Can You Get a Job After a Coding Bootcamp?

If your goal is to get a coding job, then a coding bootcamp is a good option. Bootcamps are immersive and accelerated programs that are specifically designed to get you career-ready. Most focus on the skills and practical experience that you’ll actually need in order to work in a coding-related job, and many include a variety of career support services.

What Job Prospects and Career Paths are available for Coding Bootcamp Graduates?

Coding bootcamp graduates find work in a variety of different career fields including web development, data science, software development, and UX/UI design. Some graduates choose to specialize in a specific coding language like Python or Java.

In the past, many industries have focused on hiring applicants with college degrees, however, that has changed in recent years. Research shows that a growing number of employers are placing less importance on formal education and are more interested in finding candidates who can demonstrate that they have the skills and practical experience that they need to do the job. Bootcamps have become popular because they can be an effective way to gain skills and experience in a relatively short amount of time. In a December 2023 Forbes Advisor Education article, Christin Perry notes, “Many notable companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon now endorse bootcamps as a way for employees to learn specific skills in an intensive, accelerated format.”

Numerous studies show that people who attend bootcamps are likely to find a job more easily and earn more money after completing the bootcamp. According to a 2024 report titled “Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It In 2024?” published by Course Report, “Coding bootcamp alumni earn ~51% higher salaries compared to their previous jobs!” The report continues, explaining that these salaries also tend to rise over time. It states, “On average, graduates earn $70,698 at their 1st job after bootcamp; that rises to $80,943 at their 2nd job after bootcamp and $99,229 at their 3rd job.”

Are Coding Bootcamps Good for Beginners?

Bootcamps are intensive programs that often move at an accelerated pace and require hard work and dedication, however, most are designed for beginners. This means they start with foundational skills before moving on to more advanced topics. If you’re a beginner and you want to learn coding, a bootcamp can be an excellent option. In some cases, a bootcamp will include a short, pre-course unit that students can complete before the course starts. These types of units are designed to help beginners learn a few basic concepts so that they can enter the coding bootcamp confident and ready to learn. Most coding bootcamps do not have prerequisites though; instead, they cover everything that a beginner will need to know in order to excel in this field.

If you’re a beginner and you want to get a coding job, a bootcamp is also a good option. Most coding bootcamps are specifically designed to take beginners--who have little or no prior coding experience--and prepare them for an entry-level coding job. These bootcamps cover a wide range of skills and also help students get practical experience. At the end of the bootcamp, students should be ready to find a job in their chosen career.

What Career Services Do Coding Bootcamps Offer?

Since most bootcamps are specifically focused on helping you get career-ready, career support is common. You’ll find a variety of different types of support. Since having a strong portfolio is an important part of finding a job, bootcamp curricula often include working on projects that you can include in your portfolio. Some bootcamps also have a class unit dedicated to providing information about successfully finding a job after you graduate, which might include things like how to create a resume, job interview tips, and insight into employment in different coding industries. Many bootcamps also include access to a career counselor that you can talk to outside of class hours to get more individualized advice related to your specific situation. Some even offer a certain number of one-on-one mentoring sessions that you can use for career advice. Other types of career support that you might find through a bootcamp include access to internships and introductions to professional networks. Some bootcamps even offer job guarantees, where the school will refund your tuition if you don’t find a job after you graduate. However, these guarantees often come with a long list of requirements and restrictions. 

What Jobs Will a Coding Bootcamp Qualify Me For?

A bootcamp can qualify you for an entry-level job in a number of different fields. You could work in software engineering. Software Engineers use coding to create operating systems, games, and other types of applications and software. Some create products for computers, and others work on operating systems. Mobile Developers create software for mobile devices. This is a rapidly growing job field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a federal agency that collects and analyzes statistics about the U.S. job market, predicts that between 2022 and 2032, software development jobs will grow by 25 percent, which is much faster than the average job growth rate of only 3 percent. 

Web development is another field that coding graduates often work in. Web Developers create and maintain websites. There are many different specializations within this field. For instance, Front End Developers work on the front end of a site, which is the part that users see and interact with. Back End Developers work on the back end, which is not seen by users but is essential to the operation of the site. Full Stack Developers know how to work with both the front end and back end. According to BLS, over the next ten years, Web Developers will see 16 percent job growth. 

Data Scientists also use coding. They collect and analyze information in order to extract insights from it. They use math, programming, and communication skills. In addition to analyzing data, they work on new models to use for their analysis. Skilled Data Scientists are highly sought after. BLS predicts 35 percent growth in this field between 2022 and 2032. 

With experience in coding you could also work as an Information Security Analyst. A Security Analyst monitors an organization’s computer systems and helps keep data safe. They do this through a variety of methods including creating data encryption methods, testing security, installing firewalls, and investigating security breaches. They also develop security standards and may help educate employees about how to protect company security.BLS predicts 10 percent growth in this career over the next ten years. 

