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New York City-based Thinkful provides career-focused coding curricula. Since 2012, Thinkful's graduates have gone on to work at Google, Pulse, and other industry-leading companies. Nearly 300 experienced mentors teach courses in data science, digital marketing, and other computer science subjects to build skills for in-demand careers.
Thinkful's bootcamp also focuses on affordability. Its deferred tuition payment option allows students to postpone payments until they graduate and find jobs.
What Does Thinkful Offer?
Thinkful's bootcamp caters to all learners, whether they are diving into coding for the first time or have jobs to work around. Six courses make up the Thinkful bootcamp. Each applicant must be at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent, and demonstrate English and computer proficiency.
Students can choose either full-time, asynchronous, cohort-based classes or part-time, self-paced lessons. Full-time courses take five months to complete and begin on scheduled dates throughout the year. Enrollees can begin part-time classes, which take six months to complete, at any time.
Thinkful's bootcamp caters to all learners, whether they are diving into coding for the first time or have jobs to work around.
Industry experts teach each course. These mentors excel in data science, software engineering, and machine learning, averaging 10 years of experience in their subjects. Students connect with personal mentors who provide one-on-one coaching and feedback throughout the program.
Graduates receive career assistance. Each student meets with a career coach to become acquainted with the job network and fine-tune their resumes, cover letters, and interview skills.
Learners can expect the following stand-out features from the Thinkful coding bootcamp:
- Payment Options: The Thinkful bootcamp provides several payment plans to help students plan their budgets. Options include deferred tuition with a monthly living allowance, income share, and month-to-month payments.
- Personal Mentorship: Thinkful students receive one-on-one mentorship from experienced industry mentors. Each personal mentor provides custom feedback and answers questions as students move through coursework.
- Career Support: Thinkful goes beyond teaching concepts and skills also to offer career resources and support after graduation. Each graduate receives six months of support to develop a resume, prepare for interviews, and find jobs with leading industry companies.
Thinkful Snapshot
- Cost: $4,900-$16,000
- Payment Options: Pay upfront, month-to-month, deferred tuition, deferred tuition with living expenses, income-share agreement, income-share agreement plus a living stipend
- Learning Options: Most Thinkful part-time programs take six months to complete, but some shorter programs take 3-5 months. Expect most full-time programs to take 4-5 months.
- Locations: Thinkful delivers its courses 100% online.
- Employment Rate: Thinkful reports that 69% of graduates gain employment in their field within 90 days of graduation. Within 180 days of graduation, this rate jumps to 84%.
- U.S. Average Starting Salary: Most graduates earn base salaries exceeding $50,000.
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Thinkful Courses
Thinkful offers six computer science courses to build the necessary skills for students to find entry-level employment. Learners may study with cohorts or independently, depending on their learning style and scheduling needs.
Thinkful's bootcamp targets beginners interested in receiving one-on-one mentorship and feedback from industry experts. Each course includes real-life study experiences and six months of career coaching to assist students with entering the workforce.
Thinkful's bootcamp targets beginners interested in receiving one-on-one mentorship and feedback from industry experts.
Explore the details of each Thinkful course below, including information on student outcomes.
Data Analytics
Thinkful's data analytics course prepares learners for careers as financial analysts, marketing analysts, and data journalists. The course covers business analytics, Excel and presentation programming, Python, and other key skills.
Full-time students can begin on a rolling start basis, committing to about 50 hours per week. Part-time enrollees spend 20-30 hours each week on self-paced studies, which they can begin at any time.
- Cost: $8,000 (part time); $12,250 (full time)
- Student Outcomes: 85% employment rate; $61,200 median salary; 80.4% salary increase after graduating
- Admission Requirements: Students must be at least 18 years old, be proficient in written and spoken English, and understand how to operate a computer. Each applicant must also submit their high school diploma, GED certificate or equivalent, or higher education diploma. A full-time student must also complete a four-week prep course.
Data Science
Thinkful data science students study machine learning, SQL, and data analytics to pursue careers as data architects and database engineers. The part-time program includes self-paced lessons with up to 20 hours of work each week. Data science mentors meet live with learners to provide real-time feedback on assignments.
- Cost: $9,500 (part time)
- Student Outcomes: 62% employment rate; $75,690 median salary; 15.3% salary increase after graduating
- Admission Requirements: Each applicant must be at least 18 years old and submit a high school diploma, GED certificate or equivalent, or copy of their college or university diploma. Thinkful requires written and spoken English proficiency, along with experience with computers.
Digital Marketing
This course explores brand development and audience engagement. Students learn to create successful digital marketing campaigns and decipher significant differences between digital and traditional marketing methods.
