Best Coding Certificates Washington, D.C.: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses

Full-Stack Web Development Certificate Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Gain the skills and knowledge to become a Full Stack Developer and meet the growing demand for professionals who can develop and maintain web applications. This project-oriented course teaches you how to code websites from scratch, and you'll build a portfolio of working web applications to showcase to potential employers.

Learn more & register Explore Noble Desktop’s Coding courses
- $7,995
- 420 hours
- Free retake
- Live Online or NYC
- 1:1 Mentoring Included
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Noble Desktop Python for Data Science Bootcamp

In this data science bootcamp, students will build programming skills and data analysis skills using Python. This course is open to beginners and is meant to get individuals up and running with Python programming and data science to generate insights from data. Topics covered include programming fundamentals, working with data frames, data analysis, data visualization, and statistical analysis. This course offers flexible scheduling options and a free retake for students to refresh the materials.

Available live online (virtual training) from anywhere
- $1,495
- 30 Hours
- Weekdays, Evenings, or Weekends
- Beginner
- Free Retake
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Noble Desktop Software Engineering Certificate

Become a Software Engineer or Full Stack Developer in this immersive course. Master the front-end using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React; build the back-end with Python, Django, and Node.js. You'll also learn Git for version control, Flexbox and Grid for layout, MongoDB for creating data structures, and much more. Throughout the program, you'll build a portfolio of projects to help you secure a career in software and development.

Available live online (virtual training) from anywhere
- $10,995
- 510 Hours
- Weekdays or Evenings
- Beginner
- Free Retake
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General Assembly Software Engineering Bootcamp

Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more.

In-person @ 509 7th Street NW, Washington, DC Also available online
- $16,450
- 12 Weeks
- Weekdays
- Beginner
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Fullstack Academy Full-Time Software Engineering Immersive (Online)

Fullstack Academy’s flagship program, the Full-Time Software Engineering Immersive, is a rigorous, 16-week career accelerator for students of all starting skill levels. Students will learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript and its assorted libraries, and SQL.

Available live online (virtual training) from anywhere
- $14,995
- 16 Weeks
- Weekdays
- Beginner
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General Assembly Data Science Bootcamp

Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries.

In-person @ 509 7th Street NW, Washington, DC Also available online
- $16,450
- 12 Weeks
- Weekdays
- Intermediate
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Coding Dojo Onsite Coding Bootcamp

The Onsite Coding Bootcamp is an intense 14-week full-time curriculum that will teach you to be full-stack engineer. Unlike most bootcamps, this course provides you with different "tech stack" options that you can pick depending on the location of your school. It starts by teaching you fundamental front-end development with lessons in HTML/CSS. Afterwards, you will learn Python to set up your back-end. You will complete three projects in total and present your capstone to your peers and potential employers.

In-person @ 1100 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA Also available online
- $15,995
- 14 Weeks, 70 hr/wk
- Weekdays
- Intermediate
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General Assembly Data Analytics Bootcamp

Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries.

In-person @ 509 7th Street NW, Washington, DC Also available online
- $16,450
- 12 Weeks
- Weekdays or Evenings
- Beginner
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GW Boot Camps Coding Boot Camp

This program prepares students to enter the web development field, in as few as 12 weeks. Students will explore full-stack development tools, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP, Bootstrap, jQuery, and much more. Graduates of this program will also benefit from career and job matching services.

In-person @ 1522 K St NW, Washington, DC
- $10,000
- 24 Weeks, 10 hr/wk
- Weekdays
- Beginner
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General Assembly Python Programming Short Course

Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting.

In-person @ 509 7th Street NW, Washington, DC Also available online
- $4,500
- 40 Hours
- Weekdays or Evenings
- Beginner
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showing 10 of 20 courses

Immerse yourself into the world of coding languages such as Python, Java, and JavaScript. Learn why becoming coding-certified offers you a competitive edge in today's digital age and the role of different computer languages in front and back-end development roles.

Key Insights

Coding is the process of writing instructions for a computer to execute, done in various unambiguous languages like Java, Python, Ruby, C# and C++, Swift, F# and SQL.
In today's digital age, being coding-certified enhances your career prospects and allows you to be part of the digital evolution.
Coding is a complex field often learned as part of a college degree, but certificate programs offer a fast and efficient way to become literate in computer languages.
Different computer languages have specific uses; some are more suited to front-end development, while others are ideal for back-end website construction or scientific computation.
JavaScript, often used with HTML and CSS, is versatile and can be used for everything from creating apps to constructing games. It is considered an easy language to learn, making it a good starting point for beginners.
Python, known for its simplicity of syntax and versatility, is currently the most popular computer language and has various uses, including complex mathematical calculations.

