COURSE REPORT

Coding Bootcamps in 2020
YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF BOOTCAMPSWith over 500 bootcamps around the world in 2020, choosing the right coding
bootcamp is a big decision.
Use Course Report’s comprehensive bootcamp guide to narrow down your options
and read our answers to the most frequently asked questions about bootcamps.
Our team shares our latest research about the bootcamp market size, alumni
outcomes, income share agreements, university bootcamps, lending partners, andmore. Plus, our predictions for where the bootcamp industry is going next!

6. A lot has changed since bootcamps launched in 2012: University

High Level: Coding
Bootcamps 101
1.

Coding bootcamps are intensive, accelerated learning programs
that teach beginners digital skills like Full-Stack Web Development,

Bootcamps are now competing with household bootcamp names,
payment options like Income Share Agreements and Deferred Tuition
have exploded in recent years, and many bootcamps are dipping into
the corporate training market.
7.

At the end of this guide, we predict several trends in 2020, including
the expansion of university bootcamp partnerships, veteran programs
like VET TEC, ISA legislation, and more.

Data Science, Digital Marketing, UX/UI Design, Cybersecurity, andTechnical Sales.
2. The average bootcamp costs ~$13,500, and graduates report anaverage starting salary of $67,000. Bootcamps can vary in lengthfrom 6 to 28 weeks, although the average bootcamp is ~14 weekslong.
3. Coding bootcamps teach modern, widely used programming
languages and frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Python on Django,
JavaScript, and PHP stacks through project-based learning. Students
graduate from bootcamps with a portfolio, an online presence,
interview skills and more. Most bootcamps help graduates find aninternship or match students with an employer network – in fact, in
Course Report’s most recent research, 83% of bootcamp alumni

4.

I N T HI S GUIDE
What is a coding bootcamp
The state of coding bootcamp in 2020
Types of bootcamps: 4 models
The cost of bootcamp in 2020
Bootcamp locations
Curriculum trends at bootcamps
Salaries after bootcamps

report being employed in programming jobs.

Coding bootcamp demographics

There are bootcamp campuses in over 85 cities throughout the

Income sharing agreement

US/Canada. Coding bootcamps are predicted to graduate 23,000
students and gross $309MM in tuition revenue in 2019.
5. The average bootcamper has 6 years of work experience, has atleast a Bachelor’s degree, and has never worked as a programmer.
However, the number of students with degrees appears to be
declining slightly over time.
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Online bootcamps in 2020
Consolidation & acquisition
Regulation & criticism of the industry
University bootcamps
13 coding bootcamp FAQs

liz@coursereport.com

The State of the Bootcamp Industry:
Growth, Outcomes & Demographics
2020
MARKET GROWTHARE GRADUATES SUCCESSFUL?

BOOTCAMP GROWTH OVER TIME

# of graduates

20,00010,000AVG SATISFACTION

82%

8.8/10

WHAT MOTIVATES STUDENTS?
2014

2015

I n - Pe r s o n B o o t c a m p s

2016

2017

Online Bootcamps

2018

2019

Co r p o ra t e Tra i n i n g

WHO PERFORMS BEST IN BOOTCAMPS?

Pre-Salary

SALARY LIFT

54%

5,000

1|Outcomes% EMPLOYED$24,000

15,0000
2013

AVERAGE SALARY$67,000

25,000Overall

2017

2018

2019

$43,348$42,624$42,483$45,334

Post-Salary$66,964% Employed

83%

88%

2|GenderOverall

2017$66,726$60,763
79%

2018

2019

OUTCOMESCURRICULUMINSTRUCTORSTUITIONLOCATIONSCHOLARSHIPFACILITIES

In 2019, 45% say theychose a bootcamp
because ofalumni outcomes!

ISA/DEFERRED TUITION$66,729
74%

ISA

6%

Skills Fund49%

Deferred Tuition

15%

Climb Credit

19%

Did not use either

22%

Earnest/Affirm

2%

Not offered

57%

Other

30%

Salary% Employed% UsedPOPULAR LENDERS

Tuition Type

Lender% UsedFemale33.9%

32.0% 34.8% 35.4%$67,171

87%

Male

64.4%

66.2% 63.5% 62.5%$67,192

88%

Non-Binary

1.7%

1.8%

1.7%

2.0%

n/a

n/a

US Census

2017

2018

2019

Salary

White

72%

72%

71%

70%

$66,36789%

Hispanic

16%

10%

12%

12%

$59,61283%

Black/A.A.

13%

2%

7%

9%

$64,389

77%

16 Customer
weeks
78%
Success and Support$66,336

Asian

5%

15%

14%

12%

$74,63186%

16+
weeks Delight Officer
89%
Customer$71,103

Native Am./P.I.

1%

1%

1%

2%

n/a

n/a

Customer Delight
Officer
Bootcampsaretrending longer.

Other

9%

10%

8%

7%

$59,87079%

Overall

2017

2018

2019

SalaryNo college

20%

16%

21%

27%

$59,972

80%

Associate's

6%

5%

7%

6%

$56,205

81%

Bachelor's

59%

61%

59%

55%

$69,159

89%

3|Race4|Education% Employed% Employed

Master's

14%

17%

12%

12%

$71,537

88%

Professional

1%

1%

0.3%

1%

$66,984

93%

Doctorate

1%

0.3%

1%

1%

$78,778

90%

5|Military

Overall

2017

2018

2019

Salary% Employed

Yes

5.5%

4.3%

6.6%

5.4%

$70,042

85.4%

No

94.5%

95.7% 93.4% 94.6%$66,594

87.1%

COURSE REPORT IS a research platform for students choosing a coding bootcamp

3 | 202 0 G U I D E TO C O DING B O OTC AM PS | © 2020 C O UR SE R EPORTLENGTH OF BOOTCAMPS

Course Duration% Employed Avg Salary

8 weeks

83%$58,248

12 weeks

85%$69,391

CURRENT OPENINGS

From
10.8 weeks
in 2015 to 15.1 weeks
Customer
Success Agentin 2019

LOCATIONS
Washington (13)New York (29)Ohio (10)Illinois (9)Colorado (9)North Carolina (10)California (42)Georgia (9)Texas (20)

Bootcamps have campuses in 71
cities and 38 states.
READ MORE: https://www.coursereport.com/reports

What is a Coding
Bootcamp?
Coding bootcamps are intensive, accelerated learning programs thatteach beginners digital skills like Full-Stack Web Development, Data
Science, Digital Marketing, and UX/UI Design. Through project-basedlearning, coding bootcamps get students job-ready for a career in techin about 12 weeks. There are more than 100 coding bootcamps in cities
across the US and Canada, and ~50 bootcamps internationally. The
average bootcamp costs ~$13,500, and graduates report an average

83% of bootcamp alumni
report being employed inprogramming jobs.

starting salary of $67,000. Since the first bootcamps opened their doors
in February 2012, this industry has grown throughout the US and aroundthe world. Bootcamps can vary in length from 6 to 28 weeks, although theaverage bootcamp is ~14 weeks long.
Coding bootcamps teach modern, widely used programming languages
and frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Python on Django, JavaScript, and
PHP stacks. They are also heavily project-based, and require students
to immediately put their learnings into practice. Students build fully
functional web-apps, do data analysis and use real dev tools just weeks
into their programs. In recent years, the bootcamp model has extended toother digital skills like UX/UI Design, Data Science, and Cybersecurity.
Bootcampers graduate from bootcamps with a portfolio, an online
presence, interview skills and more. Most bootcamps help graduates findan internship or match students with an employer network – in fact, in
Course Report’s most recent research, 83% of bootcamp alumni reportbeing employed in programming jobs.

