Coding Bootcamps: Are They Worth It?

A smiling man holding up and pointing to a sticky note reading “Code.”

There has arguably never been a better time to consider learning how to code, as more and more tech businesses begin the search for talented individuals with a passion for coding. But what’s the best way to learn to code? While some have made great strides through self-teaching, most people require a regular coding curriculum to learn everything they need to apply for a job effectively. While coding courses are an option, specialized coding Bootcamps provided by expert industry professionals like Sabio are another that people would do well to consider attending. Please consider checking out their website along with their range of expertly written resources for more information.

Related: Software Engineering Prep Courses at Sabio Coding Bootcamp

Coding Bootcamps FAQs

If you’re considering attending a coding Bootcamp but are still on the fence regarding your decision, you likely have a range of essential questions you’d like to have answered before signing up. The following is a selection of common questions you may be wondering about.

1. What Are Coding Bootcamps?

Coding Bootcamps are a type of intensive, accelerated learning program that teaches participants a wide range of fundamental digital skills, such as data science, web development, cybersecurity, UX, and UI design, along with a wide array of programming languages.

2. What Is the Average Cost of a Bootcamp?

The average cost of a coding Bootcamp can range significantly depending on the programs you’re looking into, their curriculum, and more. Generally, the prices range from as low as $1,400 to as high as $30,000, with the average Bootcamp costing approximately $14,000.

3. What Is the Starting Average Salary of Bootcamp Graduates?

According to data collected by the CIRR, the median salaries earned by coding Bootcamp graduates range from approximately $55,000 to $117,500. However, other data has indicated that graduates have reported an average starting salary of about $69,000.

4. What Programming Languages Can You Learn?

Those attending a coding Bootcamp can expect to learn a wide range of different programming languages and frameworks commonly used within the industry. These include JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Ruby on Rails, Python on Django, and much more.

5. What Do Graduates Leave Coding Bootcamp With? For example, a portfolio, interview skills, and an already established online presence.

Students that graduate from comprehensive coding Bootcamps typically walk away not only with a vast array of coding knowledge but also a specialized portfolio, a respectable online presence, interview skills, and more.

6. Has The Average Coding Bootcamp Attendee Ever Worked As A Programmer?

In general, the average coding Bootcamp attendee has approximately seven years of prior work experience and a Bachelor’s degree but has never before worked or received training as a programmer. So most attendees are entirely new to the programming realm and will have a lot to gain from Bootcamp participation.

7. What Jobs Do Coding Bootcamps Train Students For?

Coding bootcamps can prepare students for a wide array of different jobs within the tech industry, including software application, and web development, UX/UI designing, data science and analysis, Information Technology (IT), graphic designing, and more. 

8. How Long Is the Average Coding Bootcamp?

Coding Bootcamp lengths largely depend on the particular Bootcamp you’re looking at attending, how comprehensive their curriculum is, and how intensive their training is throughout the program’s entirety. Generally, coding Bootcamps tend to range in length from 6 to 28 weeks and average about 14 weeks.

9. Can You Get Internships Through Coding Bootcamps?

Depending on the coding Bootcamp you want to attend, they may offer a range of additional services, including internship programs or prospective employer network matching to help them locate promising new careers. 

Related: Now More Than Ever People Are Leaving Their Careers and Jumping Into Tech

Coding Bootcamp Positives

Attending an intensive coding Bootcamp comes with a wide range of advantages that will help you develop the skills needed to gain a wide new range of future career opportunities. Some of the positives of attending a coding Bootcamp that people should be aware of include:

1. Learning New Skills

One of the most notable positives to attending a coding Bootcamp is that it will teach you a range of new, practical skills that will prove highly beneficial in a wide range of new work environments. It will also help prepare you for additional future education should you decide to pursue a degree in computer science. 

Someone writing code on a laptop while watching a Bootcamp instruction video on another.

2. Enticing Repayment Options

Several Bootcamps offer a range of innovative payment options for their attendees, such as income share agreements, deferred tuition opportunities, and even employer sponsorships. However, this isn’t the case with every Bootcamp, so be sure to conduct some thorough research before signing up.

3. Enhanced Accessibility (Online)

Many coding Bootcamps are composed of online instruction courses, making them more widely accessible for those who cannot attend in-person coding sessions regularly. This makes the programs perfect for those looking to learn code while still attending their everyday jobs or regular school classes.

4. Costs Less Than Four-Year Programs

Many people are unable to attend traditional colleges to earn degrees simply because they cost so much. Coding Bootcamps cost exponentially less than typical college tuition, making it much more accessible for those with financial limitations.

5. Flexible Scheduling

Because coding Bootcamps average around 14 weeks in length, they offer a much more comprehensive range of flexibility than classes provided to students attending school for a traditional degree, which can take several years of intense study and participation to earn.

6. Career Placement Services

Many coding Bootcamps offer specialized career placement services, internship opportunities, and employer matchups for their graduates. Research your top coding Bootcamp choices before signing up to learn about which of these services they provide.

Coding Bootcamp Negatives

However, it needs to be noted that while bootcamps provide attendees with a wide array of positive benefits, they also carry several negative factors that people should consider before signing up. The following are some of the negatives that come with coding Bootcamps.

