Not that long ago, if you wanted to kick-start a career as a software developer, you'd probably have to hunker down for the long haul and earn a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer information systems, or maybe math.

Today, however, you have another option—a coding bootcamp, a training program aimed at teaching you the skills employers value.

In recent years, coding bootcamps have become increasingly popular, mainly because they're built around the notion that anyone can learn how to code. This idea appeals to individuals looking for an alternative to spending tens of thousands of dollars on a traditional four-year college education.

Full-time coding bootcamps usually last anywhere from six to 40 weeks, with the average being a little over 12 weeks. Prices typically range from $10,000 to $24,000. Some bootcamps offer a guarantee of a developer job, and if you don't land one, you don't have to pay anything except your initial deposit.

In comparison, the average cost for an out-of-state bachelor's program in computer science is $41,992 a year, with an estimated average total cost of $167,968 for four years. The average total cost per year for a two-year computer science program is $20,784 annually, and $41,568 for two years.

Why go to bootcamp

Saving time and money are two good reasons for considering a coding bootcamp. You might also want to consider a coding bootcamp if you're looking to transition into a new career as a software developer and you don’t have any coding skills. Individuals come to coding bootcamps from diverse backgrounds, such as finance, humanities, marketing, graphic design, natural sciences, teaching, and the performing arts.

Although some employers prefer to hire tech workers with degrees in computer science, 72% of employers say that candidates who have been graduated from coding bootcamps are "just as prepared" to be high performers as those who hold four-year computer science degrees, according to a survey by job site Indeed.

Part of the reason may be that coding bootcamps teach the high-impact skills you'll need to be a successful developer in the real world, and they do it in a relatively short time. For example, you'll learn coding languages, including JavaScript, Python, and Ruby; web development frameworks, such as Ruby on Rails, Django, and Express.js; servers and hosting; databases; and version control tools.

Some caveats

Bootcamps aren't for everyone. For one, they're not an ironclad guarantee of a job or long-term career, even though most of the programs below claim pretty impressive rates for placing their graduates. Not all bootcamps measure placement rates the same way, and the numbers can be misleading.

Some employers simply don't have the bandwidth or desire to take on absolute newbies, whether from university or bootcamp.

Before you begin, make sure this is really something you want to do. It's not about just the money you'll spend on the program: Are you really cut out to be a developer? It's a career path and, like any other, has its ups and downs. Read about other people's journeys to see if it's something that excites you.

And yes, you really need to want it. To survive a 12-week (or longer) program, you'll need to work extremely hard and immerse yourself in the long days and nights of learning, frustrations, and successes. (They're not called "bootcamps" for nothing.)

Finally, remember that many successful developers have been self-taught. (Jennifer Dewalt, the founder of Zube, took this route.) This is admittedly a much tougher road, with you having to figure out what to learn and how to learn it. But it can be done.

The types of bootcamps

If you do decide to pursue a bootcamp, here's what you need to know.

Full-time coding bootcamps come in a couple of flavors: in-person and online.

In-person

These are usually 10- or 12-week intensive programs that require you to physically attend class and code full time. Most in-person bootcamps operate the same way as traditional schools, with a teacher and some assistants instructing students how to code. Most bootcamps keep class sizes small.

If you opt for an in-person bootcamp, you're also likely get homework—coding assignments that you need to complete in a certain amount of time.

In these programs you'll learn the skills you’ll need to land a job as a developer. However, most in-person coding bootcamps require that you spend at least 40 hours a week in class and another eight hours a week or more completing homework assignments.

That means you won't be able to work full time, and you’ll have to find other ways to generate income, such as applying for a student loan that also covers expenses. Additionally, if you have a hard time sticking to set schedules, this type of program might not work for you.

Online

These are pretty much the same as in-person coding bootcamps, just totally online. They provide self-learning guides and a mentor-driven, one-on-one teaching style. You can work with your mentor and focus on the skills that will help you get a job as a software developer.

By enrolling in an online coding bootcamp, you won't have to quit your job and lose three to five months of income. On the downside, you'll have to be disciplined enough to fit this into your work schedule.

Choosing a bootcamp

Before you enroll in a coding bootcamp, in-person or online, it's important to have a clear understanding of the skills you’ll likely gain if you attend. That will help you determine if a particular bootcamp will help you reach your goals. You shouldn't sign up for a program until you've researched all the bootcamps and you can answer these questions:

Will the coding bootcamp help you reach your personal and professional coding goals?

Will you be able to build real-world apps both on your own and as part of a development team?

Can you afford the total cost of the coding bootcamp? (These include tuition and, for in-person programs, living expenses.)

After you've done your due diligence, take some time to review your notes and compare your top choices. The only thing left to do is pick the one that's right for you.

The data we collected

We emailed two dozen bootcamp companies and asked each one 19 questions about their programs:

What courses are offered? "Full stack," used by some of the companies to describe their offerings, means a course that covers both the front end (the part the user sees) and the back end (the portion running on servers). Is the program in-person only, online only, or a combination? Where are their US locations? What percentage of students who complete the program are in full-time jobs doing actual programming within six months? Categories such as "contractors" and "freelancers" can mask students actually being out of work. What is graduates' median starting salary? What is the teacher-to-student ratio for any given class? How much time is devoted to one-on-one interactions between students and teachers? What percentage of the teachers have previously worked as professional programmers full time? How much instruction is handled by teachers' assistants (TAs)? What is the necessary experience for TAs? What percentage of instructors/mentors and TAs were hired directly after participating in the program themselves, versus working as programmers first? What languages, systems, and tools, including operating systems and hardware, do students learn? What is the course syllabus? (Links are provided below when offered by the companies profiled.) What are the stages of exercises and/or actual application writing? What applications are students required to build? What background is required for the program? Are students put together to do pair programming, a technique used in agile programming so that experienced developers can check one another's work? (Note: Some argue that new students may not be ready to effectively use pair programming and that the practice could result in stronger students doing more of the work or two students who know little trying to teach each other.) How many hours a week does the student need to commit to coursework and class time, on average? How long does the program run? How long has this organization publicly offered code bootcamps/courses? How much does the program cost, and when must the fees be paid? Does that include living expenses? What percentage of students complete the program on time?

The answers collected from these emails have been combined to make an excellent resource for anyone exploring which bootcamps to enroll in. However, make sure you perform your own due diligence and contact the programs directly.

You may find that if two providers seem equivalent in terms of raw information, one may ultimately be a better fit once you have a chance to talk with a representative. A good bootcamp should seek to set up a call with you if you apply to enroll.

