Best Software Engineering Bootcamps

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Updated November 8, 2023

Best software engineering bootcamps focus on the programming languages and tools developers use to build computer and phone applications.

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Coding bootcamps are intensive technology training programs that teach targeted skills on compressed schedules. Software engineering bootcamps focus on the programming languages, techniques, and tools developers use to create computer and smartphone applications.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports strong demand for software developers, software testers, and quality assurance specialists. The BLS projects a rapid 22% employment growth rate in this sector from 2020-2030. Software engineering bootcamps may appeal to learners looking to enhance their skills and pursue job opportunities.

A 2019 report by RTI Press noted that 45% of online coding bootcamps featured non-competitive, open-access admission policies. These programs include opportunities for learners of all skill levels. Start your search for a suitable bootcamp with this guide and program roundup.

Top Coding Bootcamps for Software Engineering
  • Coding Dojo
  • General Assembly
  • Thinkful
  • Metis
  • Hack Reactor

What Is a Software Engineering Bootcamp?

Software engineering bootcamps are non-degree programs that equip learners with job-ready tech skills on accelerated timelines. These bootcamps focus on software development-related programming languages and processes. This differentiates software engineering bootcamps from general coding bootcamps.

Undergraduate computer science degrees typically take 2-4 years to complete. Software engineering bootcamps cover a more narrow set of skills and techniques but take much less time than degrees. Full-time programs usually run for 12-20 weeks, but some can last up to 12 months.

Learning formats include flexible part-time options. These can take twice as long as comparable full-time programs. These may appeal to students who need balanced schedules to accommodate professional or personal commitments. Learners can also pursue in-person, online, self-paced, and hybrid course delivery models.

Various organizations, including tech companies, nonprofit groups, and independent educational institutions offer software engineering and coding bootcamps. Others maintain affiliations with community colleges and universities. Prospective students should consult reviews and carefully research bootcamps' reputations before applying.

Top Bootcamp Programs

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

What are the Skills Learned in Software Engineering Bootcamps?

In-person and online software engineering bootcamps aim to develop niche skill sets that software developers use in their daily activities. Many programs assume that incoming learners have little-to-no previous coding knowledge or experience. Software engineering bootcamps often build skills in:

Computer Language Proficiency
Software developers need a strong working knowledge of popular programming, markup, and style sheet languages. Bootcamps for beginners build these foundations by covering CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Some cover this material in the early weeks of the program, while others include them in pre-course learning modules.
Front-End and Back-End Frameworks
Front-end frameworks form the fundamental building blocks of app development. Software engineers deploy these frameworks to create user interfaces. Back-end coding delivers functionality for front-end development. Most software engineering bootcamps cover both.
Troubleshooting and Debugging
Developers typically encounter debugging tasks more often than troubleshooting-related duties. Debugging refers specifically to coding-related troubleshooting issues. Bootcamps introduce students to common troubleshooting and debugging techniques used by professionals.
End-to-End Testing
End-to-end testing is an industry-standard method of reviewing an application's functionality. These tests validate the application's entire workflow and allow developers to identify problems with data integrity or integration. Software engineering bootcamps usually cover end-to-end testing during

Best Software Engineering Bootcamps

Career-focused software engineer bootcamps prepare learners for entry-level positions in the field. Bootcamps offer an affordable, time-saving alternative to traditional degree programs.

Our guide lists the best bootcamps in software engineering, available online and on campus. Students across the United States can attend these immersive bootcamps to jumpstart their technology careers. The five highlighted programs are among the most popular. We've also listed several other bootcamp options for 2022.

Coding Dojo offers online and on-campus coding bootcamps covering in-demand programming languages. To date, Coding Dojo has over 6,000 graduates.

Software Development Immersive Bootcamp

Coding Dojo's offers a few software development bootcamps to meet learners' scheduling needs, including self-paced, accelerated, and full-time immersive options. Each program provides mentorship opportunities, assignments, and projects to expand learning. Topics include SQL and relational databases, object-oriented programming in C#, and web interface building.

This program does not require prior coding or professional experience. Applicants must submit an online application and participate in an admissions interview before enrolling.

  • Cost: $1,950-$8,745 part time; $16,245 full time
  • Format: Online or on campus; full or part time, self-paced
  • Length: 14-32 weeks
  • CIRR Member: No

Other Courses Offered by Coding Dojo

  • Cybersecurity Online Part-Time Bootcamp
  • Data Science Online Part-Time Bootcamp
  • UX/UI Design Online Part-Time Bootcamp

Coding Dojo's Job Placement Assistance

Students receive lifetime career support through mentoring, portfolio building, and resume development. Coding Dojo's experts also assist with contract negotiation and interview preparation to help graduates climb the career ladder.

