Technologies have become one of the most notable pillars holding up pretty much all of civilization in today’s world. That said, coding has become one of the most important skills anyone can possess. Being a talented coder enables you to land incredible high-paying jobs while actively contributing to making significant changes in the world.
Coding skills make you eligible to work in exciting and progressive industries such as web development, computer systems engineering, computer programming, and software application development. The programming skills you could acquire as a coder could also come in handy in other less-related fields such as marketing, data analytics, and web design.
Not so long ago, going to a university or college to get a computer science degree was the only sure path to becoming a coder. Sadly, many degree programs have failed to equip and graduate enough specialists to cover the increasing number of tech jobs in the past couple of years. And that’s where schools we all know as coding bootcamps have stepped in.
While coding bootcamp prices may be scary to some, they end up being worth your coin. Keep reading to learn everything about a dev bootcamp price and whether they are worth it.
How much is a coding bootcamp?
For many aspiring coders wondering, “How much is a coding bootcamp going to cost me,” the price of coding bootcamps varies depending on which ones you are considering. However, there are umbrella cost options that typically cover the range of bootcamp prices. Tuition fees for all-intensive, full-time coding bootcamps, which last for several months, generally range from $7,800 to $20,000.
According to the 2020 research study conducted by Best Colleges, their data collected from about 129 boot camp institutions revealed that the average cost for boot camps is approximately $13,580.
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Coding school prices can also vary due to the particular disciplines offered by schools or taken by students. Here go the average tuition fees for specific programs:
- Cyber Security cost around $14,442.
- UX/UI Design programs have an average tuition cost of $12,436
- Software Engineering programs averagely cost $15,037
- Web Development is approximately $12,618. The average tuition cost for Data Science programs have the average tuition cost of about $15,078.
These prices also vary depending on the scheduling option and learning format offered by a particular bootcamps.
The study also showed that the average tuition for full-time study is about $14,605, while the median fee for part-time study is $12,265. In some cases, not all institutions allow students to pay less for part-time study. Some coding bootcamps may offer introductory classes, known as fundamentals or prep courses, to aspiring students who want to get acquainted with the basics of their program. These typically cost a few thousand dollars as well, $2,250 on average.
Another factor affecting a boot camp’s price is its affiliations to a particular university. University-affiliated bootcamps tend to have lower tuition fees than unaffiliated ones.
These prices are, of course, exclusive of other necessary expenses that aspiring coders may incur on their studying journey. These costs include living expenses, technology costs, material costs, and opportunity costs.
Some coding bootcamps may also offer pre-recorded courses. (But sure, it’s not the case with those schools providing in-person courses only.) This distinction may influence the final price of a bootcamp too.
The cost of boot camp could also differ based on the duration of the programs or courses offered. The median tuition fee for short bootcamp courses ranges from $5,000 to $8,000, while immersive bootcamps (lasting 9-16 weeks) averagely cost $6,250 to $13,500. More extended bootcamps that go beyond 17 weeks cost $8,800 to $17,780 on average.
The price of college degree vs. coding bootcamp
Both coding bootcamps and college degrees enable students to build a career in tech with the necessary skills and knowledge. However, the differences are significant.
Compared to going to college for about four years, studying in a coding bootcamp for only a couple of weeks or months is much cheaper. These lower education costs also enable students to achieve their career dreams while ultimately minimizing or avoiding student debt:
While the varying average of coding bootcamp fees ranges from $7,800 to $20,000, the average tuition fee for one undergraduate academic year is about $16,300. After spending four years in college, the total amount spent on funding the education process comes to a whopping $65,200 and could be much more if we consider the harsh realities of student debt.
Boot camp fees may also include additional costs for other services provided by the institutions. These services include career preparation when the boot camp gives students resources for company interviews, building their professional web presence, and developing their professional portfolio. They may also organize networking events for an additional fee.
Even with these additional costs, students can save several thousands of dollars when they opt for bootcamps over getting their Bachelor’s in Computer Science. And that’s the moment when you may wonder what’s the catch with this boot camp price comparison you’re reading now.
The idea is that we can’t discuss the college degrees vs. coding bootcamps battle in terms of price only.
Ultimately, boot camps are more affordable and still give students industry-ready skills in a short period. Boot camps are a great option if you are looking to break into the tech industry and learn the required skills at a lower cost. In less than a year, you will be ready to land promising jobs in your chosen field in the industry.
