Best UI/UX Design Bootcamps 2023

Want to design your ideal UX career? Explore this guide to find the best UI/UX design bootcamps, admissions criteria, costs, and salary prospects for UX careers.

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Updated on November 6, 2023

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By and

Edited by

•

Reviewed by

Updated on November 6, 2023

Learn more about our editorial process

Can you imagine a digital world today without UI/UX design? Try navigating Amazon or Facebook with floating banners, neon fonts, text-heavy pages, and clumsy icons. Websites designed without the user in mind would look much like the first webpages of the early 1990s, devoid of page structure and lacking the functionality that we take for granted today.

User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) guide users through a website or application. Good UI/UX design not only enhances the user experience and adds visual appeal, but it can improve web accessibility and drive traffic. Today, nearly every transaction is done online, which means good UI/UX design boosts a company's profits. In fact, every $1 invested in UX design generates $100, according to research from Forrester.

Want to start your UI/UX career? On this page, we explore the best UI/UX design bootcamps, breaking down their costs, curricula, and student outcomes.

What Is a UI/UX Design Bootcamp?

UI and UX design, though often lumped together, are two separate but related fields. UI design involves the aesthetics of a digital product — the color palettes, animations, and other visual elements. UX design, on the other hand, can apply to both physical and digital products. UX designers are concerned with the user's overall experience with and attitude toward a product.

You can kick-start your design career in a UI/UX bootcamp — a quicker, often cheaper, and more flexible alternative to traditional college. A bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study to complete, but a UI bootcamp can be finished in 9-40 weeks. You can pay as little as $3,495 for tuition, or upwards of $16,900. Costs largely depend on the length and format of the program.

Many UI/UX bootcamps offer evening and weekend online courses or asynchronous formats that allow you to work full time while you study. Attending classes in person is also an option, as many UX bootcamps run brick-and-mortar locations.

The best UX design bootcamps teach the theory and tools that digital designers use every day, and they provide career support to help you curate your portfolio and land a design career.

UI/UX Bootcamps for You

Best UI/UX Design Bootcamps

BrainStation

Location: Remote, London, Miami, New York City, Toronto, Vancouver
Program Cost: $16,500
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time

Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

BrainStation's UX design bootcamp lets you get started in design with flexible part-time or full-time options that take 4-8 weeks. Career coaches help you from your first day. The curriculum teaches you about color theory, design thinking, sketching, prototyping, task flows, wireframes, and UX research for product launches. You will use Figma, Loom, Sketch, UI libraries, and Zeplin.

To pay for tuition, you can find scholarships for women and veterans, as well as diversity and inclusion awards. You'll pay no application fee to get started.

Visit BrainStation Bootcamp

Flatiron School

Location: Remote, Denver, New York City
Program Cost: $16,900
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time

Career Services

At Flatiron School, you can start the UI/UX bootcamp, which emphasizes digital product design, at any given month. With part-time and full-time paths, you can graduate in 15-40 weeks. The part-time program is only available online and includes mostly prerecorded lectures. The full-time bootcamp offers group work and paired design labs.

Each of the 14 modules focuses on key aspects of UI/UX design, such as ethical and inclusive design, foundational research, and ideation and innovation. You'll also learn about visual composition, typography and color, and product strategy. The bootcamp will train you in CSS, Figma, HTML, InVision, and Webflow.

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General Assembly

Location: Remote, London, New York City, Paris, Singapore, Sydney
Program Cost: $16,450
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time, Self-Paced

Accepts GI Bill®
Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

General Assembly's UX design bootcamp covers today's design tools and programming languages, such as HTML and CSS. Its six units delve into design iteration and development, product team work, and career planning. Courses cover hand sketching, rapid prototyping, and usability teaching. You'll also study web layouts and wireframes, color theory, typography, and product pitching.

Finding a job may come easier since General Assembly has more than 19,000 hiring partners worldwide. You will graduate with a portfolio of individual, group, and client projects that showcase app, website, and product designs.

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George Washington University

Location: Remote
Program Cost: $12,245
Learning Format: Online
Time Commitment: Part Time

Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

The George Washington University's UX/UI bootcamp trains you to become a modern designer in 24 weeks on a part-time basis.