For 10 years, General Assembly has worked with companies and individuals to develop in-demand skills for future technology professionals. Its global community features more than 15 campuses and over 70,000 alumni.

Software Engineering Immersive

Available in person and online, General Assembly's software engineering bootcamp includes hands-on projects using GitHub, React, and other tools to gain real-life practice. Students learn fundamental concepts, like front-end frameworks and full-stack development.

In addition to coursework, learners network with technology leaders to build an interview-ready portfolio. A certificate of completion allows graduates to showcase their knowledge to General Assembly's more than 19,000 hiring partners.

  • Cost: $14,950
  • Format: Online or on campus; full time
  • Length: 12-24 weeks
  • CIRR Member: No

Other Courses Offered by General Assembly

  • Data Analytics
  • Data Science Immersive
  • Digital Marketing
  • Front-End Web Development
  • JavaScript Development
  • Product Management
  • Python Programming
  • React Development
  • User Experience Design Immersive
  • Visual Design

General Assembly's Job Placement Assistance

A career coach guides each bootcamp student toward an individualized career path with interview practice, portfolio management, and personal branding advice. According to 2019 General Assembly data, 92.1% of the program's full-time graduates found a software engineering job within 180 days of graduation.

The education company Chegg founded Thinkful in 2012. Students have access to mentors and teaching staff that are industry experts. Headquartered in New York City but operating remotely, Thinkful offers flexible digital courses to entry-level coders.

Software Engineering Bootcamp

Thinkful's software engineering bootcamp features an accelerated full-time program and a self-paced part-time option. Both include live online mentoring sessions with feedback and career tips.

Students learn from five modules covering application and webpage development, algorithm writing and testing, and Agile workflow management. A final module targets career readiness with mock interviews and network building.

Full-time learners must complete a four-week preparation course before beginning the program. All applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent.

  • Cost: $9,500 part time; $16,000 full time
  • Format: Online; full time and part time
  • Length: 5-6 months
  • CIRR Member: No

Other Courses Offered by Thinkful

  • Data Science Bootcamp
  • Data Analytics Bootcamp
  • UX/UI Design Bootcamp
  • Digital Marketing Bootcamp
  • Technical Project Management Bootcamp

Thinkful's Job Placement Assistance

Thinkful offers six months of postgraduation career services, including resume development and salary negotiation practice. Throughout this program, learners receive one-on-one mentoring and assistance from a dedicated academic success manager.

Metis, a Kaplan-created online learning company, has helped more than 2,500 graduates worldwide learn coding skills. Since its founding in 2013, Metis has transitioned to fully online bootcamps, which first launched in January 2020.

Data Science and Engineering Bootcamp

The full- or part-time Metis coding bootcamp delivers a comprehensive curriculum. This includes live peer-to-peer social activities and projects, live or recorded lectures, and interactive assignments. Key subjects include basic and advanced data analysis, linear regression, and cloud computing.

Metis's full-time option requires live online meetings with instructors and peers. Although the part-time flex option allows for some self-pacing, students should expect assignment and project deadlines plus live meetings for events and presentations.

  • Cost: $11,000 part time; $14,500 full time
  • Format: Online; full or part time
  • Length: 10-20 weeks
  • CIRR Member: No

Other Courses Offered by Metis

  • Data Analytics
  • Data Science
  • Data Science and Machine Learning
  • Deep Learning Fundamentals
  • Exploratory Data Analysis
  • Introduction to Data Engineering
  • Linear Regression and Web Scraping
  • Machine Learning Classification
  • Natural Language Processing and Unsupervised Learning
  • Business Fundamentals for Data Practitioners

Metis's Job Placement Assistance

Dedicated advisors meet with bootcamp students to plan their goals. Learners also participate in mock interviews, job search tutorials, and career-focused workshops. An alumni portal and graduate directory assist graduates with finding jobs at high-profile companies like Amazon and Carmax.

Hack Reactor prioritizes quality academics and successful student outcomes through immersive curricula and an expert community. The company partners with top industry employers, like Slack and PayPal, to hire graduates.

Software Engineering Immersive

Students enrolled in one of Hack Reactor's software engineering programs spend up to 120 hours on a pre-course curriculum. This coursework covers basic CSS, HTML, and other coding languages to keep all learners on the same page.

Bootcamp students learn database and deployment technologies, application design and development, and full-stack JavaScript coding. Hack Reactor incorporates hands-on learning with fundamental tools like ES6 and React to prepare students for future careers.