Enrollees can begin part-time, self-paced coursework at any time and can expect to complete the class within three months with a commitment of up to 20 hours per week.
- Cost: $4,900 (part time)
- Admission Requirements: Thinkful requires each candidate to be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of a high school diploma, GED certificate, or equivalent credential. Applicants should also have self-motivation, organizational, computer, and written and oral English skills.
Software Engineering
Learners of all experience levels can study the breadth of software engineering, including creating websites, designing user-friendly interfaces, and programming with JavaScript.
The immersion program provides a dedicated mentor who conducts live video consultations for coursework feedback. Students who need flexible schedules can choose the self-paced software engineering program with office hours for assistance.
- Cost: $9,500 (part time); $16,000 (full time)
- Student Outcomes: 91% employment rate for immersion students; $56,530-$66,070 median salary; 41.1% salary increase after graduating.
- Admission Requirements: Students 18 or older may apply for this course. Each immersion applicant must complete a four-week prep course before beginning the regular curriculum. Thinkful requires all learners to have computer and English proficiency and a high school diploma, GED certificate, or higher learning diploma.
Technical Project Management
Students interested in careers as project analysts or technology directors can choose Thinkful's technical project management course. This program covers project planning and development, communication and leadership, and hardware and software integrations. Learners also study budget tracking, team motivation, and problem-solving for businesses.
Enrollees can choose a self-paced, part-time, five-month course or a three-month immersion course with a cohort and mentor.
- Cost: $6,500 (part time); $9,000 (full time)
- Admission Requirements: Each project management applicant must be at least 18; possess a high school diploma, GED certificate or equivalent, or postsecondary diploma; and maintain proficiency in computers and English. An immersion student must complete a four-week prep course.
UX / UI Design
Future web designers and UX/UI designers can enroll in Thinkful's UX / UI design courses, which cover user interface creation at every level. Learners explore product research practices, querying and sourcing database information, and team collaboration. Enrollees complete real design projects throughout the course to create portfolios to use in their job searches.
- Cost: $9,500 (part time); $12,150 (full time)
- Admission Requirements: Students 18 and older with a minimum of a high school diploma, GED certificate, or equivalent may apply. Computer and English proficiency are required. Each full-time student must complete a four-week prep course.
Is Thinkful Coding Bootcamp Worth It?
Thinkful bootcamp courses may offer an excellent option for computer science beginners looking to change careers from non-technology roles. These programs cover the necessary abilities to pursue entry-level jobs in data analytics, digital marketing, and other Thinkful subjects. Plus, learners can benefit from working with mentors and cohorts in full-time immersion programs, allowing them to dive deep into their topic.
While bootcamps introduce learners to new subjects and specialties, a computer science degree can lead to more advanced careers and educational pathways.
For some students, a traditional computer science degree might be a better fit than a coding bootcamp program. While bootcamps introduce learners to new subjects and specialties, a computer science degree can lead to more advanced careers and educational pathways.
Financial aid also covers degree programs more readily than bootcamps, creating a more affordable learning experience. Still, Thinkful's various payment options make its courses financially accessible to many students.
Additional Bootcamp Resources
How Much Do Bootcamps Cost?
Bootcamps come in various price ranges but are usually more affordable than a degree. Explore the typical costs associated with coding bootcamps.
Types of Coding Bootcamps
Discover different coding bootcamp formats, including online vs. in-person and full-time vs. part-time, and how they influence the learning experience.
Getting Into Coding Bootcamps
Coding bootcamps may require specific skills and prerequisites. Explore admission, scheduling, and financing processes with this guide.
How to Pay for Coding Bootcamps
Financial aid generally does not cover coding bootcamps. Learn more about options to cover your costs, including deferred tuition, month-to-month payments, and income share agreements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thinkful
Is Thinkful worth the money?
This depends on your goals. Private coding bootcamps like Thinkful typically cost more than community college programs. However, Thinkful's one-on-one mentorship and post-graduate career coaching drive this bootcamp's value. Part-time course delivery can also lower costs, allowing enrollees to continue working while pursuing their education.
Does Thinkful guarantee a job?
No, but Thinkful guarantees a refund for each student who does not receive an offer for a qualifying job within 180 days of graduation. This guarantee does not apply to graduates who have income-share agreement payment plans.
What languages does Thinkful teach?
Thinkful students learn different programming languages in relevant courses. For instance, the software engineering program targets JavaScript, C, and C++, and the data science course covers R and Python.
How long is a Thinkful Program?
Learners can expect their Thinkful course to take anywhere from 3-6 months. Most part-time Thinkful programs take six months, while full-time programs generally take five months to complete.
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