The job outlook for computer programmers may be on the decline, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still in demand.
With everything going digital both on the consumer and corporate side, companies are looking to hire experienced coders to create mobile apps, websites, cloud platforms, and security offerings. They are still paying top dollar to lure talent their way.
In the past, landing a job as a coder would require years of school. But that’s changed over the past decade. Bootcamp coding schools have popped up all over the country to give students an in-depth and immersive education in a shorter period of time than earning a four-year degree.
Most of the programs run anywhere from six to nine months. They aren’t for the faint of heart. It’s not unheard of to put in 100 hour weeks, undergoing intense training. The cost varies, usually based on the length of the program. A nine-week course may cost $10,000 while a six-month program will be about $30,000.
A coding school doesn’t carry the clout of say a Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Stanford degree, but some do have track records of placing qualified programmers in companies across the country. A lot of these coding schools work with local businesses to create programs that match the skills employers need.
Traditional student loans aren’t available for most coding boot camps. But some do offer deferred payments and income sharing agreements that may lower the cost. There are also scholarships that are available to lower tuition.
Not all of the bootcamps are created equal. Some over promise and under deliver while others stand out for their quality and placements. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the leading coding schools located in the U.S.
5 Top Bootcamp Coding Schools
General Assembly
Location: Campuses across the country and in six countries
Training: On-campus or online
Tuition: $14,500 for a full-time immersive course. It offers less expensive options for shorter length programs.
Financial Aid/Scholarships: Yes
Founded in the early part of 2011, General Assembly started out as a co-working space in New York City. It morphed into a private coding school and opened its first campus in the Flatiron District in New York thanks to a grant from the New York City Economic Development Corp. It was acquired by the Adecco Group in 2018 for more than $400 million.
Today, General Assembly offers programs in web development, data science, user experience design and digital marketing. Students have options in how they learn, including full-time and part-time, on-campus or online. The company has 20 campuses in six countries. In the U.S., General Assembly’s locations include Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, among others.
The company claims to have 40,000 alumni and more than 2,500 hiring partners and says that 15,000 current Fortune 500 employees were trained through General Assembly.
General Assembly credits its success to its alumni network, global presence and hiring partners. It creates courses that are designed to meet employer needs but it also hires industry professionals as instructors, mentors, and coaches from the likes of Google, Amazon, Airbnb, and IBM.
Students considering General Assembly have options in how they fund their education. The school offers the Catalyst Program, which enables students to start paying back their tuition once they land a job earning more than $40,000. Installment plans that enable students to spread out the costs with 0% financing and loans and scholarships are available.
Hack Reactor
Location: Campuses throughout the country
Training: Computer science and JavaScript
Tuition: $17,980
Financial Aid/Scholarships: Yes
Around since 2012, Hack Reactor is considered a leading coding bootcamp that puts students through a rigorous admissions process. Only the ones who pass muster are included in the program. Students are required to take an introductory-level curriculum to learn JavaScript and problem-solving. Once the student masters that, he or she can move forward. That process typically takes two to four months.
Hack Reactor was acquired by Galvanize in 2018, creating one of the biggest accelerated learning schools in the country. It has campuses in Austin, Boulder, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and live via the Internet. It offers on-site 12-week full time and online programs and a part-time nine-month course available online only.
The company claims to have more graduates at top companies than any other bootcamp program. Some of the employers who hire Hack Reactor graduates include Google, Facebook, Walmart, Capital One and Uber. It has more than 7,000 alumni and 300 hiring partners. Some of its employer partners include JPMorgan Chase, SolarCity, and Slack.
The San Francisco-based coding school also claims its graduates make more money than the industry average. A software engineer in San Francisco earns $81,000 compared to $105,000 for a Hack Reactor graduate, according to the company. The company doesn’t accept financial aid but it does partner with lending companies to provide loans. It also offers scholarships through partnerships with its parent company and Samsung.