1. Reduced Opportunity For Financial Aid

Not all Bootcamps are equal in terms of their quality, and some are much more expensive than others. Sadly, private coding schools and Bootcamps don’t currently qualify for federal financial aid, so students will have to pay their own way.

2. Lack of Accreditation

Unlike traditional colleges, Bootcamps are not regionally or nationally accredited. Accreditation is a primary way of measuring the quality of an institution and the education it provides, so this can be a drawback in the eyes of some individuals and employers. 

3. Less In-Depth Learning

Unlike traditional college courses, coding Bootcamps provide attendees with a much narrower range of education and less in-depth learning. Focus is explicitly placed on a specific range of coding languages and skills and offers little time for exploration into other areas of computer science.

4. Less Peer Interaction

While coding Bootcamps tend to connect participants with one another, their “class sizes” are much smaller than traditional college courses, which means that students are provided with a much more limited amount of peer interaction, especially for online Bootcamps.

5. Reduced Access to Mentors and Teachers

Colleges hire a wide range of mentors and professors to instruct students, while Bootcamps rely on the services of only a few to run their program and teach the necessary curriculum. This can limit the amount of access students have to their instructors to get help and ask questions.

 

Do you want to take the direction of your future career into your own hands by advancing your technical skills and know-how? Take a look at the range of stellar services provided by Sabio today, and consider signing up for their intensive, full-time coding Bootcamp.

A laptop screen displaying code.

Are Bootcamps Affordable?

Coding Bootcamps have proven themselves a precious resource for students looking to break into tech industry careers at a bargain price. That said, exactly how affordable are they for prospective attendees?

1. Price Translates to Quality of Education

As explored previously, coding Bootcamps tend to be much more affordable than the tuition needed to attend traditional college courses. That said, it’s essential to note that the reasonableness of their price depends on the quality of instruction they provide their students and the additional opportunities they offer their graduates. 

2. Many Offer Sampling of Free Classes

Many coding Bootcamps also offer a range of free sample courses for those who aren’t sure about the investment, and many programs don’t even require up-front payment for attendance. Several Bootcamps only require repayment once a graduate is fully employed.

3. Non-Profit Bootcamps Offer Free Tuition In Conjunction with Corporate Partnerships

Several non-profit coding Bootcamps offer free tuition to their attendees with the help of their various corporate partnerships. These programs are especially beneficial for underprivileged individuals looking to earn the required skills to break into the tech industry but who don’t have much opportunity to do so.

4. Income Sharing Agreements Available

Several coding Bootcamps offer deferred tuition payments based on income-sharing agreements that attendees consent to as part of their participation in the program. Some Bootcamps also receive payments based on the referral fees from specific job placements. 

5. Referral Fees Can Offset Costs

The referral fees offered by job placements can also help offset the overall costs students have to pay for Bootcamp participation. Once again, this is a highly beneficial element for those who want to enter the tech industry but may not have the financial ability to do so.

Related: How To Become A Software Engineer From Scratch

Will Coding Bootcamp Lead To Jobs?

People sign up for coding bootcamps to acquire jobs within the tech industry. So it should only make sense that coding bootcamps should help lead their attendees to great future careers!

1. 78% of Graduates Find Work Within 180 Days of Graduation

According to data provided by CIRR, approximately 78% of attendees from 29 different coding Bootcamps were able to find employment within the tech field within 180 days after graduation from their programs between July and December of 2018.

2. Higher Paying Jobs Become Available With Greater Qualifications

Tech companies currently have more job openings than qualified applicants, so prospective Bootcamp attendees can significantly benefit from achieving higher qualifications to land higher-paying jobs within the industry.

3. Increased Skillsets Helps Resumes Stick Out

People who have a more comprehensive range of advanced skills within any industry are more likely to have their resumes stand out to prospective employers. The same is true for individuals looking to break into the world of tech.

4. Most Bootcamps Offer Job Placement Services

As stated above, one of the significant benefits of attending a coding Bootcamp is that many of them provide a range of job placement or employer matching services to their graduates. This can help make it much easier for attendees to find a job after completing the program.

5. A Majority of Tech Employers View Bootcamp Graduates As Equally Prepared For Workforce as Those With Computer Science Degrees

Despite Bootcamps not having the same accreditation as traditional colleges, they are so skilled at preparing future tech industry employees that the vast majority of tech employers view them as being equally prepared for the position as those with full degrees in computer science.

6. The Success of Bootcamps Speaks For Itself: A Number of Four Year Schools Are Starting To Offer Bootcamps of Their Own

Bootcamps have more than proven their worth to both employees and traditional institutions, so much so that many colleges have started offering coding Bootcamps of their own to provide their students with furthered education to prepare them for a future in the tech industry.

Contact Us To Learn More!

Coding Bootcamps have a massive range of benefits to provide prospective students looking to enter the tech industry. They provide attendees with a wide range of educational opportunities and help prepare them for an array of potential future careers. That said, prospective students who still aren’t sure if the investment would be worth it can feel free to register for one of Sabio’s free info sessions or free prep courses to help determine whether or not this is really the direction they would like to take their future career. Consider checking out their website today to learn about everything they can do for you and your future coding career in the tech industry.


Are you ready to start a fulfilling career in the world of coding? Check out the full-time Coding Bootcamp proudly provided by the tech industry experts at Sabio to learn about everything they can do for you, or consider reaching out to them at join@sabio.la today.

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