Can I Freelance After Completing a Coding Bootcamp?

A bootcamp can help prepare you for any type of coding career, including a freelance one. When you learn through a bootcamp, you’ll gain the skills and experience that you need to work as a professional in a coding-related job, whether you decide to work for yourself or for somebody else. Bootcamps also include career support services, where you’ll learn how to market your professional services. Again, this is a resource that can help you whether you are trying to become permanently employed by somebody else, or whether you want to secure freelance coding work. 

Are Coding Bootcamps Good for Upskilling?

While you might think that a coding bootcamp is only for beginners who want to learn how to code, in reality, a bootcamp can be a great way for tech professionals and skilled programmers to update their skills and career opportunities. The field of coding changes quickly, with new languages and technologies being added all the time. A bootcamp is a great way to keep up with this change by updating your skills and adding new skills to your resume. By doing this, you can increase your chances of promotions and pay increases. Upskilling can also be useful if you’re trying to transition to a new coding career. Not only can a bootcamp help you learn the skills that you’ll need to transition, but bootcamps come with a variety of different types of career support that can help you actually find the job that you’re looking for.

What Does a Coding Bootcamp Offer Over Other Means of Finding a Job?

Another way to learn coding is to earn a college degree. A college program will be more comprehensive, covering many different aspects of coding, including theory and practical skills. However, most college degrees cost significantly more than bootcamps. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average price of attending a four-year college ranges from $14,700 to $24,600, depending on whether it is a public or private college. And while a degree might cover more material, some of it may not directly relate to what you’ll need to know in a professional coding job. For instance, you’ll need to take a number of general education classes as part of your degree program. In contrast, bootcamps are focused on teaching you exactly what you’ll need to know in a professional coding job.

In addition to focusing on the skills that you’ll need, most coding bootcamps offer a variety of career services, which can help significantly when you’re trying to find a job. Experienced bootcamp instructors and career counselors can offer a variety of different insights and networking connections that you will likely struggle to find yourself without a lot of experience in the coding industry.

Top Coding Bootcamps

Many different schools offer coding bootcamps, and with so many options, it can be overwhelming to pick one. With this in mind, Noble Desktop created the Classes Near Me tool to help you narrow down your options. This tool allows you to look for classes in your geographic area, or classes that are offered online. You can search by subject; for instance, coding, or you can look for a more specific type of coding like SQL or Python.

Noble Desktop also offers many bootcamps of its own, which run in person at its Manhattan facility or in a live online format that you can take from anywhere in the country. The Python for Data Science Bootcamp is a multi-day course that starts with Python basics and takes you to the start of machine learning with Python. You’ll begin by covering fundamentals like writing statements and expressions, creating variables, and working with different data types. After that, you’ll learn about structuring programs, which includes using conditional statements and control flow tools. The next part of the bootcamp is focused on arrays and dataframes and covers importing and cleaning data using NumPy and Pandas. Finally, you’ll learn to analyze and visualize data. This includes working with key data science libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib. This class also comes with a one-on-one bonus training session.

Another bootcamp option is the FinTech Bootcamp. This course is designed to help you gain the skills that you’ll need for an entry-level position in data science and financial technology, and covers a variety of in-demand finance and data skills. You’ll learn Python fundamentals, including advanced libraries. You’ll also learn to use Python for data visualizations and financial analysis. The bootcamp also covers working with SQL to query databases. This bootcamp can be taken either full-time or part-time. It includes six one-on-one mentoring sessions.

The SQL Bootcamp is also a popular option. This is a multi-day class where you’ll learn how to write queries, join tables, and aggregate data. You’ll also learn how to filter data and group it. The course covers PostgreSQL and the free DBeaver app. The course comes with a certificate of completion and one-on-one training sessions. You’ll also have the option of doing a free retake within one year. Noble Desktop also runs an SQL Server Bootcamp where you’ll learn how to write SQL queries, filter data, and group it. You’ll also learn advanced techniques including using aggregate functions, subqueries, and functions with parameters and stored procedures. The course also covers Microsoft SQL Server and SQL Server Management Studio. In addition, you’ll receive a one-on-one training session. 

The JavaScript Programming Bootcamp is a multi-day course that covers the essentials of JavaScript programming. Covered skills include variables, conditional logic, functions, DOM manipulation, arrays, loops, async events, APIs, OOP, and 3D libraries. Students who want to take this bootcamp should have basic HTML and CSS coding skills. They should also have knowledge equivalent to Noble Desktop’s Web Development Level 1 class. The JavaScript Programming Bootcamp comes with a one-on-one bonus training session.