Here is the data for each bootcamp that responded, in alphabetical order:

1. Actualize

Actualize offers a 100% online, live-over-videoconferencing bootcamp (for all exercises and projects), and an in-person version at its Chicago headquarters. The curriculum includes Ruby on Rails-focused web development, with lessons around test-driven development, API building, front-end JavaScript (and Vue.js, the front-end JavaScript framework), and database management for web apps.

Courses: Full-stack web development

Full-stack web development In person, online, or a combination? Online live throughout the US, and in person in Chicago

Online live throughout the US, and in person in Chicago US location: Chicago

Chicago Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Data is complete only for on-site students. At least 73% of all on-site grads from 2014 until March 2019 are programmers or similar roles in full-time jobs. The time frame for most job searches is around six months, but some take longer.

Data is complete only for on-site students. At least 73% of all on-site grads from 2014 until March 2019 are programmers or similar roles in full-time jobs. The time frame for most job searches is around six months, but some take longer. Median starting salary: $63,000 nationwide

$63,000 nationwide Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:5

1:5 Time for teacher-student one-on-one: "Instructors are available to meet with students one-on-one anytime a student wishes."

"Instructors are available to meet with students one-on-one anytime a student wishes." Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

100% How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs help out during the exercise portion of the class. "TAs must have proven themselves to be capable programmers and good communicators."

TAs help out during the exercise portion of the class. "TAs must have proven themselves to be capable programmers and good communicators." Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Lead instructors come from outside Actualize, while the TAs are mostly Actualize graduates.

Lead instructors come from outside Actualize, while the TAs are mostly Actualize graduates. Languages, systems, and tools learned: Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Vue.js, HTML, CSS, SQL, test-driven development, APIs, and Git.

Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Vue.js, HTML, CSS, SQL, test-driven development, APIs, and Git. Course syllabus: Available online

Available online Required student background: None

None Student-student pair programming? There is pair programming for a number of exercises and projects.

There is pair programming for a number of exercises and projects. Hours per week: Full-time students, about 40 hours per week; part-time students, about 25 hours per week

Full-time students, about 40 hours per week; part-time students, about 25 hours per week Length of program: There are five weeks of prework, 12 weeks for the live training, and an optional post-bootcamp program that runs indefinitely.

There are five weeks of prework, 12 weeks for the live training, and an optional post-bootcamp program that runs indefinitely. How long has Actualize been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2014

Since 2014 Costs: $13,900 for either online or in-person versions; financing is available for loans up to three years

$13,900 for either online or in-person versions; financing is available for loans up to three years Percentage of students completing bootcamp on time: 95%

2. App Academy

App Academy teaches students all they need to know about software engineering in 12 weeks. App Academy offers a deferred tuition plan, which means that participants don't pay for the bootcamp until after they have landed their first programming-related job. Students will learn Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, React, Redux, the MERN stack (MongoDB as a database, Express as a web framework, React.js as a front-end framework, and Node.js as a back-end platform. Also taught: containerization, GraphQL, data structures, SQL, CSS, object-oriented programming, and algorithms.

Courses: A variety of learning tracks based on experience level and the outcome desired; core track is the software engineer program

A variety of learning tracks based on experience level and the outcome desired; core track is the software engineer program In person, online, or a combination? Both. In-person programs are located in San Francisco and New York. Online programs can be taken from anywhere in the world.

Both. In-person programs are located in San Francisco and New York. Online programs can be taken from anywhere in the world. US locations: New York and San Francisco

New York and San Francisco Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Full-time software engineer positions: 93% in San Francisco and 95% in New York

Full-time software engineer positions: 93% in San Francisco and 95% in New York Median starting salary: $100,000 in San Francisco and $90,000 in New York

$100,000 in San Francisco and $90,000 in New York Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:8

1:8 Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Teachers are available to students before, during, and after class.

Teachers are available to students before, during, and after class. Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Around 90% of instructors have previously worked as professional programmers.

Around 90% of instructors have previously worked as professional programmers. How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? Instruction is almost exclusively led by instructors, not TAs. As TAs grow within App Academy, they can begin to take on several lectures per group. TAs are almost exclusively App Academy graduates who performed within the top 5% of their groups.

Instruction is almost exclusively led by instructors, not TAs. As TAs grow within App Academy, they can begin to take on several lectures per group. TAs are almost exclusively App Academy graduates who performed within the top 5% of their groups. Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: 90% of instructors have previously worked as engineers, and 100% of TAs were hired directly from the program.

90% of instructors have previously worked as engineers, and 100% of TAs were hired directly from the program. Languages, systems, and tools learned: Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, React, Redux, the MERN stack, containerization, GraphQL, data structures, SQL, CSS, object-oriented programming, and algorithms

Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, React, Redux, the MERN stack, containerization, GraphQL, data structures, SQL, CSS, object-oriented programming, and algorithms Course syllabus: Available online. Students are required to build projects every day, creating their portfolio with examples of the technologies they're learning. The course culminates in a full-stack MERN project. There's also a project using Docker and GraphQL.

Available online. Students are required to build projects every day, creating their portfolio with examples of the technologies they're learning. The course culminates in a full-stack MERN project. There's also a project using Docker and GraphQL. Required student background: The main requirement is that students are passionate about web development.

The main requirement is that students are passionate about web development. Student-student pair programming? Yes, students pair on a daily basis. About 90% of their time each day is made up of pair programming. Students are assigned a different partner each day, which provides them with the experience of working with different personalities and different skillsets.

Yes, students pair on a daily basis. About 90% of their time each day is made up of pair programming. Students are assigned a different partner each day, which provides them with the experience of working with different personalities and different skillsets. Hours per week: 80-90 hours in person; 60-70 hours online

80-90 hours in person; 60-70 hours online Length of program: 16 weeks in person; 24 weeks online

16 weeks in person; 24 weeks online How long has App Academy been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2012

Since 2012 Costs: There are three different payment plans available for students. Most students opt for the "placement-based plan," where they owe tuition only after they're hired full time as a software engineer making at least $50,000 in annual compensation. If they are not hired and making at least $50,000, the course is completely free. Other payment plans vary depending on whether the bootcamp is in-person or online, but expect to pay at least $9,000 for the other options.

There are three different payment plans available for students. Most students opt for the "placement-based plan," where they owe tuition only after they're hired full time as a software engineer making at least $50,000 in annual compensation. If they are not hired and making at least $50,000, the course is completely free. Other payment plans vary depending on whether the bootcamp is in-person or online, but expect to pay at least $9,000 for the other options. Percentage of students completing on time: 95%

3. Big Nerd Ranch

Big Nerd Ranch offers a retreat-style bootcamp in Atlanta, as well as corporate courses held at client sites around the world. Big Nerd Ranch teaches one-week intensive bootcamps focused on mobile development in iOS and Android as well as full-stack web development.