Learn more below

Coding Topics

Web Development

Web development refers to the markup and coding of websites, as opposed to the design. Working as part of a team, web developers write the code that controls the appearance and working of the website. There is a full range of web development roles, from front-end to back-end, making them valuable members of a website creation process. Web development skills are highly marketable.

Explore Web Development Classes

Data Science

Data science draws from multiple disciplines to understand data. Combining machine learning, data analysis, statistics, and domain knowledge, data science has been referred to as the “fourth paradigm of science.” Data scientists build algorithms and queries designed to uncover knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Explore Data Science Classes

Computer Science

Computer science is the study of computers and computing processes. With foundations in mathematics, probability, engineering, circuit design, and statistics, computer science goes beyond the user experience to the underlying architecture of computing. Computer scientists develop, test, and refine algorithms, experiment with new models and structures, and use that knowledge to advance the capabilities of personal and technical computing.

Explore Computer Science Classes

iOS Development

iOS development is app development specifically for Apple’s mobile operating system. iOS developers work within Apple’s Integrated Development Environment, Xcode. Using languages such as Swift or Objective-C, developers can create fully functioning apps, test them in the iOS simulator, beta test using TestFlight, and deploy the completed app to the App Store.

Explore iOS Development Classes

Front-End Web Development

Front-end web development, or client-side development, refers to the development of the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code that makes up the user experience. Front-end developers have to code websites that will work cross-platform, cross-browser, and cross-device. Front-end development is a dynamic field that is always changing, requiring them to continuously update their skills. Professional front-end developers work closely with back-end developers.

Explore Front-End Web Development Classes

Back-End Web Development

Back-end web development, or server-side development, requires expertise in Ruby on Rails, PHP, JavaScript, and other complex languages. These developers design, develop, and support the back-end of websites, which are indirectly accessed by users. Some of these hidden processes include databases, APIs, and core application logic. Back-end web developers work very closely with front-end developers to create a cohesive, functional website.

Python

Python is a powerful, ubiquitous, general-purpose programming language with broad applications for data analysis, game and application development, visualizations. Python was used to create many popular tools and games, such as BitTorrent, DropBox, Civilization IV, and Disney’s Toontown Online. With a massive programming community, Python programmers have access to libraries of shared code, forums for troubleshooting, and other support resources. It is one of the most natural programming languages to learn due to its use of the English language.

Explore Python Classes

JavaScript

JavaScript is one of three universally essential programming languages for website development, with HTML and CSS. Commonly used for client-side development, JavaScript can be found natively within all browser environments. This makes it a good choice for beginners who don't want to have to deal with a separate programming development environment. JavaScript has the largest community on Stack Overflow, ensuring that programmers will have access to a large, engaged community of active users.

Explore JavaScript Classes

Java

Java is a class-based, object-oriented programming language used by application developers. Java developers can run Java code on all platforms – write once, run anywhere (WORA). Well-known for its relative lack of implementation dependencies, Java is considered by GitHub to be one of the most popular programming languages. Java offers a large, active programmer community and a downloadable Java Class Library.

Explore Java Classes

SQL

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a domain-specific language used by data scientists (along with Python and R) to manage data using relational database management systems. Using several language elements, such as clauses, expressions, queries, statements, and predicates, SQL can query data within a relational database. Fundamentally a declarative language, SQL, includes procedural elements.

Explore SQL Classes

HTML & CSS

HTML (Hyper-Text Marking Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) work together with JavaScript to create webpages. HTML and CSS have particular synergies, making up the bulk of the user-side development. HTML is used to develop the structure of the page, and CSS creates the visual elements such as color, texture, graphics, and fonts. HTML elements include navigation elements, hyperlinks, headings, tables, and lists.

Explore HTML & CSS Classes

Ruby

Ruby is an open-source programming language that uses elements of Perl, Smalltalk, Eiffel, Ada, and Lisp to create a natural programming language that is easy to learn. It is a flexible language that considers everything an object – numbers included. Ruby has an active programmer community, so there are always people to go to with your coding questions. Ruby is a favorite among novice programmers.

PHP & MySQL

PHP is a server-side scripting language used to create interactive scripts, and MySQL is an open-source database language. Used together, these tools drive many online forums, stores, and games. PHP and MySQL work in concert to provide functionality to websites. Visitors to the site request information that is processed by PHP, which then retrieves the information needed from the MySQL database, and then delivers the information.

Washington, D.C. Coding Courses by School

Here are some of the top Washington, D.C. schools offering Coding training, including General Assembly (9 courses), Coding Dojo (2 courses), and GW Boot Camps (2 courses). We’ve also included 2 schools that offer live online courses you can take from anywhere, including Washington, D.C..