On the other hand, colleges and universities go through accreditation processes, while coding bootcamps do not. As such, it isn’t easy to measure the student success outcomes across several boot camps. Still, you can find reliable figures and statistics on this if the boot camp institution is a Council on Integrity in Results Reporting member.
Benefits of choosing the price of coding bootcamp
- Money-back guarantee
An exciting feature in the coding bootcamp industry is money-bank guarantees. Some coding schools offer a money-back guarantee to their students, which means that those who do not get qualifying job offers after graduating from their boot camp program get a refund or free tuition. Students should meet specific criteria to qualify for this feature.
- Professional post-program career counseling
Boot camps are typically more invested in their students’ post-graduate career progress than technical colleges or universities. Many coding schools offer helpful, professional career counseling for job-seeking graduates. More than that, some bootcamps are also affiliated with top tech companies, making networking and possible job opportunities easier.
- Affordable tuition plans
As previously analyzed, coding bootcamps cost less than going to college for about four years to get a degree. They are an excellent option for students who can neither afford college tuition nor student debt. Boot camps also offer flexible and comfortable payment options for students who cannot afford the upfront payment: loans, scholarships, deferred tuition, income share agreements, and others. Read more on this in this guide below.
- Industry-forward mode of teaching
Coding bootcamps use more practical and immersive methods of teaching when compared with colleges or universities programs. They constantly update programs according to real-time industry demands for students to get valuable skills to meet the continually changing “rules of the game” in the niche.
How much does boot camp cost?
While the all-encompassing answer to the question “how much does boot camp cost” is not a straight path, we can provide a breakdown of costs to help you understand and plan better.
1) Preparation costs
Some coding bootcamps offer paid preparation courses to admitted students. These courses help immerse students in the basics of their chosen programs before they finally begin the main course load. Some institutions may include these preparation costs in their main tuition fees.
2) Tuition costs
As explained earlier, tuition costs vary depending on the institution, program, and schedule option a student may choose there. The coding bootcamp costs enable the institutions to employ highly skilled and qualified faculty members to give the best teaching. These costs may also cover valuable career development services to help students find their footing in the real-world tech industry.
3) Technology costs
Attending a coding bootcamp requires students to have specific learning equipment, which may include a functional personal computer or laptop, high-speed internet access, headphones, and other options. In cases where a school requires students to use specific operating systems, these costs may also be included in this category.
4) Other associated costs
Other costs that might affect your total expenses on a coding bootcamp include accommodation/living costs, transportation, and feeding costs. Students should also consider the time and resources they’ll spend searching for a job after graduating from the bootcamp. It can take 3-6 months to get employed, and you need to have some rainy day funds to deal with this period.
Payment options in coding bootcamps
Although boot camp enrollees end up paying a significantly lower amount for tuition than they would in colleges, some people might still be unable to afford these fees. Many boot camps are known for offering flexible payment options to help students make their dreams come true. It is important to note that boot camp students are not eligible to ask for financial aid from the federal government as they are not federally included in the grant-in-aid system.
The following are payment options available in coding bootcamps:
Loans
You can find several financial institutions, including banks, that offer private loans. Boot camp students can take advantage of this opportunity and other private lending institutions like Skills Fund if they are eligible.
Eligibility may depend on essential factors like income, tax information, credit history, and employment prospects.
Scholarships
Coding bootcamp students can apply for scholarships and fellowships that they are eligible for. Many scholarships target specific groups of students, such as women in STEM, military veterans, and other minority groups in the tech industry.
Upfront payment
This payment option is a variant for students who can afford to pay the tuition fees upfront before the program begins. You pay the total price of the coding bootcamp you choose, and it can even help you save money by avoiding additional expenses.
Income share agreements
Income share agreements work by allowing students to learn for free, with delayed payments. A bootcamp will take a predetermined percentage of your salary, the one you’ll have after finding a job after graduating from their courses.
Deferred tuition
Deferred tuition payment plans work like income share agreements: Students defer payments until they secure a job after graduation. Here you’ll pay a predetermined amount, not a percent.
Some deferred tuition plans set a minimum salary threshold before refunds are activated.
GI Bill®
This payment program is set up specifically for veterans and active military personnel to help them pay for their education. Only some coding bootcamps are eligible to employ this payment option, and you can find out which payment options are available in your boot camp here.
Coding bootcamp cost comparison
Here is a thorough comparison of learning costs for different schools in the niche. Feel free to choose and apply to those fitting your needs and pocket most.