Courses: Essentials and advanced courses in iOS and Swift, Android and Kotlin, and web development

Essentials and advanced courses in iOS and Swift, Android and Kotlin, and web development In person, online, or a combination? In person

In person US location: Atlanta

Atlanta Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Not tracked

Not tracked Median starting salary: Not tracked

Not tracked Teacher-to-student ratio: Minimum class size is 1:5, and maximum class size is 1:22.

Minimum class size is 1:5, and maximum class size is 1:22. Time for teacher-student one-on-one: There are about three to four hours of labs throughout the day where students can have one-on-one interaction. Instructors are also available for one-on-one questions in the evenings.

There are about three to four hours of labs throughout the day where students can have one-on-one interaction. Instructors are also available for one-on-one questions in the evenings. Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%; all instructors work on client-facing development projects.

100%; all instructors work on client-facing development projects. How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do not handle instruction.

TAs do not handle instruction. Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: N/A

N/A Languages, systems, and tools learned: Swift, iOS, Android, Kotlin, Sketch, Python, React, JavaScript

Swift, iOS, Android, Kotlin, Sketch, Python, React, JavaScript Course syllabus: Available online

Available online Required student background: Bootcamps are designed for students with at least basic programming experience and skills. Complete beginners may struggle.

Bootcamps are designed for students with at least basic programming experience and skills. Complete beginners may struggle. Student-student pair programming? No

No Hours per week: 50-70

50-70 Length of program: Five to seven days

Five to seven days How long has Big Nerd Ranch been offering bootcamps/courses? Over 15 years

Over 15 years Costs: Depending on the course, between $3,500 and $6,000, including living expenses

Depending on the course, between $3,500 and $6,000, including living expenses Percentage of students completing on time: 100%

4. Code Fellows

Code Fellows has an array of courses, from a one-day, $99 intro to coding course to 10-week, full-time courses. There are part-time (nights and weekends) versions of each course that last twice as long as the full-time versions. The bootcamps teach full-stack JavaScript (Node.js), Python (Django, Flask, Pyramid), and iOS.

Courses: Code 101: Explore software development; Code 102: Intro to software development; Code 201: Foundations of software development; Code 301: Intermediate software development; and Code 401: Advanced software development. The bootcamp also offers advanced training in specific programming languages (Java with Spring MVC and Android, JavaScript, Python, or ASP.net Core).

In person, online, or a combination? In person; daytime, night, and weekend options are available.

US location: Seattle

Seattle Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 95%

Median starting salary: $72,500

$72,500 Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:6

1:6 Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Instructional staff is available during all class hours for one-on-one support.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Nearly all Code 401 (advanced course) instructors have prior experience as software developers, with rare exceptions.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs are not responsible for any of the course instruction. Primary TA requirement is to have been graduated from a 401-level course and to have been in the top 20% of the course. There are times when exceptions are made if there aren’t enough available graduates, or based upon very strong instructor recommendations.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Most TAs are hired directly after participating; instructors are not, with rare exceptions.

Most TAs are hired directly after participating; instructors are not, with rare exceptions. Languages, systems, and tools learned: Code Fellows teaches a variety of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, Java with Spring MVC and Android, JavaScript, Python, or ASP.net Core; operating systems include Windows, Linux and OSX; other tools include VSCode, Git, GitHub, AWS, and Azure.

Course syllabus: Available online

Available online Required student background: Beginners with no background start at the Code 101 or Code 102 level; neither require any experience. Applicants to Code 201 must successfully complete Code 102 or self-study to test into Code 201 by completing the necessary pre-work and passing the entrance exam. Applicants to Code 301 must pass Code 201 or have a solid foundation in development and be very comfortable with all of the topics covered in Code 201. Applicants to Code 401 must pass Code 301 or have a solid foundation in web development and have equivalent education and/or experience.

Beginners with no background start at the Code 101 or Code 102 level; neither require any experience. Applicants to Code 201 must successfully complete Code 102 or self-study to test into Code 201 by completing the necessary pre-work and passing the entrance exam. Applicants to Code 301 must pass Code 201 or have a solid foundation in development and be very comfortable with all of the topics covered in Code 201. Applicants to Code 401 must pass Code 301 or have a solid foundation in web development and have equivalent education and/or experience. Student-student pair programming? Yes

Yes Hours per week: For daytime courses, students will be in class 40 hours, with an additional 20 to 40 hours of homework. For night and weekend courses, there are 20 hours of instruction, plus up to an additional 10 hours of homework.

For daytime courses, students will be in class 40 hours, with an additional 20 to 40 hours of homework. For night and weekend courses, there are 20 hours of instruction, plus up to an additional 10 hours of homework. Length of program: Code 101: one-day workshop; Code 102: one week (daytime) or two weeks (nights and weekends); Code 201: four weeks (daytime) or eight weeks (nights and weekends); Code 301: four weeks (daytime) or eight weeks (nights and weekends); Code 401: 10 weeks (daytime) or 20 weeks (nights and weekends)

Code 101: one-day workshop; Code 102: one week (daytime) or two weeks (nights and weekends); Code 201: four weeks (daytime) or eight weeks (nights and weekends); Code 301: four weeks (daytime) or eight weeks (nights and weekends); Code 401: 10 weeks (daytime) or 20 weeks (nights and weekends) How long has Code Fellows been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Since 2013 Costs: Tuition must be paid prior to course start. Tuition can be paid through one of several options, including but not limited to: GI Bill, scholarships, grants, loans. Code 101 is $99; Code 102 is $1,000; Code 201 is $5,000; Code 301 is $5,000; Code 401 is $12,000.

Tuition must be paid prior to course start. Tuition can be paid through one of several options, including but not limited to: GI Bill, scholarships, grants, loans. Code 101 is $99; Code 102 is $1,000; Code 201 is $5,000; Code 301 is $5,000; Code 401 is $12,000. Percentage of students completing on time: Not answered

5. Code Platoon

Code Platoon is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that helps veterans and military spouses transition into the civilian workforce by providing technical training and career placement. For 14 weeks, students are immersed in learning the full web development stack, including Python (or Ruby), Django (or Ruby on Rails), JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

Courses: Full-stack web developer

In person, online, or a combination? In person and online

US location: Chicago

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 70%

Median starting salary: $65,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:10

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Teachers are on site all day, so as much as students want, after morning lecture.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 50%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs are not instructors.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: N/A

Languages, systems, and tools learned: JavaScript, React.js, Python, Django, SQL, Postgres, HTML, and Amazon Web Services

Course syllabus: Available online. Students complete a personal project and a team project.