You'll study three nights per week and learn design tools that include CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and jQuery. Over six months, you will learn design thinking, interfacing development, and prototyping and wireframing. You'll also learn storyboarding and visual design theory. In addition, the bootcamp also includes tutoring and career coaching.

To apply, you must submit an application, complete a phone interview, and do a critical thinking and problem-solving assessment. George Washington University requires that you be 18 years old and hold a high school or GED diploma.

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Ironhack

Location: Remote, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, London, Lisbon, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Paris, São Paulo
Program Cost: $12,500-$13,000
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time

Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

Ironhack's beginner-friendly UX/UI bootcamp offers a nine-week, full-time program or 24-week part-time option.

The lessons will train you in CSS, Figma, and HTML. The modules cover design topics such as branding, design thinking, information architecture, and the user interface process. You will also learn about visual design, wireframing, and front-end and web development. Enrolling full time requires a commitment to attend Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. Part-time learners train two weeknights and on Saturdays.

You'll leave with a portfolio of 3-6 projects. Hiring partners such as Accenture, AlphaNodus, Deloitte, and Microsoft can offer potential jobs.

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LearningFuze

Location: Remote, Irvine
Program Cost: $7,990
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Part Time

Evening & Weekend Options

LearningFuze's part-time UX design bootcamp prepares you for a design career in 24 weeks, with evening and Saturday courses.

Throughout the program, you'll train in design technologies and concepts, including Figma, Material UI, Marvel, and Stark.

The core and advanced design modules will teach you to improve user experience through user research, customer surveys, information architecture, and wireframing and prototyping. In the second module, you'll learn various computer languages — CSS, HTML, and JavaScript — interaction design, and design patterns.

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Noble Desktop

Location: Remote, New York City
Program Cost: $3,495
Learning Format: In Person, Online
Time Commitment: Part Time

Accepts GI Bill®
Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

Noble Desktop's part-time UX design bootcamp offers six one-on-one mentoring sessions over 24 weeks. The curriculum includes 132 hours of instruction and the chance to retake the bootcamp for free within one year of graduation.

You can study online or in person in New York with no more than 8-15 students per course. The curriculum covers UI/UX best practices, webpage and app development, user research and user testing, and Figma for prototyping. You can develop your website or portfolio with the help of personal career coaches.

The program's format allows you to work on portfolio projects in between courses.

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Springboard

Location: Remote
Program Cost: $11,900
Learning Format: Online
Time Commitment: Part Time

Career Services
Money-Back Guarantee

Springboard's self-paced UI/UX bootcamp lets you graduate in nine months while training part time — and offers a six-month money-back guarantee.

On your own, you can study prototyping, user research methods, information architecture, and designing animations. Using Figma and Sketch, you will learn sketching and wireframing. Career coaches and an industry expert provide mentoring and job support. And you'll get job experience by partnering with a company over four weeks to create a product that solves a business problem.

When you graduate, you can join alumni who have careers at Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, and Wayfair.

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Thinkful

Location: Remote
Program Cost: $12,350-$14,823
Learning Format: Online
Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time

Career Services
Money-Back Guarantee
Start For Free

With full-time and part-time options, Thinkful's online UX/UI bootcamp trains you to become a designer in 5-6 months.

Throughout the program, you'll gain job-ready skills that include wireframe prototyping, user research, information architecture, user empathy, and interactive design. The UX bootcamp also includes personal video consultants, ongoing feedback, and career tips. You'll also get post-graduation support and workshops.

Students who meet the conditions outlined in Thinkful's Tuition Refund Policy can receive a full tuition refund if they are unable to get a job within 180 days of graduating.

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University of California, Berkeley

Location: Remote
Program Cost: $13,900
Learning Format: Online
Time Commitment: Part Time

Career Services
Evening & Weekend Options

UC Berkeley Extension's online UX/UI bootcamp gives you the skills and tools to become a designer in 24 weeks. You'll attend courses three days per week in the evenings.

The hands-on training covers color theory and typography, design thinking, and visual prototyping and wireframing. Other topics you'll study include storyboarding and qualitative and quantitative research practices. You'll also graduate trained in CSS, HTML, Javascript, and jQuery.

Plan your career with the help of personal career coaches and get tips for industry experts at virtual quarterly Tech Talks.

Visit UC Berkeley Bootcamp

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.

Other Notable UI/UX Design Bootcamps

What Will I Learn in a UI/UX Bootcamp?