Cost: $5,000 – $10,000
| Coding bootcamp | Cost | Location | Payment option |
| CodingNomads | $6,950 | Tahoe, California; Bali | Scholarship: available for veterans, women, and financial needs. Upfront payments, month-to-month installments, loan financing |
| Thinkful | $7,000 | Online and across the USA cities | Upfront, monthly installments, deferred tuition (with and without living stipend), income share agreement(with and without living stipend), discounts ($200-500 discounts for women, non-binary individuals and military veterans.) |
| Epicodus | $7,800 | Seattle, Portland, Oregon; Online | Upfront, Epicodus scholarships, income share agreements, and loan financing |
| Grand Circus Coding | $9,750 | Grand Rapids ($9,750), Detroit ($7,500) | Automatic $1,000 scholarship for veterans, women, and ethnic minority groups underrepresented in tech. Upfront, loan financing, and GI Bill. |
| Burlington Code Academy | $9,950 | Burlington, VT and Online | Many scholarships for Vermont residents, diverse applicants, and more. Income share agreements, loan financing. |
Cost: $10,000 – $15,000
| Coding bootcamp | Cost | Location | Payment option |
| Ironhack | $11,000 | Online, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, Mexico City, Paris, São Paulo, Madrid, Miami | 10% scholarship for women. Upfront, Loan financing, Income share agreement. |
| DevMountain | $10,900 – $$11,900 | Provo ($11,900), Phoenix ($10,900), Dallas ($11,900) | Upfront, loan financing, deferred loans |
| Code Fellows | $12,000 | Seattle, WA | Income share agreement, loans financing, early-bird discount, Course-Bundle Discount, The Scholarship Fund, GI Bill, Washington State Worker Retraining Program |
| Coding Temple | $11,000 – $12,495 | Boston ($12,495), Chicago ($11,995), Dallas ($11,000), Washington DC ($12,495) | ISA, deferred tuition, upfront payments, month-to-month installments, loan financing, employer sponsored |
| Coding Dojo | Coding Dojo Price: $10,495 – $14,995 | Arlington, Berkeley, Boise, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Jose, Seattle, Tulsa, and online | Scholarships ($1000-$1500 for college students, recent college grads, career reinvention, veterans and $2500 for females), ISA, upfront payments, month-to-month installments, loan financing |
Cost: $15,000 – $20,000
| Coding bootcamp | Cost | Location | Payment option |
| Flatiron School | $10,495 – $15,000 | New York ($15,000), Houston ($14,000), Atlanta ($14,000), Seattle ($15,000), Washington DC ($15,000), London (£10,000) | Scholarship: Available for students from underrepresented groups; loan financing, 12-month no interest installment payment, upfront |
| Hackbright Academy | $10,495 – $15,000 | San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose | Loan financing, deterred tuition, upfront |
| Sabio | $10,495 – $16,950 | Irvine ($15,499), Los Angeles ($16,950), Online ($16,950) | GI Bill, scholarships, deferred tuition, loan financing, upfront payments |
| Codesmith | $10,495 – $15,000 | Los Angeles, New York City | Loan financing, deferred tuition, installments, upfront payments |
| Galvanize | Galvanize bootcamp cost: $10,495 – $14,995 | Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Boulder, Austin, New York, Phoenix, London | GI Bill, partial and full scholarships (merit-based, financial need, underrepresentation), upfront, income share agreement |
Frequently asked questions
Is a coding bootcamp worth it?
For students who need to master a specific skill rapidly, coding bootcamps and coding schools are worthwhile. Employers are generally happy about these programs, but they might require more accountability—the kind of accountability perceived to come with college degrees. Coding bootcamps worldwide are not recognized on a regional or national level, and they can’t be compared to the depth and breadth of a computer science degree.
Access is a budgetary concern for the majority of students. A four-year computer science degree can be excessively expensive, and many students, not just those from low-income families, face multiple obstacles while pursuing their education.
- Pros: Time-effective, easily accessible, affordable, flexible payment options, practical skill acquisition
- Cons: no accreditation (employers may be skeptical about hiring), less depth, fast-paced curriculum, less financial aid available, less versatile (single course focus)
Coding bootcamps are absolutely worth it for students who want to innovate and join the tech industry as quickly as possible. These schools will also fit individuals who prefer a much more direct learning route and job placement in the tech industry.
What is the price of a coding bootcamp?
The cost of coding bootcamps varies depending on which institutions you hope to enroll in. There are general prices that typically cover the range of coding bootcamp costs. Tuition fees for all-intensive, full-time coding schools, which last for several months, generally range from $7,800 to $20,000.