Noble Desktop

NYC location: 185 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016 US

Founded in 1990, Noble Desktop offers part-time and full-immersion courses on anything you can think of from design and coding to business. Located in New York City and providing courses both online and in-person, Noble Desktop prides itself on accommodating dynamic courses and bootcamps with hands-on learning, time-tested curriculums, and education from top industry experts.
Noble Desktop’s Top Live Online Coding Courses
- Full-Stack Web Development Certificate
  - 420 Hours
  - $7,995
  In this certificate program, participants will learn the skills needed to become a full-stack web developer. Students will learn to build the front-end of websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as learning how to program the back-end of websites with Node.js. Students will also be introduced to developer tools such as Git to collaborate with developers as well as modern web technologies such as Flexbox, Grid, & Bootstrap to efficiently create responsive websites. Attendees will learn the skills needed to start an entry-level career in development after graduation. The program includes a free retake and each course includes a step-by-step workbook.
- Python for Data Science Bootcamp
  - 30 Hours
  - $1,495
  In this data science bootcamp, students will build programming skills and data analysis skills using Python. This course is open to beginners and is meant to get individuals up and running with Python programming and data science to generate insights from data. Topics covered include programming fundamentals, working with data frames, data analysis, data visualization, and statistical analysis. This course offers flexible scheduling options and a free retake for students to refresh the materials.
- Software Engineering Certificate
  - 510 Hours
  - $10,995
  Become a Software Engineer or Full Stack Developer in this immersive course. Master the front-end using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React; build the back-end with Python, Django, and Node.js. You'll also learn Git for version control, Flexbox and Grid for layout, MongoDB for creating data structures, and much more. Throughout the program, you'll build a portfolio of projects to help you secure a career in software and development.
General Assembly

Washington, D.C. location: 509 7th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20004 US

General Assembly provides a variety of bootcamps and workshops in digital marketing, user experience design, and immersive courses in software engineering and data science. Students have a choice between part-time, full-time, or online classes, committed to finding you the most flexible fit for your busy schedule.
General Assembly’s Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses
- Software Engineering Bootcamp
  - 12 Weeks
  - $16,450
  Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more.
- Data Science Bootcamp
  - 12 Weeks
  - $16,450
  Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries.
- Data Analytics Bootcamp
  - 12 Weeks
  - $16,450
  Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries.
- Python Programming Short Course
  - 40 Hours
  - $4,500
  Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting.
Fullstack Academy
Locations:
- NYC
- Chicago
- Live Online
Fullstack Academy offers immersive development bootcamps in coding, web development, cybersecurity and data analytics. Fullstack Academy provides training in industry-standard software development practices such as test-driven developments and paired programming.
Fullstack Academy’s Top Live Online Coding Courses
- Full-Time Software Engineering Immersive (Online)
  - 16 Weeks
  - $14,995
  Fullstack Academy’s flagship program, the Full-Time Software Engineering Immersive, is a rigorous, 16-week career accelerator for students of all starting skill levels. Students will learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript and its assorted libraries, and SQL.
Coding Dojo

Washington, D.C. location: 1100 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, 22209 US

Coding Dojo offers both online and onsite coding bootcamps and teaches three full-stack technologies in a 14-week program. Students can choose from multiple Coding Dojo locations including Berkley, Boise, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Tulsa, and Virginia.
Coding Dojo’s Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses
- Onsite Coding Bootcamp
  - 14 Weeks, 70 hr/wk
  - $15,995
  The Onsite Coding Bootcamp is an intense 14-week full-time curriculum that will teach you to be full-stack engineer. Unlike most bootcamps, this course provides you with different "tech stack" options that you can pick depending on the location of your school. It starts by teaching you fundamental front-end development with lessons in HTML/CSS. Afterwards, you will learn Python to set up your back-end. You will complete three projects in total and present your capstone to your peers and potential employers.
- Data Science Immersive
  - 14 Weeks
  - $13,745
  As of July 14, 2020, the Data Science Immersive course is not available.
GW Boot Camps

Washington, D.C. location: 1522 K St NW, Washington, DC, 20005 US

George Washington University offers 12-week and 24-week courses in web development, data analytics, cybersecurity, UX/UI, financial technology, and digital marketing in Arlington, VA, and Washington, DC. The bootcamps are offered through GW College of Professional Studies in partnership with Trilogy Education Services.
GW’s Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses
- Coding Boot Camp
  - 24 Weeks, 10 hr/wk
  - $10,000
  This program prepares students to enter the web development field, in as few as 12 weeks. Students will explore full-stack development tools, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP, Bootstrap, jQuery, and much more. Graduates of this program will also benefit from career and job matching services.
- FinTech Boot Camp
  - 24 Weeks, 10 hr/wk
  - $10,000
  This 24-week program gives students a comprehensive background in FinTech, covering topics such as Python programming, blockchain, advanced trading algorithms, and cryptocurrency. Students will create a professional portfolio to demonstrate their expertise to professional employers. Dedicated career services will support graduates as they look for their first job.
Flatiron School