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TIP # 1

The State of Coding
Bootcamps in 2020
This year marks the 8th anniversary for the coding bootcamp industry,
and more students than ever are learning to code at a bootcamp. Coding
bootcamps are a $309 million industry and will graduate ~23,000
developers in 2019. But a lot has changed since coding bootcamps

CODING BOOTCAMP
MARKET SIZEGROWTH RATE

1.5X

The coding bootcamp industry (in-person and online)
will grow by 49% to an estimated 23,043 graduates in 2018.

LAST YEAR'S
MARKET SIZE

15,429opened their doors.

$309MMTOTAL GROSSREVENUE

Course Report launched in 2013 with 30 total bootcamp-style programs in

110

FULL-TIME
CODING
BOOTCAMPS

23,0432019 GRADUATES

our directory. Today, Course Report lists over 500! About 100 of those are
full-time, in-person, immersive coding bootcamps in the US and Canada.
There are bootcamp campuses in over 85 cities throughout the US/
Canada. Coding bootcamps are predicted to graduate 23,000 students
and gross $309MM in tuition revenue in 2019. In addition to this growthof the core industry, we see growth in several other areas:

INDUSTRY AGE

CODING BOOTCAMP
MARKET GROWTH

2013-201915,077
students

GROWTH RATE•

171% Growth of Online Bootcamps – there were ~5,500 graduates ofthese full-time, remote bootcamps in 2019.

•

There are now over 60 University Bootcamps in the US•

Flexible Payment Options: the rise of ISAs, Deferred Tuition, and theuse of Lending Partners like SkillsFund and Climb•

SINCE 2013,
BOOTCAMPSHAVEGROWN 11X!

16,190students

15,429students

2017

2018

23,043students

10,333students
6,740
students
2,178
students

2013

2014

2015

2016

2019

Corporate Training/B2B growth, which has risen from ~17,000 grads
last year to ~23,000 grads in 2019

Note about Methodology: We survey actual schools for their graduation data each year.
While there are other methods of estimating the bootcamp market like LinkedIn, we worry
that those methods severely overestimate the market because students rarely list thecourse taken at a bootcamp. Part-time or intro classes are often not outcomes-focused, so
including them in a Coding Bootcamp Market Size is flawed. When we measure the market
size each year, we are including only graduates of full-time, immersive bootcamps.

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Types of Bootcamps: 4 Models
Coding bootcamps have different academic models than traditional universities which allow them to serve the needs of a variety of learners. There are 4 bootcamp
models in the space: Full-Time In-Person, Full-Time Remote, Self-Paced, Part-Time Career-Focused. While the subjects taught are similar across models (typically
web development, mobile development, UX/UI design, data science, and project management), the time commitment, outcomes expectations, depth and deliveryof curricula vary based on model.

1

2

These are the schools that we typically think about when talking about

Online Coding Bootcamps almost mimic the classroom experience –“coding bootcamps.” Immersive, full-time, in-person – students attend

these are full-time bootcamps that require 40-60 hours per week (this isclass for 40-80 hours each week in a classroom. Immersive bootcamps

no MOOC)! Typically, online bootcamps will either use pre-existing tools

usually last 2 months to 7 months. Classes are held full-time and students

like Zoom Pro and build communities on Slack. Schools like Hack Reactor

can use facilities after class to review concepts and work on projects.

Remote, Thinkful’s Engineering Immersion, and Lambda School’s Full

Many intensive bootcamp students put in 80 hour weeks. To attend an

Stack Web Immersive are immersive, instructor-led bootcamps. Like

intensive bootcamp, students must be prepared to give up their full-their in-person counterparts, online bootcamps teach UX design, datatime job and limit outside activities for the course of the program. The

science, and software development, have outcomes-oriented curricula

Flatiron School Software Engineering Immersive, Turing School’s Back-that include one-on-one instructor/mentor guidance, interaction withEnd Engineering Bootcamp, and Codesmith’s Software Engineeringclassmates, and targeted career coaching.

FULL-TIME, IN-PERSON BOOTCAMPS

Immersive are examples of this model.

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4 Models

3

4

Self-Paced Online Bootcamps require less of a time commitment each

Part-time coding bootcamps usually meet on nights and weekends.

SELF-PACED ONLINE

PART-TIME, CAREER-FOCUSED

week (~10-20 hours) but take longer to complete. Typically, students

Students study programming over a longer period of time (~6-9 months)

complete curriculum and projects on their own schedule and meet with aand spend 6-15 hours per week in class and another 10-15 hours per weekmentor several times each week. Most online schools also have an online

on outside work. Students in part-time bootcamps usually hold part-timecommunity where students can connect with each other. One plus? Youor full-time jobs in addition to class. The goal for a part-time bootcamper

can enjoy the benefits of bootcamp from the comfort of your own home

is typically to land a new job or get a promotion at work, but some part-and don’t need to quit your job to upskill. Thinkful’s Engineering Flex andtime students’ goals are to simply add new tools to their resume. For

Springboard’s Software Engineering Career Track are great examples ofexample, a Product Manager may take a part-time coding bootcamp

the self-paced online bootcamp.

to become more fluent with developers at work. Examples of quality
part-time bootcamps are Actualize’s Nights and Weekends Course or
DevMountain’s After Hours User Experience Design Course.

7 | 202 0 G U I D E TO C O DING B O OTC AM PS | © 2020 C O UR SE R EPORTThe Cost of a Coding
Bootcamp in 2020
Tuition ranges from $0 to $28,000 for an in-person coding bootcamp,with an average tuition of $13,584. The average online bootcamp costs$12,898 and lasts 24.3 weeks.

CODING BOOTCAMPS:
THE INVESTMENT
Coding bootcamps are trending longer on average, and cost ~$13,600 per student.

