Coding Bootcamp Cost: 2021 Guide

Coding bootcamps are intensive, short-term programs that offer technology courses in web development, data science, and data analytics, and more. There are numerous bootcamps available today, each offering different programs at a range of prices. This guide covers some of the top online coding bootcamps, their costs, what’s offered, and payment options. 

How Much Is the Average Coding Bootcamp?

The average cost of a coding bootcamp is about $11,722, with the price ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Bootcamp tuition costs vary depending on the school, the course, type of program, and whether it’s offered in-person or online, full-time or part-time. Coding bootcamps typically have financing options to make payment easier for their students. 

The typical options are deferred tuition, loans, monthly installments, and scholarships. Students who would like to enroll in coding bootcamps can choose their preferred payment option. Some bootcamps also offer scholarships to students who meet certain criteria. It could be for those in underrepresented communities, women, LGBTQIA+ folks, or other disadvantaged students.

Bootcamp Cost Breakdown

A bootcamp’s tuition cost is worth it as the majority of these schools have career services teams and work with employer partners to ensure that their students enter high-growth careers after graduation. Some of these career services include resume writing help, interview prep, meetings with hiring managers or potential employers, and online branding assistance.

Many bootcamps teach their students the real-life skills necessary to excel in the tech industry. This includes giving them complex projects to see how they perform and also to add to their portfolio to show to potential employers. This increases the bootcamp graduate’s chances of securing high-profile jobs after the program. 

How Much Do You Make After Coding Bootcamp?

Coding bootcamp graduates can make $89,190 per year as computer programmers. Bootcamp grads working as full stack developers make an average salary of $75,057. The salary is impressive as most coding bootcamps do not charge even half that much in tuition costs. The majority of the bootcamp graduates get their first job within six months of graduation.

Most students earn more than they have invested by landing high-paying jobs. Bootcamp providers also make the job search easy for their students by equipping them with the skills necessary to start a fulfilling career. Furthermore, bootcamps instill in their students technical skills and knowledge that are in-demand and that make their graduates more hirable.

Popular Coding Bootcamps Under $15,000 

There are several bootcamps that cost below $15,000, and some bootcamps are completely free. In this section, you will learn all about the bootcamps below $15,000, including what bootcamp programs each provider offers and what the tuition buys you. The next section covers bootcamps over $15,000. 

Since costs vary from program to program, the tuition prices listed below refer either to each bootcamp’s full stack software engineering program or, if the bootcamp specializes in something else, to whatever its flagship programs are. If you’re interested in different types of bootcamp courses than the ones mentioned, check the school’s website for more details. 

Ada Developers Academy

Tuition: Free

Ada Developers Academy is a bootcamp for self-identifying women in Seattle that offers free training to all its students. It is named after the first programmer, Ada Lovelace, and offers full-time courses in full stack web development. 

The program includes six months of classroom training and five months of a paid internship. Ada Developers Academy caters to women and gender-expansive students in an effort to bridge the gender gap in technology.

What Tuition Buys You

• Full stack developer education
• Paid internship
• Networking opportunities
• Career services

RMOTR

Tuition: $49/month or $490/year 

RMOTR is an online coding bootcamp that offers a wide range of self-paced Python courses, which range in length from three hours to 17 hours. The students get to work with their instructors, mentors, and classmates in the online session and are equipped with the programming skills necessary to land good jobs. 

What Tuition Buys You

• Opportunities to work on real-world projects
• Mentorship
• Job assistance 
• Access to an extensive content library

Altcademy

Tuition: $990 – $1,670

Altcademy offers online front end, backend, and full stack development courses with training in JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Node.js, React, React Native, and Ruby on Rails. The school is open to any skill level and was initially founded for the Asian startup community. Students can choose from multiple career paths, which include the Immersive and the Personalized Career Path.

What Tuition Buys You

• One-on-one mentorship
• Career services 
• Help building an online presence
• Evolving curriculum

HyperionDev

Tuition: $3,945 – $7,493

HyperionDev is a coding bootcamp that offers full-time and part-time courses in software engineering, data science, web development, and mobile development. It is one of the best bootcamps for studying artificial intelligence. The programs last for six months and are offered in an online or in-person format, with campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa.