Washington, D.C. location: 1440 G St NW, Washington D.C, DC, 20005 US

Flatiron offers on-site and online courses in software engineering, data science, UX design, and cybersecurity. You’ll find they are located all over the U.S. including Austin, Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
Flatiron’s Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses
- Software Engineering Immersive
  - 3 Months
  - $17,900
  This Career Change course in software engineering is meant to give students the complete set of skills they need to break into a career as a software engineer. The 15-week program starts with fundamental programming fundamentals to build up your skills and works up to advanced backend development languages and frameworks. Students will cover front-end and backend languages and frameworks, including SQL, Ruby, JavaScript, React, and more. In addition to coursework, students will receive career coaching and job support backed by Flatiron's Money-Back Guarantee.
- Data Science Bootcamp
  - 3 Months
  - $16,900
  The Data Science Bootcamp from Flatiron is designed to be a comprehensive data science program for students to start careers in data science. The program runs for 15-weeks and covers the key components for data science, including SQL, Python, statistics, and machine learning. Students will start coding in Python using Jupyter notebooks, learn the statistics behind machine learning, apply machine learning techniques, and work on data science projects in this data science course. In addition to the coursework, students will receive career coaching and job support during the program.
Georgetown School of Continuing Studies

Washington, D.C. location: 640 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20001 US

Georgetown School of Continuing Studies offers a wide range of onsite and online academic, professional development, and international programs for students and organizations. They also provide professional certificates in business and management, education, executive leadership, financing and accounting, and marketing and communications.
Georgetown’s Top Washington, D.C. Coding Courses
- Certificate in Data Science
  - 108 Hours
  - $6,760
  This data science certification course teaches students the fundamentals of data science. The programs explores data sources and storage, ingestion & wrangling, statistics, machine learning, visual analytics, and much more. The program culminates in a capstone project which serves as a professional portfolio artifact.

showing 7 of 7 schools

Washington, D.C. Coding
Corporate & Onsite Training

Upskill or reskill your workforce with our industry-leading corporate and onsite Coding training programs. Conduct the training onsite at your location or live online from anywhere. You can also purchase vouchers for our public enrollment Coding courses.

corporate@nobledesktop.com (212) 226-4149

Coding Training Locations in or Near Washington, D.C.

Find an in-person Washington, D.C. class in cities including Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax. We found 5 schools offering face-to-face training and 3 offering live online Coding courses.

Learn Coding for a New Career

Coding is an essential skill in our modern, technology-driven economy. Coding is the power behind websites, software, online security, and artificial intelligence which are each responsible for massive amounts of revenue for any company with a product or service. There are careers in almost every tech field that benefit from learning how to code. These careers can be broken into two categories: development and data science.

Coding is one of the core skills needed to secure one of these positions. See the career pages for more information on required skills, tips for landing a job, typical day-to-day work, and where to find job postings.

Software Engineer

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$93,000 / year
10.89% less than the U.S. average

Software engineers use their extensive knowledge of user experience design, operating systems, and programming languages to develop software. They can create different types of software, from games to operating systems. After analyzing a client's needs, they design, develop, and test software to meet that need. Software engineers can be divided into two distinct career categories: application engineers and systems engineers.
Learn about becoming a Software Engineer
Product Manager

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$153,000 / year
27.11% more than the U.S. average

Product managers guide product development from ideation to market. Starting with consumer and market research, they use their understanding of customer wants and needs to inform product development and go-to-market strategy. They will work closely with engineering, marketing, sales, and other teams to launch products. After launch, they solicit and analyze feedback on the product to inform future iterations.
Learn about becoming a Product Manager
.NET Developer

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$128,000 / year
13.17% more than the U.S. average

.NET developers use the Microsoft framework to design, develop, and maintain software applications. Working with computer scientists and web developers, .NET developers create original code to meet client needs. After development, .NET developers analyze the user experience and iterate as needed.
Learn about becoming a .NET Developer
Software Project Manager

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$103,000 / year
Same as the U.S. average

Software project managers lead software development projects from concept to completion. Using their deep expertise in scheduling, budgeting, sequencing, and resource allocation, software project managers are critical in a software project's success. Software project managers must be able to understand and interpret customer and client needs and deliver a completed, functioning product. After development, they will continue to solicit and incorporate user feedback into future iterations.
Learn about becoming a Software Project Manager
Back End Developer

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$123,000 / year
21.4% less than the U.S. average

A Back End Developer builds the server-side of a web application and integrates front end development components.
Learn about becoming a Back End Developer
Python Developer

Salary in Washington, D.C.

$110,000 / year
12.26% less than the U.S. average

Python Developers typically choose to focus on back end web development, data science or analysis, scripting, or product development. They build the server side of websites, processes for data analysis, and create automation scripts.
Learn about becoming a Python Developer

showing 6 of 14 career paths

Indeed.com salary data from October 2024

Learn more about how learning Coding can help with your career options

Learn More About Washington, D.C. Coding Certificates

What is Coding?