DURATION

15.1 weeks
COST$13.6K

15.1

WEEKS

The cost of a bootcamp education doesn’t even compare to a 4-year
degree: While coding bootcamps cost an average of $13,584, the13,584

tuition at top CS programs can be triple or quadruple that in just one
academic year. Carnegie Mellon undergraduate tuition and tuition at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is about $60,000-70,000
per year. Students also must consider opportunity cost and living cost –TUITION DISTRIBUTION

the longer you are studying, the longer you will have to make ends meet

Coding bootcamp tuition ranges from $0 to $28,000 for an in-person
coding bootcamp, with an average tuition of $13,584.

on a tight budget.

COST$13.6K> $15,000 (31%)

TREND ALERT: Over the years, coding bootcamps have gotten much
longer: from just under 11 weeks in 2015 to just over 15 weeks in 2019.
And interestingly, we find that the length of the bootcamp actually does
have an impact on post-graduation average salary: the average salary

LLEGE

O
MP VS CBOOTCAer-year CS Degre
The average fou 0 vs the averagecosts ~$172,00 bootcamp –cost of a coding$13,500$10,000 – $14,999 (44%)

after an 8-week bootcamp is $58,248 versus the average salary after
a bootcamp that’s longer than 16 weeks, which is $71,103. While mostbootcamps are 12-14 weeks long, schools like Turing School (7 months),
Ada Developers Academy, and Holberton (up to 2 years) are examples of
longer bootcamps.

8 | 202 0 G U I D E TO C O DING B O OTC AM PS | © 2020 C O UR SE R EPORT$5,000 – $9,999 (15%)<$5,000 (2%)
FREE (8%)

Bootcamp Locations:
The US + International
As of June 1, 2019, there are coding bootcamp courses in 71 US cities and
38 states, and 14 online. Location data is from a sample of 180 courses
from all 96 qualifying schools.

CODING BOOTCAMPEXPANSION

US CITIES

71

Bootcamps continue to expand into new markets throughout the US and Canada.
Washington (6)US STATES38

New York (12)CANADIAN CITIES

7

CANADIAN PROVINCES

4

Ohio (11)Utah (6)Illinois (7)Colorado (8)North Carolina (7)California (20)6 Canadian bootcamps graduated 888 students in 2018, will graduate
an estimated 1,057 in 2019, and will generate $12,056,406 in revenue
in 2019. The most popular teaching language in Canadian bootcamps
is divided evenly between Ruby on Rails and MEAN Stack. As of June
1, 2019, there are coding bootcamp courses in 7 Canadian cities and 4
provinces.

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Florida (7)Texas (17)Curriculum at Coding
Bootcamps
Full-Stack Web Development continues to dominate bootcamp curricula –94% of coding bootcamp grads learn Full-Stack Web Development. Web
Development coding bootcamps have historically been taught using Ruby
on Rails, Full-Stack JavaScript, .NET/C#, Java, Python, or PHP. In 2019,

MOST POPULAR
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

Full-Stack JavaScript has maintained its position as the primary teaching
language. 44% of courses reported Full-Stack JavaScript as the primary
programming language. Not only are schools new to the market choosing
JavaScript, but established bootcamps are also migrating their curricula toemphasize JavaScript.

44% OF CODING
BOOTCAMPS TEACH...

This year, Full Stack JavaScript continues to be the most popularteaching language at coding bootcamps.

FULL-STACKJAVASCRIPT

JAVA (12%)

PHP (5%)

Coding bootcamps are hotbeds for innovation; because they’re 3 months
long, bootcamps can iterate quickly on their curriculum based on market
trends and employer needs. The skills you learn at a bootcamp can range– you’ll probably learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript, a backend language like
Rails or Java. But a lot of instructors and industry folks will tell you that the
programming language itself doesn’t matter; what you’re really learning is
how to learn a new language. And that’s a skill that employers tell us they
appreciate time and time again.
JOB CURRICULUM
On top of the technical curriculum, most bootcamps offer services to help
prepare students for the job market. Almost all students report receiving
some form of assistance: career days, resume prep, apprenticeship, onsite interviews, and more. The most popular services offered are resume
assistance and networking events.

10 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTCKFULL STAIPTJAVASCRh
JavaScript for botmeans you'll use server side of an
the client and ect to learn
application. Expngo.DB, Express,
Mo
technologies like ct, and Node.
Angular, Rea

FULL-STACKJAVASCRIPT (44%)

PYTHON (11%).NET (15%)

RUBY ON RAILS (14%)

Salaries After Coding
Bootcamp
The majority of graduates of coding bootcamps are finding full-time
employment, and 83% of graduates surveyed say they’ve been employed
in a job requiring the technical skills learned at bootcamp, with a mediansalary increase of 51% or $22,000. The average starting salary ofa bootcamp grad is $66,964. Course Report’s Annual Outcomes &Demographics Study dives into graduates’ success, analyzing not only
demographics and outcomes, but also how previous experience, income,location, and other factors impact a student’s average salary and ability to
get a job.
As bootcamp grads progress in their careers, salaries rise as well. In ourlatest survey, Course Report found that in their second jobs, bootcamp
graduates earn around $78,000 per year, and by their third jobs, alumni

ARE BOOTCAMPS WORTH IT?
83% of graduates have been employed in a job thatleverages the skills they learned at bootcamp – and they
get a 51% salary raise after graduating!

51%$66,964
38%$22K

AVERAGESALARYINCREASE

AVERAGE
POST-BOOTCAMPSALARYAVERAGESALARY LIFT

report earning, on average, $90,990 per year! This data confirms thatas new grads become more experienced developers, they’re also
increasingly valuable to their teams and companies (and can command
higher salaries).
Other factors like Location certainly impact salaries – graduates working
in California see the highest salaries; the average is $100,482. Next up
is New York, where grads make an average of $74,756. Interestingly,
graduates who studied online had the third highest average salary of$70,500. However, living costs are likely to be higher in those tech hubs
in California and New York, so students should make sure to take that into
consideration when looking for a job

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www.coursereport.com/research-reports

Coding Bootcamp
Demographics
The average bootcamper has 6 years of work experience, has at least a
Bachelor’s degree, and has never worked as a programmer. However,the number of students with degrees appears to be declining slightly overtime.

T H E AV E R A G E B O O T C A M P E R
The typical coding bootcamper is 31 years old,has 6 years of work experience, has at least abachelor's degree, and has never worked as aprogrammer.

