A Guide to Cheap Coding Bootcamps 2023

If you're here, then you may well already know that coding bootcamps typically cost less than a traditional degree. They also often take less time to finish. Plus, top tech companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, hire coding bootcamp graduates in software engineering, web development, and cybersecurity.

A Google search for "coding bootcamp near me" will yield pages and pages of possibilities. But what does this mean for you, and how can you navigate between all of them?

Before you pick a coding bootcamp, you need to have a clear goal. Do you know the best programming languages to learn for the career you want to pursue? Would a part-time coding bootcamp fit your schedule better than attending full time? Do you have enough motivation to complete a self-paced bootcamp without accountability to an instructor?

Even cheap bootcamps require a time commitment.

What's Cheap for a Coding Bootcamp?

With people coming from so many different economic backgrounds, descriptors like "cheap" and "inexpensive" can be relative and difficult to define. That's why we have looked at the base upfront tuition cost of 624 bootcamps offered by 131 bootcamp providers in the U.S. to determine what "cheap" means in the bootcamp industry.

According to our analysis, based on data from November, 2020:

• The average cost of a coding bootcamp is $13,579.
• The median cost is $13,500.
• The most expensive bootcamp (offered by Lambda School) costs $30,000.
• The least expensive bootcamp (offered by Nucamp) costs $1,372.

Prices vary depending on several factors, like technical discipline, learning format, and time commitment. Among five popular technical disciplines -- web development, software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, and UX/UI design -- the two least expensive technical disciplines to study in a coding bootcamp are UX/UI design and web development.

UX/UI design bootcamps cost $12,436 on average, and web development bootcamps cost an average of $12,617. But you can find bootcamps for both disciplines that cost just a few thousand dollars or less: The least expensive UX/UI design bootcamp costs $2,995, while the least expensive web development bootcamp costs just $1,372.

In contrast, data science bootcamps rank as the most expensive. The average tuition of these bootcamps reaches $15,078. Software engineering bootcamps also skew on the pricier side, with an average tuition price of $15,036. Cybersecurity bootcamps land somewhere in the middle, costing an average of $14,442.

Online bootcamps cost about $1,000 less than in-person bootcamps, on average. Hybrid bootcamps that combine in-person and online components tend to be the most expensive format -- about $800 more than in-person bootcamps, on average.

In addition, full-time bootcamps cost $2,000 more, on average, than part-time bootcamps. That said, many bootcamp providers offer full-time and part-time programs for the same price.

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Cheapest Coding Bootcamps

The tables below outline the cheapest coding bootcamps from reputable providers. The two tables are divided into full-time programs costing $8,000 or less and part-time programs costing $5,000 or less. The tables list the bootcamps in ascending order by price.

Does Cheap Mean Poor Quality?

All bootcamps are not equal when it comes to cost or quality education. But cheap bootcamps don't necessarily mean poor quality.

Doing research beforehand can help you determine how to get the most for your money. You can get information on graduation rates and find out how many students found jobs in their field after graduation.

If a bootcamp doesn't include the data somewhere accessible, be wary. Bootcamps don't hold accreditation like colleges do, so the best assurance of getting a quality education is verifiable student outcomes.

The Council on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR) provides a standardized system to measure and report student outcomes. CIRR-verified bootcamps ensure transparent student outcome data. Use CIRR outcomes, the bootcamp's website, and bootcamp graduates' reviews to evaluate your choices. You can discover how many students graduated on time and how long it took them to find a job in their field.

The data even includes their starting salaries. A bootcamp might provide this information on its website, but the CIRR ensures it's accurate and verified.

Other Ways to Make Bootcamps Available

The cheapest coding bootcamps might not have robust career support services. Still, beginners could gain access to online prep courses.

The best coding and programming bootcamps make getting an education more accessible by offering innovative repayment options, such as:

• Deferred tuition
• Income share agreements
• Employer sponsorships
• Scholarships
• GI Bill®
• Loans

For example, App Academy defers student tuition payments until graduates find a job paying at least $50,000 per year. Bloc self-paced coding bootcamps reimburse tuition if you aren't working in your field within six months of graduation.

Income share agreements (ISAs) are a unique option that allows students to start a bootcamp with little to no money down. You agree to pay the bootcamp a fixed percentage of your monthly income, typically from 10-20% for 2-4 years.

To find out more, read BestCollege's ultimate guide to ISAs. These agreements may seem like a good idea, but they can be risky, so it's worth asking questions.

Another option is employer sponsorships. According to a 2019 International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans survey, 92% of U.S. organizations offer educational benefits.

Scholarships could offset an online coding bootcamp cost, so you might not need to choose one of the cheapest coding bootcamps. In addition, you could use the GI Bill and loans to help pay for a bootcamp.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Cheapest Coding Bootcamps

Are there any free coding bootcamps?

Yes, you can find various free coding bootcamps. For example, Careers in Code offers a hybrid, part-time coding bootcamp with evening and weekend options.

Students in this free 24-week coding bootcamp are part of a cohort. The bootcamp aims to create career pathways for women and underrepresented groups.

What coding bootcamps are good for beginners?

Bloc's self-paced coding bootcamps cater to beginners in web development and design. The bootcamp supports student learning with an online community and mentorship opportunities.

Codecademy provides scalable learning opportunities for computer programmers. It focuses on popular languages, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. Similarly, Flatiron School trains beginners in coding languages, such as JavaScript and Ruby.

Is a coding bootcamp enough to get a job?

You can get a job after graduating from a bootcamp. Still, the rate varies from one bootcamp to another.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/index.asp.

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