp and Glassdoor.
Another place to look would be Council on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR) which is a non-profit organization that helps students gain reliable information about a school before they decide to enroll. CIRR helps prevent deceptive graduation and job placement marketing practices. They hold schools accountable if they are manipulating or hiding their outcome data, by requiring that the outcomes of every enrolled student be reported in a single, simple, easy to read report.
Another useful way to find coding bootcamps is to reach out to the graduates/alumni of the bootcamp you are interested in. You can do that by connecting with them on LinkedIn and asking them about their learning experience. As you research how bootcamp graduate fare in the job market, be cautious about post-graduate employment statistics published by bootcamps themselves. They are likely to be biased.
15 Best Coding Bootcamps
Want to enroll in a coding bootcamp, but unsure of which one to choose? Here are 15 of the best coding bootcamps:
- Thinkful
- Kenzie Academy
- Nucamp
- General Assembly
- Springboard
- Le Wagon
- App Academy
- CareerFoundry
- Ironhack
- Lambda School
- BrainStation
- Hack Reactor
- Microverse
- Lighthouse Labs
In Conclusion
Bootcamps will equip you well and give you a head start in the field of coding. But, in the end, how well you apply your knowledge and how much you practice and polish your coding skills will decide if you are a good fit to be part of your dream company.