What Tuition Buys You

• One-on-one mentorship
• Daily code review
• Job assistance 
• Industry partner connections

Bottega University

Tuition: $1,500 – $7,500

Headquartered in Utah, Bottega University is an in-person and online bootcamp that offers full-time and part-time courses in front end development, Python programming, and Ruby programming. Bottega provides the additional resources necessary for students to learn core skills, achieve their potential, and meet their career goals.

What Tuition Buys You

• Mentorship
• Resume writing skills
• Interview prep
• Job placement
• Post-graduation support

CareerFoundry

Tuition: $6,900 – $7,900

CareerFoundry offers online courses in web development, user experience and user interface design (UX/UI), and data analytics. The self-paced programs last between four and 12 months. 

Students get to learn with the guidance of mentors and through a dual-mentorship teaching model. The school also offers a job guarantee that lets students get their money back if they don’t get a job after graduation. Students graduate with a portfolio of projects demonstrating valuable skills, which they can show to employers during job interviews. 

What Tuition Buys You

• Job guarantee
• Job assistance 
• Portfolio of projects

The Data Incubator

Tuition: $10,000

The Data Incubator is a data science bootcamp that offers eight-week full-time data science and data analytics courses. Currently, all programs are being held online, but the bootcamp has campuses in New York City, San Francisco, and Washington DC. The bootcamp is open to students with college degrees in STEM and prior knowledge of statistics and programming.

What Tuition Buys You

• Job assistance
• Mentorship from hiring companies
• Access to the employer partner network

Hackbright Academy

Tuition: $12,900

Hackbright Academy is a software engineering bootcamp for women and LGBTQ+ individuals. It has campuses in San Francisco, Dallas, and Lehi, but all programs are currently remote. The school offers a full-time option, a part-time option, and introductory courses. The part-time program lasts for 24 weeks while the full-time program lasts for 12 weeks.

What Tuition Buys You

• Mentorship
• Tech talks
• Job assistance 

The Tech Academy

Tuition: $14,000

The Tech Academy offers programs in coding, web development, cyber security, and tons of courses on specific programming languages. The programs are full-time and part-time and classes are conducted either online or in person. Its campuses are in Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Students build coding skills through self-paced learning and solving real-world problems.

What Tuition Buys You

• Flexible scheduling options 
• Job placement
• Job assistance

Actualize

Tuition: $14,900

Actualize offers a 12-week full-time and part-time course in software development online. Currently, courses are only being offered in person at the Chicago campus. Students have the option of joining the school’s career support program to enable a smoother career journey and also participate in team projects that they can add to their professional portfolios.

What Tuition Buys You

• Personal branding
• Networking skills
• Job assistance
• Career support program

General Assembly

Tuition: $14,950

General Assembly is a coding bootcamp that offers full-time and flex courses in software engineering, UX design, and data science. It also offers a wide array of part-time courses. Except for the data science bootcamp program, all programs come in under $15,000. Your programs can be completed online or at one of GA’s 15 campuses worldwide.

What Tuition Buys You

• Industry-led curriculum 
• Mentorship
• Career services

Popular Coding Bootcamps over $15,000

Tech Elevator

Tuition: $15,950

Tech Elevator is an online and in-person bootcamp that offers full-time courses in software development. It has campuses in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. The program runs for 14 weeks and has a low student-to-instructor ratio to ensure fast and effective learning.

What Tuition Buys You

• Coaching sessions
• Interview practice
• Placement support
• Alumni and mentor networking

Thinkful

Tuition: $16,000

Thinkful offers full-time and part-time career-focused courses in software engineering, data science, data analytics, UX/UI design, digital marketing, and technical project management. Thinkful also provides a dedicated career coach to each student for six months after graduation, or until they land a career in tech.

What Tuition Buys You

• Personal mentorship
• Job guarantee
• Career support

Coding Dojo

Tuition: $16,495

Coding Dojo offers full-time and part-time full stack programs in software development, data science, and cyber security. They offer programs both online and in-person, with campuses in Silicon Valley, Bellevue, Boise, Los Angeles, and Chicago. 