Various factors affect the total cost. These include study modes (online or in-person), the schedules (part-time or full-time), the number of courses taken, additional services offered, and the duration of the programs.
What is the average price of a coding bootcamp?
The average price of a coding bootcamp can vary due to the particular programs offered by schools or taken by students. The standard courses include Website Development, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Data Analytics, and UI/UX Design.
- The average tuition fee for Cyber Security costs around $14,442.
- The average tuition fee for UX/UI Design programs is $12,436.
- The average tuition fee for Software Engineering programs is $15,037.
- The average tuition fee for Web Dev averagely costs $12,618.
- The average tuition cost for Data Science programs was reportedly about $15,078.
What is the right price for coding bootcamp?
In reality, there is no way to state the right price for coding bootcamps. Each institution has various courses, programs, schedules, and additional services that will cost different prices. The accurate average price for coding bootcamps ranges from $7,800 to $20,000.
Is an online coding bootcamp cheaper?
Yes, it is. Online coding bootcamps are cheaper than complete degree programs at colleges or universities.
Online coding bootcamps are available in various formats, instructional techniques, and pricing points, ranging from low-cost monthly memberships to full-time boot camps costing $20,000 or more. Furthermore, several online coding bootcamps are less expensive, not only because of lower tuition prices but also because of the various payment alternatives available.
When comparing online coding boot camp costs, please note that some boot camps offer income-sharing agreements, which adds another degree of complexity to the equation. Remote code boot camps are also less expensive than in-person boot camps: the average online boot camp tuition is $11,118 (usually lasts 15 weeks), vs. $11,906 (usually lasts 14 weeks) for in-person boot camp camps.
Are there free coding bootcamps?
Yes, you can find a few coding bootcamps that provide different tech programs for students. But it’s critical to remember that such schools have strict admission policies for their free programs and are often super competitive. Some of them are aimed towards helping underrepresented groups in the tech industry (women, people of color, binary individuals). Free tuition may be available through fellowship programs aimed at degree seekers and tech professionals.
Free coding bootcamps may offer the same courses and teaching techniques offered in paid boot camps. Sometimes, they are used as prep programs to help students prepare for paid boot camps. Examples of free coding bootcamps include:
- Ada Developers Academy: The Ada Developers Academy is a Seattle-based boot camp for self-identified women that offers free instruction to all students. It provides full-time Website Development courses and is named after Ada Lovelace, the first coder. The curriculum includes six months of classroom training and five months of paid internship. Ada Developers Academy focuses on women and gender-inclusive students to close the gender gap in technology.
- 42: To be admitted to 42’s self-paced boot camp, you must finish a free four-week pre-boot camp training program.
- Kenzie Free: It is a free introductory coding bootcamp for students who are new to coding. Kenzie Academy is a self-paced online education that is entirely free. It allows ambitious programmers to learn from a top-tier boot camp without having to make any cash investments. The course covers HTML and CSS principles, as well as a brief introduction to JavaScript. Kenzie Academy’s mini-courses allow anyone interested in coding to get a feel for the subject. Students obtain practical technical skills and decide whether or not they want to pursue a career in technology for free.
- App Academy Open: App Academy Open is a free online coding bootcamp offered by App Academy. This online program gives students full access to the App Academy Full-Stack Web Dev curriculum. Still, it does not include the organized and instructor-led learning that the premium option does. The course materials and resources total almost 1,500 hours. App Academy is a well-known boot camp, and the free edition of the program covers the same material as the commercial one.
- Resilient Coders: 18-30 years old people of color are eligible to enroll with Resilient Coders. Aspirants must also attend one of the boot camp’s free one-day hackathons to qualify for admission.
- Bridge: Bridge is an 11-week women’s coding bootcamp that teaches Software Development. To get practical experience, students work on a range of portfolio projects. This women’s boot camp focuses on technical ability development, made possible by a supportive and high-tech environment. Bridge is a physical boot camp with classes delivered by industry specialists that meets twice a week.
Long story short
Bootcamps require students to invest their time, energy, and money to learn a programming language from industry professionals. On the other hand, these schools can pay off in the long run with high-paying tech jobs. Applicants can use the earned skills to start a new career or advance in their current one.
In this article, we did our best to share the accurate data on a coding bootcamp expenditure with you. If you look for a direct route into the tech industry, you can choose relatively cheap coding courses: They have great programs for beginners and help with employment.
Just remember that the price of coding bootcamps depends on many factors. Plus, most of them offer flexible payment options so everyone can apply and then use their earned skills to start a new career or succeed in their current one.