Coding is simply writing a set of instructions for a computer to execute. Computer processors speak a language with only two words: 1 and 0. English speakers employ a language with more than 170,000 words (if the Oxford English Dictionary is to be trusted), quite a few of which mean more than one thing. Today’s computers would be impossibly cumbersome to program using binary code (although, once upon a time, that’s how it was done), and programming a computer using an ambiguous, shaded human language is equally as impossible.

To get around this linguistic impasse, computer scientists have developed languages (a couple hundred over the years) that both humans and computers can “speak” and which enable the programmer to get those vast arrays of on-off switches inside your computer to do what you want them to do. If any operation on your computer (from signing in to an online pharmacy dashboard to calculating the value of pi to 100 trillion digits) happens, it’s because someone wrote the code that makes the computer perform its assigned task. Code is written in languages with names like Java, Python, Ruby, C# and C++, Swift, F# (that’s pronounced F-sharp, not F-hashtag), SQL, and, for those who want to go old school, Fortran and C. These languages are like human languages in that they have vocabularies and syntaxes of their own, but they lack the ambiguities and subtleties of human languages as computers inhabit a manichaeistic universe in which everything must be either black or white. Coders are the human beings who know how to write in these very precise languages and who make computers do the very remarkable things they are able to do today.

Why Become Certified in Coding?

On the off-chance that you’ve been living in a cave on a remote island somewhere in the Southern Ocean for the past 50 years, we are now living in the age of the computer. People have become entirely dependent upon digital devices, be it to look up the correct oven temperature for a Persian eggplant omelet (375 Fahrenheit) or to keep parental tabs on your progeny. Computers, tablets, and mobile phones can do some truly amazing things, but they can’t do them on their own. Someone needs to have written the code that tells them where to look up kuku bademjan recipes or to link parents’ devices with those of their children. These and other near-miracles are the fruits of human endeavor, and there is something decidedly exciting in being part of the evolution of the digital zeitgeist.

To join that process, you have to learn how to code. Coding is a complicated subject, and is not to be learned in the space of a single day. Indeed, many people learn to code as part of earning a college computer science degree. There are, however, programs that are designed to teach people to code in a few months rather than years. These programs are known by various names, but all share in common the delivery of a certificate to students who complete the course. A certificate is a diploma, except that the latter term is generally reserved for degree programs.

A certificate program is by far the fastest and most efficient way to learn to code. Without casting aspersions on a four-year college education (which still has much to recommend it), if your goal is to acquire a transferable skill as quickly and economically as possible, a certificate program of one type or another is one of the best ways to become literate in one or more computer languages.

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Coding Certified

Having decided to learn to code, you’ll have to decide which language you want to learn. Just as you’d learn Russian if your goal were to read Tolstoy in the original, or Japanese if your job were moving you to Kyoto, computer languages have different uses. Some are better for front end development, some work better for constructing the back ends of websites, and others yet are good for scientific computation. You’ll likely want to learn more than one language, although logic dictates that you should tackle them one at a time. Speaking of logic, it’s one of a number of soft skills you’ll pick up as you learn to code.

CSS and JavaScript

This triad of languages incorporates two languages that are so simple that they’re often not considered languages: HTML and CSS, or Hypertext Mark-Up Language and Cascading Style Sheets. They’re the bare bones of any website, and are generally used in tandem with the more complex and versatile JavaScript, which is the language that makes websites dynamic and interactive. It has uses beyond front end development, however, and can be used for everything from creating apps to constructing games. It can even be used for writing server-side software. As a result, learning JavaScript early in your coding journey is an excellent idea, especially as it’s one of the easier languages to acquire.

Python

As of 2024, the most popular and on-the-rise of computer languages is Python. Although the name might suggest a voracious snake that consumes other languages by swallowing them whole, the language was actually named after the comedy troupe Monty Python, and is known for a simplicity of syntax (“explicit is better than implicit” is one of the rules underlying the language) that makes it easy to learn, although difficult to master. Python is well-suited to complex mathematical calculations, which has made it extremely popular with data scientists, but, like JavaScript, it’s a language with a thousand and one uses. The ease with which it can be learned and its versatility go a long way to explain the language’s popularity and its importance for aspiring coders.

