Is 30 Too Old to Learn Coding?

If you’re in your thirties, have no experience in coding, and are worried that it’s too late to learn, you might be surprised to hear that there are a lot of people in your situation. According to Course Report’s 2024 coding bootcamp guide, the average coding bootcamp attendee is 31 years old and has never worked as a programmer. As this fact reveals, thirty is definitely not too old to learn coding. Many people in their thirties are successfully learning this skill and turning it into a rewarding career.

Why Learn Coding at 30?

Coding is an important part of digital technology and by learning to code, you’ll be gaining an in-demand skill that is needed in many different industries. According to an April 2023 LinkedIn article titled “The Most In-Demand IT Jobs of 2023” written by an IT recruitment agency, at present, many of the top in-demand jobs are jobs that include coding, such as Software Developer, Data Scientist, and Machine Learning Engineer. Overall, the agency insists that there are not enough talented people to fill these roles. It says, “In terms of top talent in the IT jobs market, demand is still far outpacing supply.” This trend is expected to continue in the future. 

Many coding-related careers have high salaries and are expected to experience strong future growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a federal agency that collects and analyzes labor market statistics. It reports that the median pay for a Software Developer is about $130,000 per year and predicts 25 percent job growth in this profession over the next ten years. The average U.S. job growth rate is only 3 percent. Web Developers and Digital Designers also use coding. According to BLS, people who work in this field earn approximately $80,000 per year. It predicts 16 percent job growth between 2022 and 2032. Data science is another field that involves coding. BLS reports that Data Scientists earn more than $100,000 per year, and predicts 35 percent job growth over the next ten years. 

Not only can coding lead to a wide range of different job options, but many people also find that it is a fulfilling and rewarding activity. For example, Software Engineer Lindsey Redd--who has coded for Slack, Lyft, and Stripe--talks about working in coding. She says that the problem-solving involved in this career is one of the things that makes it so rewarding. In a July 21, 2021, Ascend article by journalist Kelsey Alpaio, Reed is quoted as saying, “I enjoy the process of coding and not knowing what’s really going on, but testing and working through an issue, Googling whatever I need to, and then getting to a solution. That feeling, that gratification of figuring out how to do something or solving a bug, is unmatched.”

How Long Will It Take to Learn Coding?

How long it takes to learn coding will depend on a number of different factors including whether you already have any experience in this subject, and how much time you can devote to the learning process. Most people say that you can become relatively comfortable with coding in about three to six months. Graining the skill to code at a professional level can take a year or more. Attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and good memorization skills can all help you learn more quickly. Another thing that will affect your learning is how much time you spend practicing; the more time you can spend practicing coding, the quicker you’re likely to master it.

One thing that makes coding challenging for beginners is that you’re learning to use a new language, which means speaking and thinking in a completely different way. As with any new language, this can take time. On the upside, you’re unlikely to find it so challenging every time you learn a new coding language. Most people say that after you have learned one or more coding languages, learning others will probably be much easier. One Programmer likens it to learning to drive a specific car, and then trying to drive another. In an article titled “My Experience and the Lessons I Have Learned as a Programmer,” posted on the DEV Community website he says, “If you learn how to drive one particular car, it kinda helps you understand how cars work in general. So you could hop on any other car and drive. Yes, there will be differences but the basics are the same.”

If you plan to learn coding, be aware that the learning process can involve both ups and downs. For instance, some people who have already gone through it say that they often went from feeling confident after solving a coding problem, to feeling extremely frustrated when their code wasn’t working and they couldn’t figure out why. Overall though, with time and practice, you will probably continue to experience ups and downs, but you will make progress and the downs are likely to be less frustrating. In addition, some people say that the ups and downs of coding are actually one reason why this activity can be so rewarding. Writing on the Companies House blog on September 15, 2020, she says, “Actually, it turns out what most people enjoy about programming is experiencing these small struggles and small victories. Slowly but surely they build up your confidence and knowledge. What gives me confidence now is looking back to what I wrote a few months ago and realising just how much I’ve progressed.”

Ways to Make Learning to Code Easier and Quicker

One of the best ways to speed up the coding learning process and make it as easy as possible is to enroll in a paid, live coding class. Some live classes take place in person at a training facility, but you can also learn live online, which means that you attend via Zoom or a similar platform. With a live class, you’ll follow a comprehensive coding curriculum that starts with important foundational concepts and then moves on to more advanced skills. When you learn in a live class, an instructor will lecture in real time and be available to answer your questions and provide regular feedback on your progress. You’ll learn along with a group of other students, which can also enhance the learning process and lead to valuable networking connections. 

Another advantage of learning through a live class is that you’ll know that what you’re learning is accurate and up-to-date. This is important for any subject, but especially for a tech skill like coding where technology changes quickly and learning content has the potential to become outdated if it is pre-recorded rather than live. Because of the way that coding technology changes constantly, live coding classes can be beneficial for experts as well as beginners. In a LinkedIn article titled, “How Can Programmers Adapt to New Technologies?” the authors stress, “[A] key skill for programmers is to learn continuously, as technology is always changing and advancing. . . . Learning continuously can help programmers stay relevant, competitive, and innovative in their profession.”

Learn Coding with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers a number of live coding classes. You can learn in person at Noble’s Manhattan facility, or live online from any location that you choose. Classes are immersive and hands-on, and are designed to leave you ready to work in a professional coding role. Noble Desktop is licensed by the New York State Education Department and all of its classes come with the option of a free retake within one year in case you want to refresh your skills.

If you’re looking for a short coding class, Noble offers a beginner class called Web Development with HTML & CSS, where you can learn to create webpages by coding with HTML and CSS. In this class, you’ll learn to use HTML to create webpages that have text and images. You’ll also learn to use CSS for styling content, creating centered page layouts, adding background images, style navigation, and for making responsive pages that adapt to various screen sizes. If you already know the basics of HTML and CSS, you might be more interested in Noble’s Advanced HTML and CSS class. This class covers a variety of advanced topics including SVG, CSS variables, gradients, shadows, positioning, transitions, transforms, and responsive images.

Noble Desktop also offers many bootcamps. 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.

Finally, this school also runs a number of certificate courses that will cover a broad range of coding skills over a number of weeks. The Software Engineering Certificate is popular. This comprehensive, multi-week course is designed for students who want to become a Software Engineer or a Full Stack Developer. It covers front end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. You’ll learn a variety of front end tools including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You’ll learn how to use Flexbox and Grid for layout and adapting to different screen sizes, and Git for version control. In addition, you’ll learn about JavaScript, including data types, loops, and variables. Instructors will also cover the JavaScript library, React. As part of the course, you’ll create a working desktop application with React and deploy it using AWS. In this course, you’ll also learn about Python, including syntax, dictionaries, sorting algorithms, and custom functions. Finally, you’ll learn to use Django and Django Rest. Twelve one-on-one mentoring sessions are included, and you’ll also create a portfolio.

Another popular certificate program is the Full-Stack Web Development Certificate. This course covers everything you need to know to create a website from scratch. You’ll learn both front end and back end skills. Some of the specific skills covered include HTML and CSS, JavaScript, MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js. You’ll also learn about databases, APIS, databases, server environments, and interactivity. Ten one-on-one mentoring sessions are included. As part of the course, you can also choose to attend Noble’s SQL Bootcamp or WordPress Bootcamp for free. Finally, this hands-on program includes working on real projects that can be used for a portfolio.