Required student background: None

Student-student pair programming? Yes, for about half of the coursework

Hours per week: 60

Length of program: 14 weeks

How long has Code Platoon been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2016

Costs: $15,500 tuition, but veterans and military spouses will almost always qualify for $12,500 (in-person) and $15,500 (live remote) scholarships.

Percentage of students completing on time: 90%

6. Coder Foundry

Coder Foundry offers a 12-week program that teaches modern web development to both new and experienced programmers. Students will build three or four projects that will demonstrate their programming skills.

Courses: Full-stack .NET development

In person, online, or a combination? In person only

US location: Kernersville, North Carolina

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 86%

Median starting salary: $60,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:15

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Three-hour lecture, five-hour mentorship daily

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do not teach.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: N/A

Languages, systems, and tools learned: C#, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, and Xamarin

Course syllabus: Request a syllabus at the Coder Foundry website.

Required student background: No prior experience needed

Student-student pair programming? No, all work is individual-based.

Hours per week: 65

Length of program: 12 weeks

How long has Coder Foundry been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2014

Costs: $14,900, due the second Friday before class begins; a $3,000 living stipend is offered. There's also an income share option. This is a contractual agreement in which a student receives education funding; in exchange, the student agrees to share a fixed percentage of post-graduation income over a defined number of years.

Percentage of students completing on time: 90%

7. Codesmith

Codesmith offers a 12-week coding bootcamp that aims to build engineers, not technicians. The Software Engineering Immersive Program teaches full-stack JavaScript and computer science to prepare students for mid- and senior-level software engineering roles.

Courses: Software engineering immersive (12 weeks to mid/senior developer position); CSPrep (two weeks of JavaScript and computer science fundamentals), JavaScript for beginners (two days of JavaScript fundamentals)

In person, online, or a combination? In person for the software engineering immersive. Codesmith also offers part-time programs online: CSPrep and JavaScript for Beginners.

In person for the software engineering immersive. Codesmith also offers part-time programs online: CSPrep and JavaScript for Beginners. US locations: New York and Los Angeles

New York and Los Angeles Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 87% of New York students and 82% of Los Angeles students are in full-time software engineering roles within six months.

87% of New York students and 82% of Los Angeles students are in full-time software engineering roles within six months. Median starting salary: $112,500 (New York campus); $106,500 (Los Angeles campus)

$112,500 (New York campus); $106,500 (Los Angeles campus) Teacher-to-student ratio: Between 1:3 and 1:4

Between 1:3 and 1:4 Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Students have immediate access to one-on-one support during all hours of the classroom day (9 am to 8 pm). Instructors often provide additional one-on-one support beyond those hours.

Students have immediate access to one-on-one support during all hours of the classroom day (9 am to 8 pm). Instructors often provide additional one-on-one support beyond those hours. Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Instructors are professional programmers with over 40 years of experience between them.

Instructors are professional programmers with over 40 years of experience between them. How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? Core lectures are led by instructors at the senior developer level. TAs must be at the mid-developer level.

Core lectures are led by instructors at the senior developer level. TAs must be at the mid-developer level. Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: TAs often have prior programming experience; it ranges from 20% to 40%.

TAs often have prior programming experience; it ranges from 20% to 40%. Languages, systems, and tools learned: Students learn core JavaScript concepts to a deep level (closure, scoping, asynchronous JavaScript, event loop, prototypes, object-oriented programming) and computer science concepts including Big O notation, data structures (stacks, hash tables, etc.), and algorithms. Students then move onto the core technologies of the modern web stack (Node, React.js, Redux, SQL, authentication), followed by advanced topics, including DevOps (AWS, Docker, TravisCI) and machine learning with Python.

Students learn core JavaScript concepts to a deep level (closure, scoping, asynchronous JavaScript, event loop, prototypes, object-oriented programming) and computer science concepts including Big O notation, data structures (stacks, hash tables, etc.), and algorithms. Students then move onto the core technologies of the modern web stack (Node, React.js, Redux, SQL, authentication), followed by advanced topics, including DevOps (AWS, Docker, TravisCI) and machine learning with Python. Course syllabus: Request the syllabus on the Codesmith website. After each lecture, students work through challenges and build apps that use the material from the lecture. Students build five full-stack projects during the program, including a project for a client or a tool that contributes to the developer community.

Request the syllabus on the Codesmith website. After each lecture, students work through challenges and build apps that use the material from the lecture. Students build five full-stack projects during the program, including a project for a client or a tool that contributes to the developer community. Required student background: Students are expected to be familiar with intermediate-level JavaScript. Codesmith offers two preparatory programs (with tuition rolling over) to ensure students are at the required level.

Students are expected to be familiar with intermediate-level JavaScript. Codesmith offers two preparatory programs (with tuition rolling over) to ensure students are at the required level. Student-student pair programming? Students pair-program on coding challenges, with the support of TAs available immediately. Students are trained extensively on how to use pair programming as an effective technique. When a student is struggling, one-on-ones are provided with an engineer on the team to work through the code together.

Students pair-program on coding challenges, with the support of TAs available immediately. Students are trained extensively on how to use pair programming as an effective technique. When a student is struggling, one-on-ones are provided with an engineer on the team to work through the code together. Hours per week: Class runs six days each week, from 9 am to 8 pm Mondays-Fridays and 9 am to 5 pm Saturdays.

Class runs six days each week, from 9 am to 8 pm Mondays-Fridays and 9 am to 5 pm Saturdays. Length of program: 12 weeks, with an additional week off site in the middle of the course. Additionally, there is a pre-course prior to the program and active on-site and remote support upon graduation.

12 weeks, with an additional week off site in the middle of the course. Additionally, there is a pre-course prior to the program and active on-site and remote support upon graduation. How long has Codesmith been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2015

Since 2015 Costs: The immersive program costs $17,700, with scholarships available for students from underrepresented backgrounds in technology. Students have multiple financial aid options available through financial aid partners. CSPrep costs $750, and JS for Beginners costs $300; scholarships are available.

The immersive program costs $17,700, with scholarships available for students from underrepresented backgrounds in technology. Students have multiple financial aid options available through financial aid partners. CSPrep costs $750, and JS for Beginners costs $300; scholarships are available. Percentage of students completing on time: Between 90% and 100%

8. Coding Temple

Coding Temple offers two weeks of prework followed by 10 weeks of in-class, full-stack coding bootcamps and data science bootcamps, with campuses in Chicago and Boston, and live online.