Java

The rise of Python has been accompanied by the nearly proportional fall of another language, Java. Like Python, Java is a multi-purpose, high-level (meaning that its syntax is similar to human languages), object-oriented (meaning that it is assembled out of modular lumps of code) language. It’s actually of a more recent date than Python (Java started in 1991, Python in the late 1980s), but, paradoxically, is looked upon as an old language while the older Python is now all the rage. Java still remains a force with which to be reckoned, not least of all because so many programs in use today were written in Java. It’s also considered an easy language to learn, so there’s plenty of reason for a budding coder to learn Java today: it’s got a long way to wane before it loses relevancy. The language’s name is a reference to the copious amounts of coffee that were consumed while it was being developed. Note that JavaScript is an entirely different language that only has “java” as part of its name because of an effort to cash in on Java’s popularity at the time of JavaScript’s introduction in 1995.

C, C++ and C#

Somewhere around the beginning, there was a now-forgotten computer language called A. Then there was a B. And then C came upon the scene in 1972 and remains in use to this day. Eventually, they tinkered with C, made it object-oriented, and C++ was born in 1983. C is considered to be the first high-level computer language, meaning that its syntax is a lot closer to human languages than binary code, and, thus, is more easily apprehended by humans used to conversing with other humans. C# followed quite a bit later, in 2000. Although all three are called C, and are closer than Finnish is to Swahili, they are very much distinct languages and need to be learned separately. The question facing aspiring coders is which to learn first. C# is considered easier to learn than middle-level C++, but you might not appreciate C++ fully if you come to it from the perspective of knowing the somewhat simpler C#. In any event, although C is considered a legacy language, all three languages are very much in use today, and, while they’re not an obvious place to start your coding journey, they’re definitely important way stations along the road.

Problem Solving

In addition to learning computer languages, learning to code will hone a number of highly valuable soft skills, not entirely as if by magic, but certainly as a result of wrapping your brain around the concepts central to computer programming. Perhaps the most important of these is problem-solving ability. Writing code is, in itself, an exercise in problem-solving: as a coder, you’re going to be called upon to create solutions to programming problems. In addition to that, you’ll learn problem-solving at a micro level when you start debugging the code you’ve written: you’ll, in effect, be solving problems of your own creation by figuring out how to get the code to work. You may not be able to solve all your friends’ personal problems as a result of learning to code, but you will have developed critical problem-solving skills that will definitely come in handy in the workplace.

Logic

Another soft skill that you’ll develop as you learn to code is logical thinking. Computers are nothing if not logical, and, in learning to communicate with them, you’re going to learn how to relate to them on their own logical terms. Most coding conundrums can be solved by applying abstract (and sometimes mathematical) logic to the question. That’s like calisthenics for your left brain, and you’ll develop into a tidier thinker as a result.

Coding Industries in Washington, D.C.

Although people obviously associate the District of Columbia with the seat of the United States government, the city has a thriving tech sector as well. The epithet “next Silicon Valley” is often trotted out to describe the city, and, in fact, Washington D.C. does rank as the number 4 tech talent market (after the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and New York) according to the 2024 CBRE Scoring Tech Talent report. That report also shows that the 265,000 people employed in tech constitute 8.8% of the overall working population in Metro D.C. A full 40% of that tech talent is engaged in the tech industry, a positive indicator as to the city’s tech-worthiness. An interesting statistic is that Washington, D.C. is also the nation’s best city for women in tech, with 38.5% of the tech workforce being women, which is far, far in excess of the national average of 25.9%. Considerable incentives are being offered by the municipal government to attract and sustain the presence of high-tech companies within the District, which shows the extent to which the city is committed to an already flourishing tech sector.

As may well have been expected, second on the list of employers of tech talent in Washington D.C. is the federal government, which accounts for 22% of the city’s tech workforce. Nowhere else in the country’s leading tech markets does the government play such a significant role. The government employs software developers and coders both directly and through contractors. While a slow-moving government might not seem to be in the vanguard of technological progress, the reality is that the government in 2024 is responsible for a great deal of software development that runs the gamut from the mundane to the highly classified.

Although Washington, D.C. is a more-than-just-burgeoning tech market, it is one that is unique. Indeed, if it is the new Silicon Valley, it’s certainly not destined to be a second Silicon Valley. The first reason for this is that the tech talent in the District is, to a considerable degree, conditioned by the pace and quirks of the federal government, which does things at its own pace and in its own way. Many developers have some difficulty transitioning from government work to the generally Agile world of private sector software development. A further result of that is that there is a great deal of “legacy” code—and the legacy coders to go with it. Newer languages such as Rust and Go are very popular in Silicon Valley, while, in Washington, Java and Python are still the order of the day. A further twist in the tech scene in the District is that much of the software that is being produced is of the B2B (business-to-business) variety rather than the B2C (business-to-consumer) variety encountered more frequently on the other side of the country.

Other major tech industries active in the Washington DC area include a wide range of health tech companies. As far as tech giants are concerned, Amazon selected Arlington, Virginia as the site for its second headquarters (HQ2), and, while plans for a second site of three office buildings have been put on pause, the company is poised to be a major tech employer in the area.

Coding Careers in Washington, D.C.