35% ofbootcampers
are women

5% ofbootcampers
are VETERANSCOMPARED TO 19% IN
UNDERGRAD CS DEGREES

2% USE THE GI BILL TO
COVER THEIR TUITION

www.coursereport.com/research-reports

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Income Share Agreements + Deferred Tuition
ISAs and Deferred Tuition can align a school’s incentives with those of their students. Essentially, if their students aren’t successful, then neither is the school.
However, these payment offerings require schools to take on additional risk, so you shouldn’t expect to see every school offering deferred tuition or ISAs. The terms
and conditions between bootcamps are also incredibly nuanced, so students should do additional research to understand whether there is a cap on repayments,
minimum salaries that trigger repayment, and the total amount paid compared to a traditional loan.

WHAT IS DEFERRED TUITION?
Deferred tuition means students pay no upfront tuition (or very little),then start paying a set tuition amount once they graduate and find a job.
You should expect to see a fixed total tuition cost that you will pay to theschool in installments.

Outcomes Report – that’s the most transparent method to see if they get
their students jobs.
Income Sharing Agreements are financial instruments (like a loan). But
they currently fall into a bit of a grey area. Many schools use a third-party
organization like Vemo Education or Leif to design, implement, and “takethe complexity out of” offering Income Sharing Agreements. We expect
2020 to bring regulation to the ISA industry.

WHAT IS AN INCOME SHARING AGREEMENTOR ISA?
An income sharing agreement means students agree to pay a percentageof their salary to the school for a set period of time. Depending on
the school, the percentage can range from 8% to 25%, and you may

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DEFERREDTUITION AND ISAS?
•of their students. If their students aren’t successful, then neither is thebe sharing your income for 1 year to 4 years. ISAs have also been
popularized by colleges like Purdue University – though the minimum
salary that triggers repayment at Purdue is $20,000, which pales incomparison to the $40-50K minimum salaries we see from bootcamps.
At the end of the day, Income Sharing Agreements are another way forschools to show potential students that they’re confident in their ability
to get students jobs. Our recommendation is to ask the school for an

13 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTISAs and Deferred Tuition can align the school’s incentives with thoseschool.

•Takes the pressure of upfront tuition off of students•

Expands accessibility to bootcamps to a wider pool of students bymaking it possible for a student without $20,000 in savings to enroll•

Job guarantees can be heavily regulated, so deferred tuition and ISAs
are another way to prove to students that a bootcamp’s incentives arealigned with the goals of their students

HOW TO EVALUATEISAs & DEFERRED TUITIONange centa 8% topercy
The ge from ou maran , and y your25% sharing forbe come rs
in
yea
1-4

WHAT IS AN ISA?

An income sharing agreement means students
agree to pay a percentage of their salary to
the school for a set period of time.

BOOTCAMPS WITH ISAs

WHAT IS DEFERREDTUITION?

Students pay no upfront tuition (or a small
deposit), then start paying a set tuition
amount once they graduate and find a job.

You shto see ould expectatuition fixed total
you w cost thatilthe sc l pay to
install hool inments.

BOOTCAMPS WITH DEFERRED TUITIONHOW TO EVALUATE YOURPAYMENT PLAN
These terms are different! Does the school offer
Deferred Tuition or an income sharing agreement?
Are you required to accept your first job offer?
Is there a minimum salary requirement before
you need to start paying?
Is there a cap on how much you have to pay intotal?
What happens if you don't find a job within acertain time period?
How long will it take for you to pay back thetuition?
How does the total deferred amount compare withpaying for a loan + interest?
Does the payment plan meet the rules andregulations of your state?

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www.coursereport.com

Online Bootcamps
in 2020
Online coding bootcamps offer convenience and structure without
forcing students to quit their job or move to a new city. 5,519 developers
graduated from 14 of these full-time, remote bootcamps in 2019 and we
expect this space to continue growing. The average online bootcamp

ONLINE BOOTCAMPS

costs $12,898 and lasts 24.3 weeks.
MOOCs have infamously low graduation rates, but online coding
bootcamps are not MOOCs! Schools like Hack Reactor Remote, Thinkful,
and Lambda School are offering immersive, instructor-led bootcamps that

Online coding bootcamps are growing faster than in-person; 5,519 (of the total
23,043 students) will graduate from full-time, online coding bootcamps in 2019.

NUMBER OF
ONLINE
BOOTCAMPS IN
2019

5,519
students

14

keep students engaged and even guarantee jobs. Like their in-person
counterparts, online bootcamps teach UX design, data science, andsoftware development, have outcomes-oriented curricula that include
one-on-one instructor/mentor guidance, interaction with classmates,
and targeted career coaching.
Each year, we spend months choosing a list of the best online
bootcamps. But remember, there is no ultimate “best online coding bootcamp” – the best code school for you depends on your own learning
style, availability, and career goals. No matter how many accolades aschool has, make sure to do your research: read reviews, talk to alumni,
take an intro course, and ask about job outcomes data.

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What's an online bootcamp?

To qualify for thisyear's report, an online
bootcamp must be fulltime, instructor-led,and synchronous.

2,022
students

2018

%
171

TH
W
O
GR

24.3

WEEKS

12,900ONLINE BOOTCAMPS ARE
LONGER + LESS EXPENSIVE
THAN IN-PERSON SCHOOLS
2019

Online Bootcamps
in 2020

ONLINE CODING
BOOTCAMPS

Typically, online bootcamps will either use pre-existing tools like Zoom Pro

HOW MUCH DO
THEY COST?

and build communities on Slack. Some schools like Software Guild havebuilt their own proprietary learning platforms. Remember that learning tocode online is different than learning in a classroom. Here’s our advice:•First, find a course that supports your learning style.

•Be sure to carve out time to dedicate to the online bootcamp andmake the most of your support network (instructors, mentors, alumni
network, etc).

•$15,000+OR

INCOMESHARE
AGREEMENT

Take advantage of offline opportunities like Meetups or Thinkful
Communities•

Finally, code every day and network aggressively to get a job when
you graduate!

$5000 $15,000

UNDER
$5000

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Coding Bootcamp
Acquisitions &Consolidation
In 2019, we estimate that the bootcamp industry saw $170MM in

JUNE
2014

ZipfianAcademyAcquired by Galvanize(then called gSchool) to
become 12-week Data
Science offering.

fundraising (not including debt financing). The largest fundraises of 2019•

Online bootcamp Lambda School raised $30 million in January to
expand its income sharing agreement (ISA)•

Make School also raised $15 million in series B funding in April inorder to expand to New York City•

MakerSquare
Acquired by Hack
Reactor, and all campuses
have become Hack
Reactor campuses in SF,
LA, and NYC.

Momentum coding bootcamp in Durham, North Carolina, raised$2.75 million to strengthen its existing immersive courses – run byformer Iron yard execs.

•

Springboard raised $11M to expand mentor-driven coding bootcamps

The Iron Yard
Apollo Educationacquired a "controllinginterest" in The Iron
Yard. Shut down in2017.