What Tuition Buys You

• Three-stack curriculum
• Skills training based on market demand  
• Career services
• Job assistance

Flatiron School

Tuition: $16,900

Flatiron School is a coding bootcamp that offers in-person and online programs in software engineering, data science, and UX/UI design. This bootcamp provider has campuses in Seattle, Austin, New York City, Chicago, Houston, Denver, San Francisco, and Washington. The programs can be completed on a full-time or part-time schedule.

What Tuition Buys You

• Collaborative learning environment
• 1-on-1 career coaching
• Job assistance
• Extensive employer network

App Academy

Tuition: $17,000

App Academy offers an online software engineering bootcamp program as well as an in-person program in New York City and San Francisco. App Academy teaches its students how to code through hands-on learning techniques. Students spend 90 percent of their time programming and 10 percent in lectures.

What Tuition Buys You

• Location-specific curriculum 
• Three professional portfolio projects 
• Job assistance 

Fullstack Academy

Tuition: $17,910

Fullstack Academy offers full-time and part-time courses in software engineering and cyber security. Programs take place both online and on campus, with its in-person coding bootcamps hosted in New York City and Chicago. Fullstack Academy offers flexible learning options for students who want to work and learn.

What Tuition Buys You

• Interview sessions
• Job assistance 
• Career connections via an employer network
• Flexible scheduling options

Galvanize

Tuition: $17,980

Galvanize offers full-time and part-time courses in software engineering and data science. Its campuses are in Austin, Boulder, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City. To get accepted into Galvanize, you must have previous experience in coding.

What Tuition Buys You

• Intensive program
• Job assistance
• Career workshops 
• Options for veterans and active-duty military members

Hack Reactor

Tuition: $17,980

Hack Reactor is a 12-week coding bootcamp that offers its software engineering program in both full-time and part-time formats. You can take the program either online or on campus in San Francisco, Austin, Los Angeles, or New York City. Hack Reactor also provides job assistance to enable students to navigate the job market more easily.

What Tuition Buys You

• Cutting-edge tech tools 
• Career-planning assistance 
• Access to its alumni network

Codesmith

Tuition: $19,350

Based in Los Angeles and New York City, Codesmith is a bootcamp that offers full-time and part-time courses in software engineering, both online and in-person. Codesmith prepares its students, which it calls Residents, to move into engineering positions through open source projects.

What Tuition Buys You

• Technical interview practice
• Resume and profile development
• Interview prep
• Networking strategies
• Post-graduation career support 

Bootcamp Payment Options

Coding bootcamps usually offer several payment options to enable students to pay the tuition with ease. The payment options vary depending on the bootcamp and sometimes the program you are applying for. They include options like scholarships, deferred payments, upfront payment, loans, and income share agreements (ISAs). 

Deferred Payment Plans

The deferred payment plan allows students to pay for their tuition at a later date. Most bootcamps ask for an initial deposit and let the students complete the payment after graduation or when they land a job that pays a specific annual salary. The payment can be completed in installments over a certain period of time and does not come with any interest. 

ISAs

Income share agreements, more commonly known as ISAs, are a specific type of deferred payment option. You can study for nothing now and start paying a certain percentage of your monthly income after you get a job. ISAs usually have more favorable repayment terms than high-interest loans. It makes it easier for low-income students to attend a coding bootcamp.

Scholarships

Many coding bootcamps offer scholarships to students who meet their eligibility criteria. The scholarships could be for women, students in the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, or other underrepresented communities. Bootcamps often partner with private and public organizations to offer students these scholarships. The tuition covered varies by school and scholarship.

Loans

Many coding bootcamps partner with lending companies to provide loans to their students. Some bootcamps also let the students take out personal loans. These loans typically come with low interest rates, and some of them even cover living expenses. Keep in mind that repayment terms vary. Skills Fund and Climb Credit are two lenders that often partner with bootcamps. 

Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It?

Coding bootcamps are worth it for anyone looking to start a career in tech or enhance their professional skills through a fulfilling coding journey. They are typically short-term, and the most flexible ones have full-time, part-time, online, and in-person options. This allows students to get hands-on training for tech jobs using the most convenient learning style for them.