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics assembled by the U.S. Department of Labor for 2022 separate coding careers into a number of different categories, including Software Developer, Web Developer, and, of course, Computer Programmer. Between the three categories, some 77,000 people are employed in the Washington/Arlington/Alexandria metropolitan area out of a total of over three million employed souls. Software Developers, be they front end, back end, or full stack (that is, front and back end at the same time), are the people responsible for researching, designing, and developing network software, and their salary in the District of Columbia averages out to $140,000 per year. They boast a particularly high location quotient of 2.28, meaning that software developers are employed in the far-flung Washington D.C. metropolitan area at more than double the rate than the national average. In other terms, jobs are abundant in the field.

For Web Developers, who work at developing and implementing websites and web applications, the statistics are comparable: an annual mean wage of $108,000 and an even higher location quotient of 2.48. The smallest group of the three is Computer Programmers, who best fit the classic definition of coders. Their mean salary is $125,000 per annum, while, at 1.32, their location quotient is significantly lower than that of the two other groups. That’s still better than the national average, but the market for straight-up coders in the area is obviously more constrained than that for developers.

Also worth noting is the fact that Greater D.C. has the fourth-highest employment level for software developers in the entire country, and its location quotient ranks eighth. For web developers, the District itself ranks fifth among all states (third among all metropolitan areas) for the employment concentration of those in their field, and D.C. ranks third among all states (after the other Washington and Delaware) for pay level. Finally, for computer programmers, their employment level is sixth among all metropolitan areas in the country, and the area is the sixth highest-paying one for those who practice their trade. All of which point to the vibrancy of the tech sector in greater Washington D.C. and to the positive career prospects the area offers to coders.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Despite the common root (from the Latin certificare, to certify), in the business sense, certificate and certification do not mean the same thing. Certificates are issued by schools to students who complete certain intensive programs. As opposed to degree programs, which confer diplomas (from the Greek diploma, folded paper), certificate programs confer certificates, which are diplomas in all but name (and folding, since certificates today are primarily digital). A certification, on the other hand, is what results from passing a certification examination set up by a third-party entity (the C++ Institute, for example, provides certification examinations in C and its descendants), and which therefore attests to your possessing a specific body of knowledge. Whereas a certificate is only as good as the school that issues it, a certification is an objective measure of your accomplishments.

Both certificates and certifications have a place on a resume. People just starting out who participated in a certificate program will, of course, have a certificate to show for their labors. Certifications generally come into play with coders with more knowledge and experience under their belts. Hiring directors, therefore, expect certificates from those applying for entry-level jobs and certifications (and a solid wealth of experience) from those seeking more advanced-level roles. Certifications for entry-level programmers do exist: to go back to the C example, the C++ Institute has certifications available at the entry-level, intermediate, and advanced levels. Several certificate programs will prepare you for these certification examinations, and some schools even include exam pass guarantees as part of their tuition packages.

Top Coding Certificate Programs in Washington, D.C.

If a four-year degree in computer science is beyond your means or patience, the most efficient way to learn the skills to become a professional coder is through a certificate program or bootcamp. Although there is a shortage of live in-person bootcamps in the DMV (that’s District/Maryland/Virginia, not Department of Motor Vehicles) area, the online offerings, both synchronous and asynchronous, are abundant, and your challenge, having decided on a coding career, is going to be how to navigate the embarras de richesses with which you’re going to be confronted.

Noble Desktop: Software Engineering Certificate

Noble Desktop offers a wide range of IT courses both live in New York City and online to anywhere you can livestream the class. Its Software Engineering Certificate is a 20-week full-time coding program that prepares students for roles as full stack developers (that is to say, developers who can construct both the client and server sides of applications and websites) or software engineers. The program (like all Gaul) is divided into three parts: front end development with HTML and CSS; JavaScript development together with the React library that is designed to help build user interfaces; and, finally, Python and its Django framework that assists and abets developers in the creation of back end web programming. Instruction is hands-on throughout.

The curriculum also allows for the creation of a number of portfolio projects that you can exhibit to prospective employers to show that you know your stuff. In addition to portfolio preparation, tuition includes multiple 1-on-1 mentoring sessions. Those can be used for resume polishing, piecing together a LinkedIn profile, mock interview questions, or for assistance with the material covered in class. The $10,995 all-inclusive tuition also comes with a free retake option that allows you to take any part of (or the entire) course over again, be it as a brush-up or, given the fast pace of the course, as a way of catching things you might have missed the first time.