  • Cost: $17,980
  • Format: Online or on campus; full or part time
  • Length: 9 months part time; 12 weeks full time
  • CIRR Member: No

Other Courses Offered by Hack Reactor

  • Methodologies and Requirements Gathering
  • Networking and Reactive Programming
  • Computer Architecture and IoT
  • Microservices and Orchestration
  • Algorithms and Data Structures

Hack Reactor's Job Placement Assistance

Enrollees receive one-on-one coaching sessions from experienced mentors as they prepare for their careers. Mock interviews, Github portfolio development, and job training exercises further prepare learners for success. The company reports a median compensation increase of $22,000 for graduates of its software engineer bootcamp.

  • Online, Seattle, Atlanta
  • Full time
  • No cost
  • Online, Portland
  • Full time
  • $24,000
  • Immersive Full Stack
  • Idaho
  • Full time
  • Web Development
  • Online, Miami, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, London
  • Full or Part time
  • $15,000
  • Central New York
  • Full time
  • No cost
  • Full-Stack Java Software Developer, Full-Stack C#/.Net Software Developer
  • Online, St. Louis
  • Full time
  • $12,998
  • Software Development
  • Online, Seattle
  • Full time
  • Full-Stack Software Engineer: Immersive; Full-Stack Software Engineer: Evening and Weekend
  • Online, Chicago
  • Full or part time, self-paced
  • No cost for self-paced; $17,000 for full time, in person
  • Full-Stack Web Development, Systems Engineering
  • Online, Dallas, San Antonio
  • Full time
  • Full-Stack Web Development, Java + Android, Internet of Things, IT Professional
  • Online (temporarily), Albuquerque
  • Full or part time
  • $7,495
  • Software Developer, Computer Ops
  • Online (temporarily), Cedar Rapids
  • Full or part time, self-paced
  • $5,000 full or part time; $1,000 self-paced
  • Computer Science Engineer Bootcamp, Full-Stack Coding Camp, Web Development Bootcamp, Front-End Developer Bootcamp
  • Online
  • Full or part time
  • $15,500
  • U of U Coding School Full-Time Web Development, Part-Time Web Development
  • Online
  • Full time
  • Full-Time Web Development Bootcamp, Part-Time Web Development Bootcamp
  • Online, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Tampa
  • Full or part time
  • $9,950 part time; $14,950 full time
  • Web Development, Software Development
  • Online, Indianapolis
  • Full time
  • $13,500-$18,000
  • Immersive Software Engineering, Flex Immersive at Full-Stack Academy New York, Live Online Coding Bootcamp, Grace Hopper Program, Future Code
  • Online, New York
  • Full or part time
  • $14,500-$17,910
  • Immersive Software Engineering, Immersive Online Software Engineering
  • Online, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
  • Full time
  • $17,980
  • Online
  • Self-paced
  • $199/month
  • Maximum Coding, Part-Time Coding
  • Online, Cincinnati, Blue Ash, Mason, Newport
  • Full time
  • $14,000
  • Web Development Jump Start, Full-Time Web Developer Bootcamp, Part-Time Web Developer Bootcamp, Full-Time Web Designer/Developer Bootcamp
  • Online, Nashville
  • Full or part time
  • $650-$12,500
  • Full-Stack Day Bootcamp, Full-Stack Evening Bootcamp, Advanced Javascript, Intro to Programming
  • Temporarily online, Portland
  • Full or part time
  • $11,500-$18,400
  • Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp
  • Online, Culver City, Irvine, Downtown Los Angeles
  • Full time
  • $15,000
  • Full-Stack Development with Java, Web Development with Java
  • Online (temporarily)
  • Full time
  • $19,950
  • Online, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wilmington
  • Full time
  • $15,950
  • Web and Mobile Full-Stack Engineering Bootcamp
  • Online
  • Full time
  • $15,000 or $15,500 with rental computer
  • Front-End Engineering, Back-End Engineering
  • Online
  • Full time
  • $20,000
  • Web Development
  • Online
  • Full time
  • C# Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp, Nationwide Remote Digital Online Java Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp, Part-Time Java Full-Stack Hybrid Coding Bootcamp, Java Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp
  • Online, Cleveland, Columbus
  • Full or part time
  • $14,900
  • Zip Code Wilmington
  • Wilmington
  • Full time
  • $12,000

Software engineering bootcamps cover a more narrow set of skills and techniques but take much less time than degrees.

ComputerScience.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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What Will a Software Engineering Bootcamp Cost?