Until 2019, the largest coding bootcamp acquisition deal was certainly~$400MM. In 2019, 2U broke that record by buying Trilogy Education,
which runs bootcamps at universities across the US and around the world.
2U paid $400 million in cash and issued $350 million in stock to buy
Trilogy. Later in the year, Thinkful was acquired by Chegg for about $80

APRIL
2015

NYCDA
Acquired by for-profit
education company
Strayer Education Inc
for ~$5-7 MM.

Acquired by Konrad
Group, and since
expanded to Vancouver,
NYC, and San JoseThe Software
Guild

Acquired by university
software provider
Learning House.

JULY
2015
SEPT
2015

General Assembly being scooped up by staffing firm Adecco for

BrainStation

JAN
2015

Kenzie Academy raised $7.8 million in Series A funding to expand to
students online and in the Midwest

•

NOV
2014

DEC
2014

included:

Dev Bootcamp
Acquired by Kaplan Test
Prep. Shut down in 2017.

Mobile Makers Academy
This acquisition was thefirst major move by Hack
Reactor umbrella
company ReactorCore.

JAN
2016

million in cash. And New York-based bootcamp Fullstack Academy was
acquired by Bridgepoint Education in a deal worth potentially ~$50M.

MARCH
2016

Below is an infographic of every bootcamp acquisition since 2014:

Hackbright
Academy17 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORT

Acquired by for-profit
education company
Capella Education for$18MM.

APRIL
2016

Starter League
The Chicago bootcamp
was acquired by fellow
code school Fullstack
Academy.

$18MM.

Coding Bootcamp
Acquisitions &Consolidation Cont’d
3 WAYS THE BOOTCAMP INDUSTRY IS CONSOLIDATING
Bootcamps Acquiring Other Bootcamps•

Bootcamps have been acquiring other bootcamps since 2015. This is

MAY
2016

BitmakerLabs

Acquired by General
Assembly and namechanged to Bitmaker
General Assembly
Toronto.

Viking CodeSchoolAlong with The Odin
Project, it was acquiredby Thinkful.

a great way to expand into markets where a school has lower namemotivation is to buy out competition, as in the case of Thinkful
acquiring Bloc in 2018 (and previously The Viking School).

Acquired by Capella
Education for up to$20MM shortly after
Hackbright Academy.

AUGUST2016

OCTOBER2017

Flatiron
SchoolAcquired by WeWorkfor an undisclosed sum.

DEC
2017

Bloc

recognition. For example, Fullstack Academy acquired StarterLeague
in Chicago in 2016 and now runs a thriving Chicago campus. Another

DevMountain

GeneralAssembly

APRIL
2018

Acquired by Thinkful foran undisclosed sum.

Acquired by Adecco for$413 MM.

Traditional For-Profit Universities Acquiring Bootcamps•

Capella Education (now Strategic Education) acquired Hackbright

FullstackAcademyAcademy and DevMountain in 2016. We know from Strategic

Acquired by Bridgepoint
Education in a deal
worth $50MM

Education’s most recent quarterly filings that the bootcamps are now
generating returns for the company.
•

MAR
2019

While some of these deals have been successful, others have been aletdown. Dev Bootcamp was acquired by Kaplan in 2014 and The Iron
Yard was bought by Apollo Education in 2015 – by 2017, both schools
had been shut down by their parent companies.

Education & Staffing Companies Broadening Portfolios•

2U paid $400 million in
cash and issued $350
million in stock to buy
Trilogy.

APR
2019

Thinkful

Trilogy Education was acquired by 2U for ~$750MM, expanding 2U’shold in higher education program management.

•

Trilogy
Education

Swiss staffing firm acquired General Assembly for $413MM and
WeWork acquired Flatiron School – both deals present an opportunity
to expand the pipeline from training to employment and placement.

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APR
2019
FOR MORE INFO, VISIT:
www.coursereport.com

Thinkful was acquiredby Chegg for about $80
million in cash

Regulation & Criticism of the Bootcamp Industry
Generally, coding bootcamps are not accredited. But the bootcamp“stakeholder” organizations, who have developed a common framework

you attend should be licensed by a state regulatory agency. Licensing

for reporting on, documenting, and auditing student outcomes. CIRR

often means that the school has to submit their curricula (and any major

schools must report their outcomes every six months, and their data must

curricula changes) for approval, invest in liability insurance in case of

be backed up by documentation (meaning schools must collect written

closure, and publicize their course catalog. It does not mean that the code

confirmation from students and employers or offer letters) and verified byschool is able to grant degrees.

a third-party.

State regulatory agencies like the California Bureau for Post Secondary

Before CIRR, schools attempted to form NESTA. And around the same

Education (BPPE) and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) havetime, worked with the Obama Administration on EQUIP. Under the EQUIP

cracked down on schools operating without a license (and online schools,

program, in essence, a university partnered with a coding bootcamp andwhich present even more ambiguity). Lambda School was recently fineda quality assurance entity (QAE), and as a result, students could effectively

by the BPPE in California, Flatiron School was fined by the Attorney

get financial aid and/or college credit for completing a coding bootcamp.

General of New York, and as the industry gains more steam, it also gains

The DOE called these partnerships “test sites” and announced awarded

attention from critics and regulators.

$17M in grants in August 2016.

To combat that outside criticism, a coalition of bootcamps formed theCouncil on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR) in 2016 and started
publishing student graduation and job placement data in a single,
standardized framework. The Council on Integrity in Results Reporting(CIRR) is a non-profit whose members include both bootcamps and

19 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTUniversity Bootcamps
Universities have now been partnering with coding bootcamps since

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST UNIVERSITY CODING

2016, but there is a ton of nuance between these university bootcamps.

BOOTCAMP

There are over 60 university bootcamps in 2020 and that number
continues to grow. The majority of university bootcamps are operated•

Ask for Student Outcomes! Yes, the prestige of a university

by Trilogy Education. Trilogy bootcamps are offered through thebeing involved with a coding bootcamp is impressive

Continuing Education Department at each university and do not qualify– but the appeal of a coding bootcamp is that you get

for federal student loans or college credit. Competitors to Trilogy, likerelevant, hands-on training that employers are looking for.

Noodle Partners and Quickstart Education, have broken into the market

If your goal is to get a job after graduating, then be surein 2019 as well. Other university coding bootcamps offer college credit,

to ask the bootcamp for data about their alumni. What’s

like Dominican University and Make School. Portland coding bootcamp

the graduation rate? What percentage of graduates are

Epicodus has partnered with Warner Pacific University to create aemployed within 3 months? What’s their average starting

program called sourceU, where students take introductory college

salary? These are all questions you can ask to be sure thatclasses through the university, then do Epicodus’ 27-week web andthe bootcamp will help you get a job after graduating.

mobile development course. Students then take an additional 4 months of
WPU courses, before graduating with an Associate’s Degree.