Courses: Full-stack Python and data science; full-stack web development

In person, online, or a combination? In person and live-online. Both classes are taught the same and use the same syllabus or variation of the same syllabus, depending on location.

US locations: Chicago and Boston. An expansion to Dallas is planned for the fourth quarter.

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 93%

Median starting salary: $72,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:1, with a TA. Classes are capped at eight students.

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Four to eight hours a week is devoted to one-on-one time with the student and instructor.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: All instructors have worked full time as programmers before teaching, and half have at least eight years of experience as industry professionals.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs work with students after the class session has competed for the day, and are available from 3 pm to 10 pm Mondays through Fridays. TAs are former students who have successfully completed the program, and work part time.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Our instructors are senior developers who have worked in the industry for at least five years.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, React.js, Angular 7.0, Bootstrap, RESTful API, web forms, web APIs, C#, ASP.NET MVC, Python, Flask, SQL, Pandas, NumPy, Matlab, Ski-Learn, Tableau, Hadoop, Visual Studio, Jupyter Notebook, SQL Server, and Spark

Course syllabus: Available online. Students also build a full-stack application.

Required student background: Students must complete a math assessment and score 75% to get accepted. Students come in with all types of backgrounds.

Student-student pair programming? Yes, agile is used every day. We start off with daily standups; project submission happens at the end of the day. There are pair-programming projects, class projects, and individual projects that are completed throughout the course.

Hours per week: In-class, 40 to 50 hours, plus homework or projects outside of class that take about 15 to 20 hours a week on average. An average of 60 hours per week is committed to Coding Temple.

Length of program: Two weeks of pre-work followed by 10 weeks of in class

How long has Coding Temple been offering bootcamps/courses? Four years

Costs: $ 12,495 with a $1,000 deposit. Payment plans range from tuition due on the first day of class with discounts, to long-term financing with partner Paramount.

Percentage of students completing on time: 95%

9. devCodeCamp

devCodeCamp offers a full-time, full-stack, 12-week software development program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the course of the 12 weeks, students learn the nuts and bolts of software engineering in a fully immersive environment. Students learn real-life coding, soft skills, and in-demand technologies.

Courses: Software development

In person, online, or a combination? In person

US location: Milwaukee

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 92.2%, based on 2016 and 2017 audited results

Median starting salary: $52,500, based on 2016 and 2017 audited results

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:10

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Individual mentoring and small study groups are available to students.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? There are no TAs.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: All instructors have gone through the course at some point, so they've experienced what their students will experience.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C#, ASP.NET, ASP.NET Core, SQL, Git, data structures, algorithms, design patterns, functional programming, object-oriented programming, SOLID, unit testing, and test-driven development

Course syllabus: Available online

Required student background: No prior experience is needed.

Student-student pair programming? Yes, both individual and pair programming

Hours per week: 40 to 65

Length of program: 12 weeks

How long has devCodeCamp been offering bootcamps/courses? Four years

Costs: Tuition is $17,800 and must be secured prior to start of program. Tuition includes free housing if needed. It does not include living expenses.

Percentage of students completing on time: 82.4%, based on 2016 and 2017 audited results

10. DigitalCrafts

DigitalCrafts offers full-stack developer bootcamps in both 16-week full-time and 26-week part-time options. It offers intensive classroom experiences for full-time and part-time students, transforming beginners into developers trained in JavaScript, React, Node.js, Python, and more.

Courses: Full-stack web development

In person, online, or a combination? In person only

US locations: Atlanta and Houston; launching in Tampa, Florida, soon

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 85% of DigitalCrafts graduates are hired in technical roles within four months.

Median starting salary: $60,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:10 or better

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Instructors are available throughout the course for one-on-one interactions. Class days typically consist of a lecture in the morning and labs in the afternoon. During labs and project weeks, instructors are available for one-on-one assistance.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: All lead instructors have at least five years of experience as full-time programmers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? In the immersive bootcamps, TAs lead instruction on Friday mornings from 9 am to noon. TAs in the Flex classes do not lead instruction, but TAs in both programs answer student questions and reinforce lessons taught in class.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Most (90%) of TAs graduate the program and then go directly into a TA role. Some TAs are also freelance developers.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Full-stack web development, including HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap, React.js, Redux, Node.js, OAuth, SQL databases, agile development, Git, object-oriented programming, and more

Course syllabus: Immersive program curriculum is here; Flex program curriculum available here. Students complete 10 or so projects throughout class. These projects are typically smaller in the beginning, as the students are just building a foundation, and then increase in size and complexity as things progress. The largest projects are the self-led group projects, where students spend a week (or two weeks for the final), building ideas from scratch to completion.

Required student background: Students must have a high school diploma or GED. They must also submit an application, pass a coding challenge, and complete an interview with the DigitalCrafts team.

Student-student pair programming? Students may choose to do pair programming during group projects, but it is not required.

Hours per week: Full-time students are in class for 30 hours a week and are expected to commit to 10 to 15 hours a week of study outside the classroom. Flex students are in class 10 hours a week and commit to an additional 15 to 20 hours of study outside the classroom each week.

Length of program: Full-time program is 16 weeks, and the part-time flex program is 26 weeks.

How long has DigitalCrafts been offering bootcamps/courses? Full-time bootcamps since 2015 and the Flex program since 2017

Costs: Full-time program tuition is $13,950 for 16 weeks of instruction, and the part-time Flex program tuition is $9,500 for 26 weeks. For both programs, there are a range of payment options, including up-front payments, income-share agreements, installment plans, or financing through partner lenders.

Percentage of students completing on time: 87%

11. Epicodus

Epicodus offers full-time courses in languages such as C#, JavaScript, Ruby, and others. Every track starts with an introduction to programming and includes an advanced JavaScript course, as well as two language-specific courses.

Courses: The introduction to programming class covers HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript. Full-time tracks start with the intro, then continue into intermediate JavaScript and Ruby on Rails or C#/.NET, and React.

In person, online, or a combination? Primarily in person, but the intro to programming class is available online as well.

US locations: Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Latest report has 61% of graduates in full-time roles.

Median starting salary: $55,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:25

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Not much; most of the work is done in groups.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: None; "experienced developers are usually mediocre teachers of beginner developers."

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? No TAs used.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: "All of our teachers were former students."

Languages, systems, and tools learned: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Bash, SQL, Ruby, Rails, C#, .NET, and React

Course syllabus: Available online. Students build applications every day, ranging from simple to-do lists all the way to week-long group projects.

