How Much is a Machine Learning Course?

Machine learning skills are a valuable addition to any personal or professional portfolio in the twenty first century. Falling under the umbrella of artificial intelligence, machine learning is a rapidly growing area of technology that impacts every industry. It’s no surprise that the number of people interested in taking machine learning courses has risen. When deciding which class to take, the first consideration is often the financial aspect. How much does a class cost, what’s included in that cost, and is it within your budget? This article discusses the costs associated with joining a machine learning course, and the general considerations that might change that price.

Factors that Influence Cost

Though there is no one factor that will dictate the cost of a course, there are patterns that can help you prepare for which classes might be the most expensive. A few of those considerations include the course duration, the proficiency level, the host institution, and whether or not the class offers a certification, or is accredited by an overseeing institution. Let’s take a closer look at the price differences and what might cause the price point of a specific program to change.

Duration of Course

Many times, the length of the course is associated with the cost. Short term courses, which can include one-day classes, workshops, seminars, and short online courses, tend to be less expensive. This is because they cover less content, and offer less provisions than their longer and more involved counterparts. These classes can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000, with one-day courses costing the least. Bootcamps and longer courses will cost more. As they often help with career preparation and provide comprehensive content, the price point is higher, with programs costing anywhere from $1,800 to $5,000. The most expensive form of machine learning classes is a degree-track. Joining a university and getting a related degree in computer science, data science, and artificial intelligence. This will cost you university application fees and general tuition, which falls between $15,000 and $60,000. The difference in cost between an undergraduate and graduate degree can be thousands of dollars. Extensive certificate programs can also be quite pricey, ranging in the thousands of dollars. When choosing a course that works best for your budget, paying attention to the schedule can provide good insight into how much it might cost.

Content Level

The proficiency level of a machine learning course can also impact the cost. Beginner courses cover foundational knowledge like a basic understanding of machine learning terminology and concepts, including basic programming with popular languages like Python, Java, and C++. They are typically less expensive, and more likely to be offered in shorter formats. When it comes to the intermediate and advanced concepts, there is a higher cost associated with those courses because the content is more comprehensive which generally means that it takes longer to cover, or requires additional resources and facilities. At the higher levels, machine learning includes work with algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning. These concepts can be difficult to understand without hands-on training and projects-based learning, and that often requires additional materials. Advanced courses in an area like machine learning, where the technology is rapidly evolving, may require instructors who have specialized knowledge or training. Taking advanced courses is an investment, and can dramatically change your career opportunities, but will ultimately cost more.

Institution

The reputation of the institution may impact the amount charged for courses. The prestige and quality of education will lead to more expensive course options. This is especially true of colleges and universities that have a notable influence in the field of technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Carnegie Mellon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Stanford University are examples of schools in the United States that are prestigious in the field of technology. For an undergraduate degree at these or other Ivy League schools, the tuition is 5-6x higher than that of other institutions. The same can be said of many machine learning courses. The name and brand of an institution can impact the cost of the course. More than that, the specialty of the institution can play a role. A professional training center may charge more than a public institution like a library. This is because more often than not, they include comprehensive resources such as career assistance. Online platforms that are more accessible to the public might host free classes, but the quality will fluctuate between different websites. When considering your budget, it’s important to also double-check the course fees associated with attending different institutions. Comparing the cost, the curriculum, and the specific facilities or amenities of the institution can help you pick the class that’s best for you.

Certification or Accreditation

Non-certified courses are those that do not offer a certificate as a part of the class. Though many programs will offer a certificate of completion, this is not necessarily a certification. Becoming certified in the professional world is becoming recognized according to industry standards, and often requires some form of standardized test. Taking a course for certification will ultimately cost more than just taking a standard course that offers a certificate of completion. Though a certificate of completion is an endorsement, a certification is much stronger. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM offer certification as an artificial intelligence or machine learning engineer. If certification classes are out of your budget, many classes will still offer a certificate that shows completion of course. These certificates can be useful in building out a resume or a portfolio. 

Free and Low-Cost Options

Platforms like Google, edX, and Coursera can provide a basic overview of foundational information at zero cost. YouTube and other video-based platforms can also bring you engaging content that requires little out of your own pocket. Even with websites that are not completely free, there are those dedicated to accessible content that won’t break the bank. Subscription based services cost an average of $15 to $30 a month, and vary in cost based on the resources provided. Though the subscriptions will not replace the credentials, endorsements, networking, and professional assistance often offered by paid opportunities, they are perfect at providing the patchwork of fundamental skills needed to comfortably and confidently start your machine learning journey. For those wanting to take a part-time or full-time course as a bootcamp, workshop, or university course, there are occasionally scholarships or financial aid packages available that can make the programs more affordable. Not every institution will offer these packages. Some may offer direct discount courses. If there is an institution that you are interested in, inquiring about discounts, financial aid, or cheaper courses can be a great way to sift through your financial options beore fully committing to the course. 

Learn Machine Learning with Noble Desktop

If you’re in the market for an affordable and accessible machine learning course, consider using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. This is an easy and efficient way to compare courses based on their cost, location, curriculum, and otherwise. Noble Desktop also offers bootcamps that can teach machine learning or related subjects. Their Python for Data Science & Machine Learning Bootcamp is a great place to start. Python is a popular programming language for both artificial intelligence and related fields of technology. As you learn, you’ll be picking up valuable skills that are relevant to most of today’s largest companies. With this bootcamp, you’ll learn algorithms in relation to data science and machine learning. You will become familiar with common machine-learning problems and gain hands-on experience with solving them. This is also a great introductory course for theoretical algorithm concepts like k-nearest neighbors, decision trees, and random forest. Over the course of this program, you can grow more confident in your programming skills, and your machine learning knowledge.

For those who are unable to commit to a full bootcamp, or who want more straightforward approach to machine learning, Noble Desktop’s Python for Machine Learning class is offered as a standalone course, and much more focused on the direct relationship between Python as a programming language, and machine learning. You’ll use the Pandas library to clean and balance data, apply machine learning algorithms, and pick up other important theoretical concepts, such as overfitting, variance, and bias. This course does offer a final portfolio project that can easily translate to your professional career. You must be familiar with Python and its data science libraries, NumPy and Pandas, to comfortably take either course. For those who would like to learn Python first, Noble Desktop also has a Python Programming Bootcamp that will provide a thorough overview of the Python language. Between the different courses offered, students will have ample opportunity to pick up machine learning, while also gaining valuable experience in skills that are relevant across many fields and industries.