•

Understand who will be teaching the course. Most often,
a bootcamp instructor will be teaching this course – thismeans you can expect to learn from someone with realworld, professional experience. But if you’re expecting auniversity professor, then be sure to ask about this upfront.

•

Research the bootcamp itself. It can be easy to get caught
up in fancy university names. After all, if an Ivy League
university is associated with the bootcamp, it has to be thebest, right? Wrong! Do as much research as you would for
an independent bootcamp.

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CODING BOOTCAMPSIN CORPORATE TRAINING

Corporate Training

Trend alert: 29 bootcamps are working with corporate training partners toteach programming in 2019.
PARTNERS IN
2018

674

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software

PARTNERS IN
2019developers is expected to grow by 17%, “much faster than average” by

2018

16,779 graduates

995

2024, which is about 200,000 more roles. Software developers are2019

already expensive, and “harder than average to recruit,” so more andmore companies are thinking about re-training their own workforce. For

22,549 graduates

example, AT&T is currently retraining 100,000 employees. As the industry
grows, these bootcamps have identified a need for companies to provide
in-house training for their employees. Many bootcamps now offer a rangeof customizable corporate training programs. In 2019, coding bootcamps
trained 22,549 students in digital skills via 994 corporate training
partners!
Bootcamps offer a number of ways to upskill/reskill employees in a
corporate setting:•On-site training•

Online training•

In-classroom training•

Custom hackathons•

Upskill current employees to keep them engaged and learning eg.
this partnership with Liberty Mutual and The Software Guild•

Mentor or onboard new hires

2020 and Beyond:What’s Next for
Bootcamps•

Last year, we reported a lot about the Forever GI Bill; in 2020
we’ll start to see more veterans taking advantage of VET TEC anddepending on how that pilot goes, we could see even more veteransin bootcamps.

•

We’ll continue seeing bootcamps offering Income Sharing
Agreements – and regulation will catch up to this space.

•As the demand for cybersecurity and data professionals rises,bootcamps will continue to react and launch new courses to meetmarket demands.

•

There is a lot of opportunity in university partnerships – we hope to
see rigorous and transparent outcomes standards applied to these
university bootcamps.

•
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We’ll see CIRR grow in it’s importance and membership.

Top 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
PREPARING FOR A CODING BOOTCAMP
PREPPING FOR A BOOTCAMP
1. Coding bootcamp vs college: what’s my best option?
2. Can I learn to code on my own?
3. Am I ready for a coding bootcamp?
NARROWING YOUR OPTIONS
4. What type of coding bootcamp should I attend?

1. Coding Bootcamp vs College: what’s best for me?
Can you really learn everything you need for a job in the tech industry
without a computer science degree? Here are 5 things to consider when
deciding between 4 months vs. 4 years of school.
•

degree program, but leads to a rewarding average starting salary of

5. Should I move cities for a coding bootcamp?
6. Which programming language should I learn?
7. Where can I find coding bootcamp reviews?
BOOTCAMP APPLICATIONS
8. What should I expect at a coding bootcamp?

60-70K.
•10. How do I pay for a coding bootcamp?

a CS grad.
•

12. What can I do after a bootcamp education?
13. Are coding bootcamps accredited?

Time Commitment. CS Degree programs require a longer time
investment, which means deeper understanding and more practicehours. In contrast, you’ll finish a bootcamp in a matter of weeks, but
may need to spend some time doing self-study to get up to speed.

•

Curriculum. For a more well-rounded understanding of computer
systems and a general understanding of coding, a CS degree is abetter option. To delve right into coding languages and their practical

JOB PLACEMENT
11. Will I get a job after a coding bootcamp?

Return on Investment. You can complete a bootcamp in less time
and with less money while still holding the same earnings potential as

PAYING FOR BOOTCAMP
9. How much should I budget at a bootcamp?

Cost. The cost of a bootcamp is equivalent to one semester of a CS

applications, bootcamp is the way to go.
•

Career Outlook. If you want to launch or join a startup skip the CS
degree and go to bootcamp. If becoming an executive at Google,
Apple or Amazon is in your future, plan to earn a CS degree at somepoint down the road.

Further Reading: Check out our guide to Coding Bootcamps vs. College,
read thoughts from a CS professor-turned-coding-bootcamp-instructor,
and watch our CS Degrees vs Coding Bootcamps Webinar.
22 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTTop 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
2. Can I learn how to code on my own?

•

Set your goals. Are you a career changer or just seeking a new

Once you’ve decided to learn how to code, you may be wondering if you

hobby? Take some time to self-teach before taking the plunge andcan teach just teach yourself. History says, “YES!” Plenty of successful

quitting your job to join a bootcamp.

developers are self-taught using books, online resources, etc. Here are
6 things to consider when deciding if you should attend a bootcamp or

FOR MORE THOUGHTS ON SELF-STUDY VS. CODING BOOTCAMPS,

teach yourself.

READ BOOTCAMP VS. SELF-STUDY: THE COMPLETE GUIDE.

••

Prior coding experience. Students with a computer sciencebackground or knowledge of programming, may find it easier to teach

3. Am I ready for a coding bootcamp?

themselves. However, if you have no knowledge of programming and

Coding Bootcamps are intensive programs; while very rewarding, awould like to learn quickly, it’s better to attend a coding bootcamp.

coding bootcamp will be stressful and will push you. Before attending a

Coding curriculum. It’s difficult enough to learn to code, and if you

bootcamp, consider if it’s the right fit for your learning style. Schools look

don’t have a guide, it’s hard to know how to teach yourself. If you findfor the following skills in intensive bootcamp applicants:

it difficult to find the tools you need, consider a bootcamp with a set
curriculum.
••

Willingness to work hard – this is particularly important when
applying to an intensive bootcamp. It’s a huge investment to spend

Learning style. Have you tried to teach yourself a new technical skill
in the past? Were your past self-teaching attempts a success? Work40-80+ hours a week over the course of several months to learn aout what your learning style is. If you find that you learn well on yournew skill. You’ll often hear the word grit throughout the admissions

own, it’s something you should try before bootcamp.

process, and that’s exactly what schools are looking for in applicants.

Time and commitment. What is your Bootcamp ROI (Return on

Bootcamps want to know that their students are committed to doing

Investment)? You may save in the long run by paying for a bootcamp

whatever it takes to succeed for the duration of the bootcamp. At theand reaping the benefits of a salary increase in just a few shortsame time, make sure you avoid burnout.

months. Use the Bootcamp ROI calculator to determine your ROI.
••Your network. Do you know fellow programmers? Do you havecontacts to find a job after you learn to code? If not, a bootcamp will
surely provide a network and contacts, which are fundamental in any
career transition.