Required student background: No experience is required.

Student-student pair programming? Students pair four days a week, and work on an individual project most Fridays.

Hours per week: Students are in class 40 hours per week, and have a small amount of homework as well.

Length of program: 20 weeks of classroom learning, two weeks of internship preparation, and a five-week internship

How long has Epicodus been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Costs: Tuition is $7,900. Students are responsible for their own living expenses.

Percentage of students completing on time: 70%

12. First Step Coding

First Step Coding is a part-time program offered in San Francisco, Boston, and online to help students advance in their careers and start building applications. Students will learn JavaScript, HTML, and CSS in a team environment, with no more than 16 students in their classes.

Courses: Introduction to coding and bootcamp prep

Introduction to coding and bootcamp prep In person, online, or a combination? In person and online

In person and online US locations: San Francisco, Boston, and online

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Not applicable. The goal of this short course is not immediate employment as a software developer. Many First Step Coding students do continue immediately into full-time bootcamps afterwards to get prepared for employment, though.

Not applicable. The goal of this short course is not immediate employment as a software developer. Many First Step Coding students do continue immediately into full-time bootcamps afterwards to get prepared for employment, though. Median starting salary: See above.

See above. Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:6 for in-person classes; 1:8 ratio for online classes

1:6 for in-person classes; 1:8 ratio for online classes Time for teacher-student one-on-one: One hour of scheduled one-to-one office time per week

One hour of scheduled one-to-one office time per week Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

100% How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do not do any instruction, but they help during pair-programming exercises in class.

TAs do not do any instruction, but they help during pair-programming exercises in class. Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Most TAs are hired after participating in First Step Coding, but instructors are hired after they are employed as software engineers.

Most TAs are hired after participating in First Step Coding, but instructors are hired after they are employed as software engineers. Languages, systems, and tools learned: JavaScript, HTML, CSS, JSON, and APIs

JavaScript, HTML, CSS, JSON, and APIs Course syllabus: Available online. Students build an interactive front end for an API-driven web application in a final capstone project, with opportunities to add their own creative features.

Available online. Students build an interactive front end for an API-driven web application in a final capstone project, with opportunities to add their own creative features. Required student background: Comfort with regularly using a computer for non-coding work

Comfort with regularly using a computer for non-coding work Student-student pair programming? Yes, part of the time in class is dedicated to pair programming.

Yes, part of the time in class is dedicated to pair programming. Hours per week: Six per week of classtime, plus six additional hours for homework exercises.

Six per week of classtime, plus six additional hours for homework exercises. Length of program: Four to eight weeks, depending on the course

Four to eight weeks, depending on the course How long has First Step Coding been offering bootcamps/courses? 3.5 years

3.5 years Costs: $1,500 to $2,500, paid before the end of the program. Price varies based on the course and whether it is online or in-person. This does not include living expenses.

$1,500 to $2,500, paid before the end of the program. Price varies based on the course and whether it is online or in-person. This does not include living expenses. Percentage of students completing on time: Approximately 80%

13. Fullstack Academy

Fullstack Academy offers full-time and part-time immersive software engineering bootcamps in New York and Chicago. It teaches students full-stack JavaScript using the NERDS stack (Node, Express, React, databases using SQL) plus HTML, CSS, DOM, Redux, Sequelize, and Thunks.

Courses: Full-time and part-time coding bootcamps, as well as bootcamp prep classes in New York and Chicago, and the Grace Hopper Program coding bootcamp for women (see separate listing)

In person, online, or a combination? A combination; all bootcamps begin with a four-week, part-time, online module that helps students develop a shared base of knowledge before beginning the on-campus portion of the program.

US locations: New York and Chicago

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: As of June 2018 (the latest date that data is available), nearly 70% of New York students and more than 80% of Chicago students were employed full time in the field within six months of graduation.

Median starting salary: As of June 2018 (the latest date that data is available), the median annual base salary for grads in their first jobs was $90,000 (New York) and $70,000 (Chicago).

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:20; the school also employs TAs (called fellows) for every group, usually one for every seven students.

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Class time alternates between lectures and workshops. During workshops, students pair-program, at which time instructors are available for one-on-one and small group instruction. Instructors are also available for office hours multiple days a week.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 95% of Fullstack software engineering instructors have previously worked as full-time professional web developers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do not lecture. They help students with technical questions during workshops, grade checkpoints, and engage one-on-one with their assigned small group of students to support them throughout the program. TAs are called fellows and are usually the top students from the previous group of students. In this way, they already have technical training, and then receive mentoring and operational training from the academic, student experience, and admissions teams.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: 95% of Fullstack software engineering instructors have previously worked as full-time professional web developers. The state of New York, which regulates Fullstack Academy, mandates that any program graduate must get two years of industry experience before they can become instructors. All TAs are hired after completing the program, but before officially graduating, which means they're not reported as "hired" until they finish as TAs and get hired elsewhere.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Full-stack JavaScript using the NERDS stack (Node, Express, React, Databases using SQL) plus HTML, CSS, DOM, Redux, Sequelize, and Thunks. Additional concepts include pair programming, debugging, data structures, testing, and algorithms. Students also learn to use GitHub and are free to explore additional libraries (especially AR/VR) during their two-week final project.

Course syllabus: Full-time software engineering curriculum; part-time Flex curriculum

Required student background: Most Fullstack students are not computer science grads, but come instead from diverse backgrounds, such as finance, humanities, marketing, graphic design, natural sciences, teaching, and the performing arts, to name a few. Fullstack is not a beginner program; prospective students need to understand the basics before they will be able to pass admissions.

Student-student pair programming? Students pair-program with a different classmate each day, switching regularly between driver and navigator.

Hours per week: Full-time class: 10 am to 6 pm Eastern time during "junior" phase (first six weeks on campus); 9:30 am to 6 pm Eastern during "senior" phase (second six weeks on campus). There's a 1.5-hour lunch break daily. The part-time flex program involves two evenings each week (three hours each), one immersive weekend/month (10 am to 6 pm Eastern on Saturdays and Sundays.). Students are expected to spend 10 to 12 hours per week outside of class working on projects and workshops.

Length of program: Full-time software engineering includes four-week, part-time remote Foundations class, plus 13 weeks on campus. The full-stack flex part-time program is 28 weeks, and includes the four-week part-time remote foundations class, plus 24 weeks part time on campus.

