Software Engineering Bootcamps 2022
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Aspiring software engineers commonly pursue four-year degrees to enter the field. However, coding bootcamps also offer software engineering instruction with an emphasis on career skills. These programs can be completed on a much quicker timeline and may also cost less than a traditional degree. And according to a 2017 survey from Indeed, employers view bootcamp-educated candidates favorably.
Software engineering bootcamps can prepare graduates to enter one of the highest-paid occupations in tech. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 13% increase in computer and IT jobs in 2020-2030, with a median annual salary of $91,250. But the BLS projects a whopping 22% growth during this period for software engineers, who earned a median salary of more than $110,000 as of May 2020.
The following top software engineering bootcamps help students maximize their career opportunities and earning potential.
Popular Online Software Engineering Bootcamps
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the schools below.
Best Software Engineering Bootcamps
App Academy
- Locations: Remote, San Francisco, New York City
- Program Cost: $20,000
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
App Academy offers flexible enrollment options for its immersive software engineering bootcamp. This bootcamp provider specializes in software engineering training for students with no previous coding experience. Students learn both front-end and back-end engineering using Python and JavaScript, and they leave the program with a professional portfolio.
Codesmith
- Locations: Remote, Los Angeles, New York City
- Program Cost: $19,950
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Codesmith's immersive curriculum emphasizes full-stack software engineering, computer science, and machine learning. Codesmith also offers prerequisite prep programs. According to the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, more than 83% of graduates from Codesmith's Los Angeles bootcamp were employed within 180 days of graduation and reported a median salary of $116,500.
Flatiron School
- Locations: Remote, Austin, Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.
- Program Cost: $16,900
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Self-Paced
Flatiron School offers bootcamps with a variety of learning formats, completion options, and start dates. Students can access career resources, including individual career coaching and Flatiron School's employer network and signature job-search framework. The bootcamp offers flexible tuition options, including installment plans, loans, and scholarships.
Galvanize
- Locations: Remote, Austin, Boulder, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle
- Program Cost: $17,980
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Galvanize students can complete a software engineering bootcamp in as few as 12 weeks. High-profile companies including Tesla, Google, and Amazon currently employ Galvanize alumni. Galvanize offers immersive bootcamps, professional development, and online prep courses in software engineering.
General Assembly
- Locations: Remote, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.
- Program Cost: $15,950
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time, Self-Paced
General Assembly's immersive software engineering bootcamp builds skills in computer science, frameworks and stacks, and apps. Students may be eligible for a variety of tuition options, including installment plans, a tuition discount for women, and employer sponsorship. Well-known clients and hiring partners include Google, Microsoft, and Condé Nast.
Hack Reactor
- Locations: Remote, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
- Program Cost: $17,980
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Hack Reactor is one of the oldest bootcamp providers, offering programs since 2012. According to the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, nearly 86% of graduates from Hack Reactor's 2019 Denver bootcamp were employed within 180 days and reported a median salary of $80,000. Hack Reactor alumni have been hired at top tech companies like Google, Facebook, and PayPal.
Kenzie Academy
- Locations: Remote, Indianapolis
- Program Costs: $20,000
- Learning Formats: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Kenzie Academy offers its software engineering bootcamp with a focus in backend Java through a collaboration with Amazon Technical Academy. The program offers flexible tuition options, including upfront, monthly, and deferred payment plans. Students can complete the software engineering bootcamp in 9-12 months.
Momentum
- Location: Remote
- Program Cost: $17,500
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time
Momentum's software engineering bootcamp emphasizes full-stack development and career resources for aspiring tech professionals. Students work closely with a cohort to complete the immersive bootcamp in as few as eight weeks. Momentum offers full and partial scholarships and refunds tuition for graduates who do not receive a job offer within nine months.
Springboard
- Location: Remote
- Program Cost: $9,900
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Self-Paced
Springboard offers its career-focused online software engineering bootcamp through a partnership with Colt Steele. Students enjoy perks including live, one-on-one mentorship opportunities, deferred tuition, and a money-back guarantee. Springboard's bootcamp builds skills in React, Node, and Express for aspiring software engineers.
Thinkful
- Location: Remote
- Program Cost: $9,500 (Part Time); $16,000 (Full Time)
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
Thinkful's software engineering bootcamp includes training in Node, React, JavaScript, and full-stack development. Students enjoy personalized career coaching by tech professionals. According to the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, nearly 86% of graduates from Thinkful's 2019 online engineering immersion bootcamp were employed within 180 days and reported a median salary of $60,000.