George Washington University/edX: GW Coding Boot Camp

The George Washington University School of Professional Studies (in collaboration with edX, a company that partners with major universities to provide non-degree professionally-oriented learning experiences) offers a number of certificate-granting bootcamps, including a Coding Bootcamp that runs for 24 weeks part-time (evenings and weekends) at a cost of $12,245. Scholarships and payment plans are available for qualified applicants, all of whom must pass a critical thinking assessment as part of the admissions process. The program centers on JavaScript and a wide range of its libraries and frameworks, including jQuery, Bootstrap, and Node.js, and also covers basic computer science, HTML/CSS, and API interaction. Although the classes originate from Arlington, they are only accessible online, anywhere in the DMV area, as well as pretty much anywhere on the planet (shy of the likes of North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Myanmar). The program is hands-on and has students getting coding dirt under their fingernails as quickly as possible. Additional tutorials are available to help students develop a knowledge of Python, Java, or C#. An interview and a critical thinking assessment form part of the application process.

Students benefit from an extensive support apparatus that includes 1-on-1 sessions with tutors (up to one hour per week), a Student Success Team to assist with any and all matters that may arise, a peer network, and a career services team. The last-named provides resume and LinkedIn profile development, interview preparation, and events with industry speakers. Students also receive advice on networking and preparation for the job market upon completion of their bootcamp.

Tech Elevator: Java or C# Bootcamp

Tech Elevator is a coding school that seeks to prepare students for the workforce through bootcamps that last as little as 14 weeks (full-time) or as much as 30 weeks (part-time). The school gives students a choice as to whether to concentrate on Java or C#, and all students learn HTML, CSS, SQL, and some JavaScript as well. Rather than teaching pure coding, Tech Elevator teaches computer languages from a developer’s perspective so that students will emerge from the bootcamp able to create applications of their own.

In addition to its intensive coding curriculum, Tech Elevator offers its trademarked Pathway Program that prepares its students for the realities of the job market. That includes 1-on-1 career coaching sessions, resume building, mock interviews, networking opportunities, and employer introductions. The price of the program is $16,500, which is all-inclusive, right down to a laptop and paid-up software licenses. A number of financing and scholarship options are available. Students applying to the program must first take an online aptitude test to assess their appropriateness for the program.

Flatiron School: Software Engineering Bootcamp

Since 2012, Flatiron School has been devoted to equipping its graduates with the 21st-century skills necessary to begin a career somewhere in the tech universe. Among its programs is a Software Engineering Bootcamp that teaches students to write code in JavaScript and Python and to employ libraries such as React.js and Flask. An emphasis is placed on using AI to automate tasks and facilitate the programmer’s life. The full-time (eight hours per day, five days per week) program lasts 15 weeks and is priced at $17,900; payment plans are available. An interview and a 15-minute assessment form part of the application process. Approximately 70 hours of self-paced pre-work covering HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript is both included and required. You can also take the course part-time in an on-demand asynchronous format that you should be able to complete in 40 weeks. Both versions take place fully online.

In addition to hands-on instruction, the full-time program also has students paired off to work on projects as well as lab sessions with instructors to allow students further chances to put what they learned to use. A solo cumulative project acts as a capstone to the program. Part-time students participating in the asynchronous version of the program are able to attend optional live lectures and can communicate with their classmates and instructors via Slack, so they’re not stranded high and dry, devoid of human contact as they pursue the program. A career services team is at all students’ disposal, and offers resume and LinkedIn profile optimization, coaching for both behavioral and technical interviews, network-building, and even advice on how to employ AI to facilitate the job-search process. Students are partnered with a 1-to-1 career coach who remains available to them for six months following graduation.

Coding Dojo: Software Development Coding Bootcamp

Part of Colorado Technical University, Coding Dojo has been teaching an online three-stack curriculum for ten years, believing that students benefit most from learning to code in more than one language. The theory is that that will make them job-ready and primed to learn further coding languages as their career paths unfold. The first two languages upon which the curriculum is founded are Python and JavaScript; the third language is the student’s choice of either Java or C#. The program also covers web programming fundamentals with HTML, CSS, and Github. Full- and part-time versions of the course are available. The full-time program is highly intensive and runs for 16 weeks, with an estimated weekly workload of 70 to 90 hours. The part-time version is structured with more flexibility and can take anywhere from 18 to 34 weeks, with an estimated weekly workload of 30 hours. A further part-time option teaches only Python with a greatly reduced time commitment. Tuition ranges from $9,995 to $16,995; payment plans are available. The application is a brief affair, and there is no assessment required for admission, although students do need to participate in a 30-minute interview.

Coding Dojo’s career services are available to alumni for their lifetime, and include, not just resume and LinkedIn profile polishing, but also the development of a GitHub portfolio. Students have a dedicated career services manager who also assists with real job searches, sample applications, and the ins and outs of hiring manager communication. Finally, career services at Coding Dojo helps students with interview techniques and negotiation tactics. 1-to-1 mentorship sessions form an integral part of the program as well.

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Coding Industries in Washington, D.C.

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Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Top Coding Certificate Programs in Washington, D.C.

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