TL;DR

Coding bootcamps are a great way to take you to the next level. The five best coding bootcamps based on customer ratings are: 

1: Hack Reactor

2: Dev Mountain

3: Flatiron School

4: Thinkful

5: DigitalCrafts

What is a coding bootcamp?

Coding bootcamps are an opportunity to take your developer skills to the next level. They offer a varied combination of teacher-led classes, solo study, practical assignments and group projects, all whilst giving the opportunity to use industry leading software and tech.

Developer bootcamps are available through universities, but a large part of the market seems to be covered by specialist independent providers. There are options to take part online, in person, or a mixture of both formats.

Skills learned vary depending on the bootcamp and course you choose, but nearly always cover these three subjects as their starting point:

1. Development foundations
   A foundation is key no matter what level you are entering at. Good bootcamps typically start off with a range of foundation topics around subjects such as hash tables, algorithms and data structures. Even if these topics are familiar to you already, it’s always good to recap
   
2. Industry standard tech

You will be exposed to the leading development technology, giving you a chance to learn the ins and outs first hand. What this technology is will vary depending on your specialism and course chosen, but may include usage of Gitlab, frameworks such as Svelte or exploration of a range of code libraries. 

3. Professional development

The majority of bootcamps go beyond the technical, providing support around your professional development. After all, you’re likely there to further your career! This might be CV workshops, 121 coaching or networking opportunities with the top employers. 

How long are coding bootcamps? 

The length of coding bootcamp varies depending on where you study, and which course you take. However, full-time courses typically range between 13 and 22 weeks at 40 hours+ a week. Part-time bootcamps tend to last longer, ranging between 20 and 60 weeks to complete. 

Are coding bootcamps worth it?

This is a very personal question, and it really depends on you as an individual and what your career and salary goals are. However, with an average salary increase of 51% (representing an average lift of $24k) the case for partaking is strong.

The ROI of an average bootcamp
Average course cost = $11,874
Year 1 salary increase = $24,000
Year 1 ROI = 102%

The return on investment (ROI) of attending a bootcamp is on average very strong, with the above statistics showing that attendees typically double their return after just one year. Each subsequent year that they enjoy an increased salary will only strengthen this equation. This is based on the fact that 76% of graduates are employed after one and six weeks of finishing their bootcamp. This should be noted, as whilst the majority of people do gain employment quickly, not everyone does. So, this shouldn’t be seen as a guaranteed equation, and personal financial situation should absolutely be taken into account before making any decisions.

What are the best coding bootcamps?

We have scoured a string of ranking sites and compared with a fine tooth comb to establish five of the best coding bootcamps available online, today.

1. Hack Reactor

Founded in 2012, Hack Reactor has a prolific record for employability with their alumni of over 7000 graduates who have been hired by more than 2000 companies. Courses are designed to fit around your life and skillset with a heavy focus on employability.

Cost: $17,980

Employment rate: 80% (including alumni at Google, Facebook and Amazon)

Rating: 4.8 / 5

Course options:

• 12 week software engineering immersive (full-time),
• 19 week software engineering online immersive with JavaScript and Python (full-time)
• 36 week software engineering immersive (Part-Time)

2. Dev Mountain

Founded in 2013 and graduating over 3000 students, dev mountain has an excellent pedigree. With courses focused around building portfolios, you’re sure to leave with more than just experience.

Cost: $4900 – $7900

Employment rate: 87% (including

Rating: 4.6 / 5

Course options:

• 13 week web development (full-time)
• 43 week web development (part-time)
• 16 week Java software engineering (full-time)
• 16 week Python software engineering (full-time)
• 6 week software QA testing (full-time

3. Flatiron School

Pricey but one of the originals, founded in 2012 and graduating over 5000 people. They also offer a $5000 ‘Women take cyber’ scholarship.

Cost: $16,900

Employment rate: 67% (Infosys, Amazon)

Rating: 4.6 / 5

Course options:

• 15 week online software engineering (full-time)
• 15 week online cyber security engineering (full-time)
• 15 week software engineering (full-time)

4. Thinkful

Thinkful is a highly rated bootcamp that puts community at the center, boasting a significant Slack community that you can engage in and remain part of moving forward.

Cost: $9500 – $16,000

Employment rate: 55% (Amazon, Accenture)

Rating: 4.7 / 5

Course options:

• 20 week engineering immersion (full-time)
• 24 week engineering flex program (part-time)

5. DigitalCrafts

Specifically specializing in online tuition and with brilliant ratings from their alumni, Digital crafts is one of the best options for online bootcamps. Scholarships are also available for qualifying students.

Cost: $9950 – $15,950

Employment rate: 73% (Amazon, Accenture)

Rating: 4.9 / 5

Course options:

• 16 week web development bootcamp (full-time
• 26 week web development bootcamp (part-time)
• 16 week cyber security bootcamp (full-time)

Over to you

We’ve done some of the initial leg work and you’ve seen the stats, but going to a bootcamp is a very personal decision and there’s no ‘best choice’ that fits every person. Use this article as a starting pointplace and dig deep into course and vendor details, then jump in! There’s no time like the present.