UX design bootcamps often kick off with prework that covers the basics of design theory, concepts, and tools. The following units teach you how to map out a user experience and use wireframing for prototyping using tools such as Figma. At the start of a UX bootcamp, you'll analyze user research and merge it with business needs to create digital products.

A UI/UX bootcamp also covers visual design and design systems. In this portion of the curriculum, you'll study color and typography to make aesthetically pleasing user interfaces. Additionally, you will learn front-end programming languages to create interactive websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Along the way, you'll test your skills in labs — either individually or in groups. Mentors or instructors will offer assessments and feedback to make sure you comprehend each concept before progressing.

The lessons will train you for a capstone project or a client project in which you'll solve a real business problem by creating an application or website.

UI/UX Career Paths and Salaries

UX design bootcamp can launch you into a booming industry. The average base salary for a UI designer is $68,520, while the average salary for a UX designer is $76,383, as of March 2023 Payscale data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment for web and digital interface designers to grow by 16% from 2021-2031 — far exceeding other industries.

In addition to these two occupations, an education in UI/UX design can prepare you for the following design-related roles:

Product Designer

Product designers oversee the entire design process, including the business and manufacturing components. They create products that align with management and consumer needs and collaborate with engineers, developers, and marketing staff. Their designs incorporate considerations about form, function, cost, and market appeal.

Product designers make an average annual salary of $88,580, while the top 10% make an annual average wage of $133,000, according to March 2023 Payscale data. According to the BLS, industrial design jobs are projected to grow by 3% between 2021-2031. Product managers can advance to senior product development or product engineers.

Visual Designer

Visual designers use color, images, and visualizations to enhance brands, products, and consumer interactions. They not only ensure that the consumer likes what they see but that the visuals stand out and evoke the right feelings and responses. Visual designers work with engineering, product management, and marketing teams to create concepts and prototypes.

According to Payscale, this occupation has an average annual salary of $67,640, and the top 10% of earners make $100,000 per year as of March 2023. The BLS projects that jobs in the related field of graphic design will grow by 3% between 2021-2031. Visual designers often advance to become UX designers and product designers.

UX Researcher

UX researchers are an important part of a product team, which relies on them to conduct usability tests and lead studies on user behavior and psychology. The insights gathered from their research help the company understand the user experience and how to improve the product.

UX researchers have many potential career paths that offer advancement and higher pay. They can become product designers or senior researchers. UX researchers make a median annual salary of $89,460, according to March 2023 Payscale data.

Frequently Asked Questions About UI/UX Design Bootcamps

Can I learn UI/UX design online?

Yes. You can learn UI/UX design online in many ways, including the UI/UX design bootcamps listed in this guide. These programs offer part-time, full-time, and self-paced schedules, plus synchronous and asynchronous delivery formats.

Online colleges and universities may offer certificate programs or UI/UX design courses as well. You can also gain UI/UX design skills through online self study, such as video tutorials and reading materials.

How much do UX design bootcamps cost?

The cost of a UX design bootcamp varies based on length. You can expect to pay about $3,000-$4,000 for shorter UX bootcamps and about $16,000 for longer and more immersive programs. Costs also differ depending on how you pay. For instance, paying tuition upfront almost always saves you money compared to paying via installments or deferment plans.

Can I learn UI/UX design for free?

Yes. Aspiring UI/UX designers can learn this field for free using resources available online. You can make use of many free coding bootcamps, which provide varying levels of training at no cost. You can also develop your own curriculum or specialization by compiling free online courses.

Other options include watching tutorials on YouTube or joining free workshops. You can also read through the vast collection of free design guides and walkthroughs. Consider practicing and hobby designing while you digest the information, as this will contextualize the information and help you work through challenges.

Are UI/UX design bootcamps worth it?

They can be. While bootcamp value varies by the program and the person, these programs have many benefits. UI/UX design bootcamps feature specialized and practical training in a condensed format. These accelerated programs allow you to develop the necessary skills for entry-level positions or advance your career without having to invest in a degree.

Bootcamps may feature lower training costs than many colleges and universities. They may also have more accessible admission requirements than some college programs. Bootcamp students can receive other perks as well, including financial aid, tuition assistance, and career services support.

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 website at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/index.asp.

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