Get the Qualities You Want in a Bootcamp
We use icons to make browsing bootcamps easy for you. Use this breakdown to quickly identify program qualities you are looking for.
Accepts GI Bill®
Accepts the GI Bill® as funding for tuition.
Also Available In Person
This online bootcamp also offers in-person options.
Career Services
Offers career services to help you land your dream job after graduation.
CIRR Member
This bootcamp is a current member of the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting. Learn more at cirr.org.
Evening & Weekend Options
Bootcamps are offered during convenient evening and weekend hours.
Job Guarantee
Employment is guaranteed as soon as you finish your bootcamp.
Money-Back Guarantee
Tuition is refunded if you don't land a job within a given time frame after graduation. Visit the bootcamp website for terms and conditions.
Start for Free
No deposit is required to get started. Begin your bootcamp for $0.
Methodology
Bootcamp Ranking Guidelines
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
Our Methodology
The Bootcamp Team at BestColleges has collected data for over 150 bootcamps to help you find the best bootcamp.
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
At this time, our recommendation round-ups feature only immersive bootcamps designed to prepare students for job placement upon graduation.
To be included on our lists, bootcamps must meet the following criteria:
- Must offer at least one bootcamp in the United States.
- Must offer at least one bootcamp that is a minimum of 4 weeks long.
- Must require at least 15 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is part time.
- Must encourage at least 10 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is self-paced.
Pricing disclosure: The prices listed were collected from product websites in 2022. However, given the dynamic, fast-paced nature of the tech space, prices are subject to change throughout the year. To get the most up-to-date information about pricing, contact providers directly.
Methodology for Recommending Cheap Bootcamps:
- The bootcamp must meet all of the general criteria listed above.
- The bootcamp must cost less than $8,000 if it is offered full time, and less than $5,000 if it is offered part time. These numbers were chosen based on data collected by BestColleges in 2020 that determined the average cost of a coding bootcamp is $13,580.
What Is Software Engineering?
Software engineers often plan and manage an entire software project, including organizing a variety of tasks and teams to meet the project's objectives. They often guide the work of software developers, testers, and quality assurance analysts to complete the full development life cycle of a software program or system, from planning to production.
Software engineers understand the multiple components necessary to ensure that products like web browsers, operating systems, and software applications function quickly and seamlessly. They manage the design, configuration, programming, testing, and maintenance required to successfully engineer new software products. Software engineering bootcamps teach critical programming skills, including Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript.
Software Engineering vs. Software Development
While software engineers and developers perform some of the same tasks, software developers may work within a more limited scope than software engineers. Furthermore, software engineers create various types of software, but web developers specialize in designing web applications.
Software engineers may create software for Windows, Mac, or Linux operating systems and web-based apps or programs. Software developers may focus on one particular software product or function, such as an app that captures email addresses and adds them to a mailing list or a virtual reality video game.
Software Engineer Career Outlook
Aspiring professionals can pursue a software engineering bootcamp to pursue lucrative jobs in tech. Graduates can apply for multiple high-paying, high-growth computer and IT occupations, with software engineering among the top earners.
While many employers require applicants to hold a software engineering bachelor's degree, bootcamp graduates may find entry-level employment to build experience. With experience, software engineers can also become computer or information systems managers.
Software engineers, software developers, and quality assurance analysts earned a median annual salary of more than $110,000 in 2020, according to the BLS. The BLS also projects a 22% increase in jobs for these professionals from 2020-2030.
Frequently Asked Questions About Software Engineering Bootcamps
How much do software engineering bootcamps cost?
While costs vary, the average bootcamp tuition was about $13,500 in 2020. This figure represents bootcamps that offer full-time, intensive programs and thorough career preparation.
Software engineering bootcamps still require a significant financial investment but can provide major savings of time and money compared to earning a four-year degree. Even the priciest bootcamps that charge up to $20,000 cost less than a typical four-year degree, which totaled over $50,000 in 2018-2019.
Can I get a software engineering job from a bootcamp?
Yes, software engineering bootcamps often prepare graduates for immediate entry-level employment. Some bootcamps offer money-back guarantees if graduates are not able to find in-field employment within a set time period after graduation. Bootcamps typically also provide extensive career support services, such as career coaching, resume review, interview prep, and networking opportunities.
Are software engineering bootcamps worth it?
Yes, software engineering bootcamps provide an alternative to a four-year degree for aspiring IT professionals. While a bootcamp does not impart the same depth of knowledge and experience as a degree, it can provide a faster, potentially more affordable path to entry-level tech employment.
Software engineering bootcamps suit students seeking a broad introduction to common programming languages, project management skills, and career resources in tech and IT fields.
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