How long has Fullstack Academy been offering bootcamps/courses? More than six years

Costs: Full-time program: $17,910 in New York; $15,910 in Chicago (includes $2,000 scholarship for all Chicago students). A $2,000 deposit is due upon enrollment, with the remainder of tuition due the first day of on-campus class. (Does not include living expenses. Loans for living expenses available through preferred lender.) Flex part-time program: $15,910 in New York; $13,910 in Chicago (includes $2,000 scholarship for all Chicago students). A $2,000 deposit is due upon enrollment, with remainder of tuition due first week of on-campus class. (Most flex students continue to work during the program, so living expenses are not usually a factor.)

Percentage of students completing on time: From mid-2016 to mid-2018 (the latest date that data is available), 98% to 100% of students graduated the program on time.

14. Juno College of Technology

Juno, formerly HackerYou, offers a nine-week, full-time web development immersive bootcamp. It also has part-time and accelerated continuing education courses in web development, JavaScript, and UX design, plus custom theme development and a full-stack master class. All are offered only in Toronto. The following responses pertain to the full-time bootcamp program, unless otherwise noted.

Courses: Full-time web development immersive bootcamp program plus a suite of part-time and accelerated continuing education courses, including web development, JavaScript, custom theme development, and a full-stack masterclass

In person, online, or a combination? In person

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: In 2017, 80.46% of grads were employed at the 120-day (four-month) mark.

Median starting salary: The median salary for 2017 grads was $53,500 (Canadian).

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:10

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Approximately two hours weekly for bootcamp students

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? All bootcamp instruction is performed by full-time instructors.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: All part-time teaching assistants also work full time as programmers, and approximately half of TAs are hired directly after participating in the bootcamp. None of the full-time bootcamp instructors and mentors is hired directly after participating in the program.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: HTML, CSS, SASS, JavaScript, React, Git, GitHub, and Visual Studio Code

Course syllabus: Available online

Required student background: Strong understanding of HTML and CSS

Student-student pair programming? Bootcamp students are introduced to pair programming concepts, participate in introductory-level exercises that use pair programming, and are encouraged to practice the technique during further group projects, where applicable. Instructors and mentors are always on hand to help students during pair work.

Hours per week: Bootcamp students must commit to approximately 40 hours of on-campus lessons and project work. Students can expect to spend between 20 and 40 hours on related extracurricular and independent project work.

Length of program: The bootcamp runs nine weeks.

How long has Juno been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2014

Costs: Bootcamp costs $12,000 (Canadian) up front, or $1 up front with an income-share agreement.

Percentage of students completing on time: In 2017, 98.5% of students completed the bootcamp on time.

15. General Assembly

General Assembly has a broader range of courses than most coding bootcamps, including design/UX topics and data science, as well as mobile and web development tracks. The web development course focuses on Rails and full-stack JavaScript, with front-end JavaScript frameworks and Express with Node.js. Course lengths are variable among the courses, but they all stay within a 10-to-13-week window.

Courses: Full-time: software engineering immersive, user experience design immersive, and data science immersive. Part-time: Python programming, user experience design, data analytics, digital marketing, data science, product management, visual design, front-end web development, JavaScript development, and React development. Online on-demand: Digital marketing, data analysis, user experience design, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and web design.

In person, online, or a combination? Classes are available in person and online for both immersive and part-time programs.

US locations: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Stamford, Connecticut, and Washington, DC

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 91.9% of participants in General Assembly’s career services program secure a placement in the industry within six months of course completion.

Median starting salary: Salary is self-reported and varies by market, but average salaries for graduates of General Assembly’s immersive programs one year after graduation fall between $60,000 and $75,000.

Teacher-to-student ratio: From 1:6 to 1:8

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Courses encompass between 420 and 500 hours of in-class instructional time. Instructor teams usually consist of one lead instructor and two instructional associates, and students have significant one-on-one interactions with instructors, particularly during pair-programming exercises, team project working sessions, and individual project review. Students have additional access to instructors and tutors outside of class hours and are encouraged to seek out instructors for help with specific concepts or to get guidance on a homework assignment or project.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: General Assembly has 1,153 full-time and part-time instructors globally. For the immersive, full-time programs, software engineering instructors have previously worked as professional programmers; UX instructors have previously worked in roles such as lead UX designers and agency roles; data science instructors have previously worked in roles where they leveraged their data science expertise (e.g., business analytics, data scientist, etc.).

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? No lead instruction is provided by TAs, instead answer questions, clarify concepts, and offer advice on homework assignments and projects.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: General Assembly hires recent graduates for TA roles, but never for lead instructor roles.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: It varies by course. The Software Engineering Immersive encompasses the following: coding webpages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; version control and collaborative software development with Git and GitHub; developing full-stack applications with technologies including Ruby on Rails, Python with Django, and Express with Node.js, and much more.

Course syllabus: In addition to learning the languages, systems, and tools outlined above, students are required to complete three projects that become part of their portfolios, which are used during the job search post-graduation. Full course syllabi are available online. Software engineering immersive can be found here; data science immersive can be found here; user experience design immersive can be found here.

Required student background: No prior knowledge or experience is required for any program, though General Assembly strongly encourages students to explore their discipline of interest on their own to ensure it aligns with their interests and career goals. All students must complete a discovery-based admissions process.

Student-student pair programming? A core component of General Assembly's model includes pair programming and group-based project work, in addition to individual assignments and projects. General Assembly's immersive students may team up with other classes or third parties on project-based work.

Hours per week: Students should expect to be in class 35 hours per week (more or less, depending on the course and market-specific regulatory requirements). Homework and project-based work can require an additional three to five hours per day, plus additional weekend work.

Length of program: 10 to 13 weeks, depending on the program

How long has General Assembly been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2012

Costs: Tuition is between $13,950 and $15,950 for full-time, immersive programs. Students can pay out of pocket, through a loan, through an income-share agreement, or using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. General Assembly also offers scholarships in some markets to qualified candidates who meet need requirements.

Percentage of students completing on time: General Assembly does not offer extensions to the program, so every student who completes the program does so on time. Some students withdraw due to personal reasons, and a small number of students (3.4% of enrollees) do not meet the academic requirements for graduation.

16. Grace Hopper Program at Fullstack Academy

Grace Hopper Program at Fullstack Academy is a women's software engineering immersive program that teaches full-stack JavaScript. However, the program itself is co-ed. In other words, Grace Hopper students are not in their own program, but rather integrated into the co-ed Fullstack Academy. (See listing, above.)

The Grace Hopper Program offers a risk-free education: Students don't have to pay tuition up front, and if students don't find work within a year of graduating, they don't pay at all. Students just have to pay their deposits up front.

Courses: Full-time and part-time coding bootcamps as well as prep classes

In person, online, or a combination? Combination; every bootcamp begins with a four-week part-time, online module that helps students develop a shared base of knowledge before beginning the on-campus portion of the program.