23 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORT•

Ability to problem solve – An intense curiosity and desire to problemsolve are vital, because many bootcamps offer limited lectures andinstead require students to spend most of the day solving challenges
on their own. During the technical coding challenge, your approach

Top 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
to problem-solving can be even more important than solving thechallenge.
•

Interpersonal skills – Whether it’s called empathy or just “playing
nice,” a bootcamp is a team sport. You’ll be spending the majorityof your days learning alongside and coding with a small group of
strangers. Those that demonstrate a desire to learn from and workwith others will do well.

•

Technical chops – Depending on the school. you may be required topass a coding challenge in your interview. If you’re not quite ready,take a coding bootcamp prep program.

If a full-time coding bootcamp is not an option, consider a part-timebootcamp or online bootcamp.
NEXT STEPS:•

Complete a course on Codecademy, Treehouse or Udemy todiscover if you like coding.

•

Test your passion for coding at a weekend workshop like Railsbridge,
Rails Girls, or Girl Develop It.

•

Attend a meetup to build your own community of learners!

NARROWING YOUR OPTIONS

4. What type of bootcamp should I attend?
Acceptance rates at top coding bootcamps are notoriously low (somebetween 3-6%), but that doesn’t mean that you’re not ready to learn
to code. Coding Bootcamps are generally upfront about the minimum
demands they make on their students. Some “zero to sixty” code schools
are meant to bring beginners into the fold and other “twenty to onetwenty” bootcamps aim to help current developers make a leap or learn
a new technology stack. First, figure out what your own skill level is, andthen find the bootcamp that aligns with that level.
Immersive coding bootcamps – Immersive bootcamps usually last 2
months to 7 months. Classes are held full-time and students can use
facilities after class to review concepts and work on projects. Many
intensive bootcamp students put in 80 hour weeks. To attend an intensive
bootcamp, students must be prepared to give up their full-time job andlimit outside activities for the course of the program.
Part-time coding bootcamps – Part-time coding bootcamps usually meeton nights and weekends. Students study concepts over a longer periodof time and spend 6-15 hours per week in class and another 10-15 hours
per week on additional concepts. Students in part-time bootcamps usually
hold part-time or full-time jobs in addition to class.
Online coding bootcamps – More recently, the bootcamp trend has
shifted thanks to online coding schools like Bloc, Thinkful, and other24 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTTop 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
popular programs. Even if you choose to study online, you’ll still have•

Do you have obligations in your current city? If you don’t have ties

options between flexible or full-time courses. Students complete

or if you’re just ready for a big move, then perhaps a fully immersive

curriculum and activities on their own and meet with a mentor several

experience could be beneficial in freeing you from distractions andtimes each week. Most online schools also have an online community

offering a new experience.

where students can connect with each other. One plus? You can enjoy the•Does your current city have a credible coding bootcamp option?

benefits of bootcamp from the comfort of your own home. Watch demos

The Midwest, South, and even Malaysia, all have credible codingof online coding bootcamps here.

bootcamps. It’s not necessary to move cities (or countries) to geta solid foundation in programming and get a job as a software

STUCK BETWEEN TWO BOOTCAMPS? HERE ARE A FEWdeveloper.

COMPARISONS:•

Bloc vs. Thinkful (Online)

According to Course Report’s latest 2016 Outcomes & Demographics•

Lighthouse Labs vs. CodeCore (Canada)

Report, cities with the highest average salaries remain the large tech hubs•

Flatiron School vs. Dev Bootcamp (New York)with plenty of developer jobs: San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, New York•App Academy vs. Flatiron School (New York)

City, Denver, and Los Angeles were among the cities with highest mean
and median salaries. States like California, Washington, Texas, New York,5. Which city should I attend coding bootcamp?
While you will still find the majority of dev bootcamps in major tech hubs
like San Francisco and New York, bootcamps have sprung up in smallermarkets since 2012 (there are coding bootcamps in over 70 US cities)!
Coupled with legitimate online coding schools that offer mentorship, you
no longer need to move cities in order to get a solid education. Consider
these things when making the decision:•

Where do you want to work after you graduate? If your goal is toget a job in your current city, then there’s no reason to pack up yet!

25 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTand Colorado were among the states with highest mean and mediansalaries. Bootcamp grads in San Francisco saw the highest average salaryof $100,779!

Top 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
6. Which programming language should I learn?

7. Where can I find coding bootcamp reviews?

Coding bootcamps employ teaching languages to introduce students to

Check out Course Report for thousands of coding bootcamp reviews!

the world of programming. While language shouldn’t be the main deciding

Our school directory is sorted by the number of verified reviews. You canfactor when choosing a bootcamp, students may have specific careeralso find reviews on Quora and Yelp.

goals that guide them towards a particular language.
If you’ve graduated from a bootcamp, you should leave a review to help
In that case, first decide whether you’d prefer to learn web or mobile

future students make their decision.

development. For the web, your main choices are Ruby, Python, LAMP
stack, MEAN stack and .NET languages. For mobile, choose between
Java for Android and Swift or Objective-C for iOS. Learning a specific

APPLYING TO A CODING BOOTCAMP

language may lead you to a new job market and offer pathways to

8. What can I expect in a coding bootcamp interview?

different career tracks, average salaries and areas of business. However,While coding bootcamp interviews will differ by school, you can expect

many recent bootcamp graduates find that they end up learning and using

certain elements across the board. Some interviews will begin with aa completely different language on the job. There is no “right” or “wrong”“culture fit” while others begin with the coding challenge. Some schools

language to learn!

have only one interview to assess both culture and technical aptitude.
Here’s how to prepare:

FURTHER READING:•

Developing for iOS: Objective-C vs Swift (Webinar)

Written or Video Application•

Should You Learn .NET?

••

Rails vs. Django: Which Should a Beginner Learn?

•

Ruby vs. Python: Choosing your First Programming Language•

React vs. Angular

Read Quora, the bootcamp’s website, and blogs by its founder,
former students, and alumni.

•

Prior to the application do some self-assessment to determine yourreasons for going to bootcamp. Are you preparing for a new career?
Trying to learn a new skill to get a promotion? Scoping out a newhobby?

•

Set aside at least one hour to answer the questions thoroughly andalso give yourself time to edit answers as needed.

26 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTTop 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
Culture Fit Interview

FURTHER READING: 10 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE ASKING IN•

Brush up on some of the online resources you started with, the

YOUR CODE SCHOOL INTERVIEW, AND OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

bootcamp itself and its founders.