A 2019 RTI Press study cited $11,900 as the median cost of a comprehensive career preparation bootcamp. However, tuition rates vary and mainly depend on program length. The study also reported that 89% of coding bootcamps offered some form of financial aid to learners.

Some software engineering bootcamps carry additional costs beyond tuition. These costs may include fees for applications and preparatory courses, along with lab and technology fees. Additionally, online learners usually need to provide their own computers to participate.

A 2019 RTI Press study cited $11,900 as the median cost of a comprehensive career preparation bootcamp.

Fortunately, some coding bootcamps allow students to enroll without having to make upfront payments. Instead, an enrollee can enter an income-sharing agreement with the education provider or pay deferred tuition after landing a job. Other bootcamps offer structured payment plans that allow enrollees to pay in manageable installments.

Some software engineering bootcamps guarantee graduates tech job placements, positioning students to earn positive returns on their educational investments.

What Jobs Can I Get After a Software Engineering Bootcamp?

The best bootcamps for software engineering feature high job placement rates. Some guarantee tech jobs to graduates. These programs aim to prepare learners for fast, successful transitions into entry-level roles. From there, professionals can continue to develop their skills and pursue more advanced positions.

For more information on computer science careers, explore the link below:


Web Designer

These professionals use their creative skills to enhance websites' aesthetics and usability. Software engineering bootcamps help designers build versatile and broadly applicable technical skills. These programs tend to serve students well in the fast-changing technology world, where skill sets often overlap.

Average Annual Salary (Nov. 2021): $52,130

Job Outlook (2020-30): +13%


Web Developer

Web developers focus more on the technical side of website creation. These professionals maintain, update, and improve the technical functions of websites on behalf of employers and clients.

Average Annual Salary: $60,310

Job Outlook (2020-30): +13%


Video Game Designer

Gaming is a popular segment of the software engineering and software development industries. These designers write code, perform tests, and refine the elements of computer, console, and mobile gaming applications. Game designers may also contribute to creative elements, such as setting and plot.

Average Annual Salary (Nov. 2021): $66,440


Software Developer

These professionals create, test, and refine computer applications to meet specific user needs. Software developer roles rely heavily on coding and programming skills. They also require a practical understanding of user requirements and know how to meet them through technology.

Average Annual Salary (Nov. 2021): $72,690

Job Outlook (2020-30): +22%


Software Engineer

Software engineers perform many of the coding, testing, and refinement duties of software developers. However, these professionals take a broader, more technical view of the development lifecycle, focusing on structural integrity and efficient debugging methods.

Average Annual Salary (Nov. 2021): $87,800

Other Computer Science Education Options

In-person and online software engineering bootcamps are only two of many computer science and technology education options. Learners can also pursue degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Degrees introduce and build similar skill sets, but with broader and deeper coursework.

The following list includes other main learning options for computer science students:

  • Learn More About Associate Degrees
  • Learn More About Bachelor's Degrees
  • Learn More About Master's Degrees
  • Explore Other Coding Bootcamp Types:

    Software engineering bootcamps are one of many specific technology bootcamp subtypes. The list below explains other popular technology subjects you can study in these intensive, accelerated formats.

    1

    Full-Stack Bootcamps

    Learn More
    1

    Game Design Bootcamps

    Learn More
    1

    Best Software Development Bootcamps

    Learn More
    1

    Web Development Bootcamps

    Learn More
    ComputerScience.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

    Match me with a bootcamp.

    Find programs with your skills, schedule, and goals in mind.

    MATCH ME TO A BOOTCAMP

    Frequently Asked Questions About Software Engineering Bootcamps

    Are software engineering bootcamps worth it?

    Reputable software engineering bootcamps deliver a skills-based education with high job market value. The best bootcamps for software engineering feature high job placement rates or job guarantees, making them well worth the investment.

    Can you become a software engineer with a bootcamp?

    Bootcamps aim to build targeted, fundamental skills in compressed timelines. Most bootcamps suit individuals looking to supplement their technical knowledge or change careers. Full-fledged software engineers usually complete degree programs that develop deeper proficiencies.

    Are software engineering bootcamps for beginners?

    There are software engineering bootcamps for learners of all skill levels. Many programs are purpose-built for beginners with little or no technical knowledge. These bootcamps typically feature non-competitive admission standards.

    What job can I get after a bootcamp?

    Job availability depends on your overall educational background and technical skills. Graduates of bootcamps for beginners typically possess the skills needed to succeed in entry-level roles. Growth potential may depend on other education and professional development opportunities.


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