App Academy
Location: San Francisco, New York City
Training: Ruby-focused web development
Tuition: $17,000 to $28,000
Financial Aid/Scholarships:
App Academy tries to stand out from the pack by offering tuition deferment until the student is working, but with an added perk: it will never charge you more than 28% of your first year’s compensation. Students in the deferred payment plan pay $28,000 for their App Academy education. If you land a job making $60,000 a year, you won’t pay more than $16,800 in tuition. Students who don’t choose the deferment plan pay an upfront fee of $17,000. App Academy also offers a plan that combines both and costs $23,000.
Started in 2012, App Academy offers classes in San Francisco and New York City focused on web development. The 12-week program is not for the faint-hearted or the unsure. It is intense, with students expected to commit 90 to 100 hours each week.
Applicants have to pass coding challenges and in-person interviews to be accepted. Once they get in they get hands-on learning, with an emphasis on pair programming. That occurs when one student writes the code and the other reviews it as it’s typed. The school offers pre-coding classes to improve an applicant’s odds of acceptance.
The coding school has trained more than 2,600 students, with 935 different companies hiring its graduates. According to App Academy, graduates working in San Francisco earn an average of $101,000 and those working in New York City average $92,000.
Ironhack
Location: Miami, Florida
Training: Web development, UX/UI design, data analytics
Tuition: $10,000 and $12,000
Financial Aid/Scholarships: 10% discount for women and veterans of 10%.
Focused on web development, UX/UI design, and data analytics, IronHack offers 9-week full time and 24-week part-time courses online and on campus. IronHack has campuses around the world, with Miami, Florida representing the U.S. Founded in 2013, it is focused on web and mobile development.
The global bootcamp school has nine campuses, more than 2,500 graduates and 600 companies it partners with. IronHack’s diversity is one of its advantages. With instructors located in different regions including Amsterdam, Madri, Paris, Miami, students get diversity in opinions.
IronHack tries to set itself apart by offering career services during and upon graduation. Students are assigned a career coach who helps work on interview skills and assists in the job search.
Bloc
Location: Online
Training: Web development and design
Tuition: $8,500
Financial Aid/Scholarships: Yes
Aimed at time-strapped, career-minded professionals, Bloc is an online bootcamp that prepares people for jobs in software development. Around since 2012, it is among the first bootcamps to be internet-based, training beginners in web development or design. The school differentiates itself by offering a completely online, self-paced learning experience.
Since launching, Bloc has helped thousands of students learn to code in an immersive program. Students work with a team of experienced developers to gain the necessary skills. Like the other bootcamps, Bloc’s curriculum is designed based on the input of engineering firms. The goal is to produce software developers that can contribute on their first day of employment. Some of its graduates are employed by Facebook, Apple, IBM, and BuzzFeed.
All applicants are accepted into the eight-month program that costs $8,500. Students can choose to pay monthly or in full upfront. While most students who put in 15 to 25 hours a week complete the course in eight months, there is the option to purchase monthly extensions if more time is needed.
There is no down payment when a student enrolls. The first payment is due on the course start date. If you complete the course in less than eight months you’ll receive a refund for the time you didn’t use, minus a $250 fee. If you finish it in four months, for example, you would be on the hook for $4,500.
Bloc also offers scholarships including its $1 million Close the Gap Scholarship fund for self-identifying women, the New Relic Diversity Scholarships, which is a $500 partial scholarship for women, veterans and minorities who are underrepresented in technology and a $1000 Veterans Scholarship for all U.S. military veterans.
Conclusion
This type of training isn’t for those who aren’t committed to pursuing a career in programming. It is intense, difficult and trying. But if you graduate, you’ll be armed with in-demand skills in a high paying field. According to PayScale, the average salary for a computer programmer is around $77,000, with the potential to make more than $100,000 a year.
More From Advisor
- Best Debit Cards That Pay Cash-Back Rewards
- For Sale By Owner: When It Makes Sense and How To Do It
- How To Choose A Bank
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