BOOTCAMP PREP PROGRAMS•

If you’ve built personal projects or worked on something technical atyour current job, be prepared to walk the interviewer through yourportfolio.

Technical Interview + Coding Challenge (optional)

PAYING FOR BOOTCAMP TUITION

9. How much should I spend on coding bootcamp tuition?
The average full-time programming bootcamp in the US costs $11,450

Keep in mind that an interview is also an opportunity for you to havewith some bootcamps charging up to $20,000 in tuition. When making ayour questions answered so come in ready to pick the brain of yourdecision, first calculate your Return on Investment (ROI): do your researchinterviewer.

and compare bootcamp tuition costs to the average starting salary of
past graduates. Be sure to consider the opportunity cost incurred by

Most of all, don’t freak out! If you’re passionate about getting into

quitting your job, room & board, and any hidden fees from loans. Some

coding and you study up, you have nothing to worry about. You’re goingbootcamps offer free or discounted housing. The amount of money that

into a bootcamp to learn better skills. They won’t expect you to know

you’re willing to invest should probably correlate strongly with the amounteverything- most importantly, show that you’re receptive to teaching andof time and energy that you’re willing to put forth. Compare coding

eager to learn.

bootcamp tuition costs here.

Many code schools have placement tests or online pre-work

10. How do I pay for bootcamp?

assessments that you complete as part of your application. Check out

Bootcamps are expensive. Because code schools are not degree-granting

these tools for further practice:institutions, most bootcampers don’t qualify for traditional student loans
like Pell Grants. As a result, many students put their tuition on a credit•

CodingDojo Algorithm Platform

card, borrow money from friends and family, or use savings. As the coding•

Epicodus Curriculum

bootcamp industry has grown, so too has the business of financing them.

•Tech Elevator Aptitude Test

Most bootcamps offer financing options, payment plans, and loan
partnerships through companies like Skills Fund, Pave, Climb Credit and

27 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTTop 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students
Affirm, in addition to scholarships and discounts for women, military•

Exclusive Course Report Bootcamp Scholarships

veterans, and underrepresented minorities.

•

7 Tips to Financially Prepare for a Coding Bootcamp•

The Definitive List of Programming Bootcamp Scholarships

Other creative ways to pay for your code school tuition:•

Students who are already employed and are attending bootcamp to
gain skills for their current job are often able to work out a deal with
their employer to cover some if not all of the cost of the bootcamp.

JOB PLACEMENT

11. Will I get a job after graduating from a bootcamp?

•

Crowdfunding your coding bootcamp tuition is always worth a try!

•

Certain bootcamps like App Academy and Viking Code School won’t

Network and resources — If you’re attending a bootcamp in hope ofdemand tuition until you’ve been placed in a job.

changing careers, then you should find out what services are offered.

Ask the bootcamp if they offer a partial tuition refund if you accept

Some bootcamps set up prospective interviews with potential employers,a job with one of their hiring partners. Our research finds that 15% ofwhile others offer resume workshops and provide a list of hiring partners.

•

graduates got a tuition refund this way.
••

There are many great scholarship opportunities for coding

Job Placement — Consider a bootcamp’s job placement rate 30, 60, 90

bootcamps based on merit, gender, race, service in the armed forces,

and 120 days after the program. While some schools like App Academy

and financial need. Explore all of these options and don’t leave

SF only require you to pay if you get a job, most bootcamps don’t follow

money on the table that you could’ve been putting towards yourthis model. Some bootcamps provide this information publicly via an

education!

industry organization called CIRR, while others may require some digging

Course Report offers exclusive scholarships and discounts to overon Course Report.

25 bootcamps. Check out this list to see if your dream bootcamp is
on our list!
RESOURCES:•

Ultimate Guide to Coding Bootcamp Loans and Financing•

Bootcamp Scholarships for Women•

Bootcamp Scholarships for Veterans

28 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORT

Before applying to the bootcamp, do your homework:•

Read about coding bootcamps and visit their website.

•

If you can’t find a Student Outcomes Report easily, ask the school toprovide one (along with their methodology)•

Read programming bootcamp questions on Quora to read answers
from bootcamps

Top 13 Coding Bootcamp FAQs from Students•

Read bootcamp reviews and interviews with Alumni•

Visit the bootcamp space and talk to an instructor if possible

12. Where can I go with my bootcamp education?

13. Are Programming Bootcamps Regulated or Accredited?
Yes and no. Much of the appeal for a bootcamp is the agile curriculum andability to teach the latest technologies. While a few coding bootcamps
have been “shut down” by their state’s regulatory agencies, many are

Coding bootcamp graduates go on to do so many cool things. Here are

actively working with those agencies to become accredited. Accreditation

just a few examples:

does not mean that the code school is able to grant degrees. So what
does it mean? Accredited coding bootcamps often have to submit their•Get a job as a junior developer at a large company you’ve always

curricula (and any major curricula changes) for approval, invest in liability

admired.

insurance in case of closure, and publicize their course catalog. Here’s an•

Join a small dev team at a startup.

•

Take an apprenticeship and learn from the masters for a few months

interesting perspective on accreditation from Bitmaker Labs CEO Craig

after graduating.

Hunter.

•Become a technical co-founder and help launch a product.

Coding Bootcamps have caught the attention of many politicians and•Freelance while you travel the world.

government bodies, including the White House Office of the CTO,•Work for another coding bootcamp as an instructor, teaching

President Obama (who launched the TechHire initiative in March 2015),

assistant, or support staff.
•

Find a job as a technical product manager.

•

Take on new projects at your current company (and get a promotion
or a raise while you’re at it)!

and the current administration.
In March 2017, CIRR (Council on Integrity in Results Reporting) wasannounced as a group of over 50 bootcamps and member organizations
who have developed a common framework for reporting, documenting,

FURTHER READING: 6 JOBS YOU CAN LAND AFTER A CODING

and auditing bootcamp student outcomes. This new coalition (which

BOOTCAMP, AND CHECK OUT THE COURSE REPORT BLOG FOR

includes Course Report) is committed to publishing student graduation

GREAT ALUMNI STORIES.

and job placement data in a single, standardized framework. Learn more
as we break down CIRR here.
FURTHER READING:
CIRR: JOB PLACEMENT REPORTING FOR BOOTCAMPS

29 | 20 2 0 G UI D E TO C O DING B O OTCAM PS | © 2020 C OUR SE R EPORTAbout Course Report
Since 2012, Course Report has been the leading authority
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Chronicle, TechCrunch, GeekWire, EdSurge and more. We
conduct in-depth research on the industry, track trends
in coding education, share student stories, produce amonthly podcast, and host thousands of alumni reviews.
Course Report has everything you need to choose thebootcamp that’s right for you.