US locations: New York and Chicago

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: As of June 2018 (the latest date that data is available), more than 70% of Grace Hopper Program students were employed full time, in the field, within six months of graduation. (Note that Grace Hopper Track students are included in Fullstack Chicago outcomes reports. During this same time period, Fullstack Chicago reported more than 80% of students found full-time, in-field employment within six months of graduation.)

Median starting salary: As of June 2018 (the latest date that data is available), the median annual base salary for Grace Hopper Program grads in their first jobs was $91,000. (Note that Grace Hopper Track students are included in Fullstack Chicago outcomes reports. During this same time period, Fullstack Chicago students reported an annual base salary of $70,000. Note also that numbers do not include benefits and/or bonuses.)

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:20. Four instructors are available to any one class at any time; two are actively teaching, and two are available for office hours. TAs (called fellows) are also employed for every group, usually one for every seven students.

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Classtime alternates between lectures and workshops. During workshops, students pair-program, at which time instructors are available for one-on-one and small-group instruction. Instructors are also available for office hours multiple days a week.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Note: Grace Hopper Program and Grace Hopper Track share software engineering teaching staff with partner program Fullstack Academy. Some 95% of Fullstack software engineering instructors have previously worked as full-time professional web developers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do not lecture. They help students with technical questions during workshops, grade checkpoints, and engage one-on-one with their assigned small groups of students to support them throughout the program. TAs are called fellows and are usually the top students from the previous class. In this way, they already have technical training, and then receive mentoring and operational training from the academic, student experience, and admissions teams.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: 95% of Fullstack Academy and Grace Hopper Program software engineering instructors have previously worked as full-time professional web developers. The state of New York, which regulates Fullstack Academy and the Grace Hopper Program, mandates that any program graduate must get two years of industry experience before they can be hired as instructors. All TAs are hired after completing the program, but before officially graduating, which means they're not reported as being "hired" until they finish as TAs and get hired elsewhere.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Full-stack JavaScript using the NERDS stack (Node, Express, React, Databases using SQL), plus HTML, CSS, DOM, Redux, Sequelize, and Thunks. Additional concepts include pair programming, debugging, data structures, testing, and algorithms. Students also learn to use GitHub and are free to explore additional libraries (especially AR/VR) during their two-week final projects.

Course syllabus: Available online

Required student background : A computer science background is not required. Most Grace Hopper students are not computer science graduates, but come instead from diverse backgrounds, such as finance, humanities, marketing, graphic design, natural sciences, teaching, and the performing arts, to name a few. Grace Hopper is not a beginner program; prospective students need to understand the basics before they will be able to pass admissions. The same admissions standards apply to the Grace Hopper Program as to Fullstack's software engineering program. Women who are accepted may choose to attend either Grace Hopper or Fullstack, depending on their financial situations and preferred learning environments.

Student-student pair programming? Students pair-program with different classmates each day, switching regularly between driver and navigator. Students report that this style of learning helps them engage with the work and form deep connections with classmates, and grads report that the soft skills developed during pair-programming workshops have ultimately given them a leg up as job candidates.

Hours per week: 10 am to 6 pm Eastern time during junior phase (first six weeks on campus), and 9:30 am to 6 pm Eastern during senior phase (second six weeks on campus). There's a 1.5-hour lunch break daily. There is no homework, and each student chooses how she will spend her evenings.

Length of program: 17 weeks; includes a four-week, part-time remote foundations class, plus 13 weeks on campus

How long has the Grace Hopper Program been offering bootcamps/courses? The Grace Hopper Program opened in New York in January 2016, and in Chicago in February 2018.

Costs: $19,910 in New York; $17,910 in Chicago (includes $2,000 scholarship for all Chicago students); $3,000 deposit due upon enrollment. Remainder of tuition due in nine monthly installments beginning one month after a student starts her first full-time, in-field job. (Does not include living expenses. Loans for living expenses available through preferred lender.)

Percentage of students completing on time: From mid-2016 to mid-2018 (the latest date that data is available), the average percentage of students who completed Grace Hopper Program on time was 96%.

17. Ironhack

Ironhack offers web development bootcamps in Miami, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Lisbon, Berlin, Amsterdam, Mexico, and Sao Paulo. The web development bootcamp runs for nine weeks, while the part-time web development online course is up to 24 weeks long.

Courses: Web development, UX design, and data analytics

In person, online, or a combination? Combination of online pre-work and in-person work

US location: Miami

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 89%

Median starting salary: $52,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: Between 1:6 and 1:8

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: All day

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Every lead instructor

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TAs do reinforcement lessons for students who need help, correct exercises, and help students during projects and exercise.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Many TAs were previously students.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Includes HTML5, CSS3, and responsive web design; fundamentals of object-oriented programming based on JavaScript; Git plus GitHub and version control; WebDev frameworks (Express back end, React front end); agile tools and methodologies.

Course syllabus: Available online. Full-time bootcamps consist of five course weeks and four project weeks. During the course weeks, students have lessons and exercises, including building a clone of a project management board, such as Trello, building a Spotify clone, and creating a fully functioning auction website, such as eBay. During the project weeks, students create a browser-based game using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; build a full-stack web app; and create a single-page app using React and full-stack JavaScript.

Required student background: No background needed other than being strongly motivated about web development.

Student-student pair programming? Students are paired daily in randomized order for two-hour blocks of exercises based on the day's topics.

Hours per week: The full-time program takes about 60 hours per week, and the part-time program takes about 20 hours per week, including 13 class hours and seven remote coursework hours.

Length of program: Full-time program is nine weeks plus Career Week, which includes sessions and activities to get students ready for the job market. They prepare portfolios, practice personal and technical interviews, refine their personal brand, and hear from guest speakers. Part-time program is generally six months (two evenings a week plus Saturdays).

How long has IronHack been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Costs: Full-time bootcamps are $11,500 in the US, including a $1,000 deposit. Part-time web development course tuition is $12,000. Remaining tuition after deposit (paid directly or financed) is due two weeks prior to the beginning of the bootcamp.

Percentage of students completing on time: 97%

18. Kickstart Coding

Kickstart Coding offers two-to-four-month, full-stack coding bootcamps in Oakland, California. The curriculum consists of Kickstart Backend (an intro to web development with Python and Django) and Kickstart Frontend Career (React JavaScript, Node.js, computer science, and career-related topics).

Courses: Kickstart Backend, which is an introduction to web development with Python and Django; and Kickstart Frontend career, with React JavaScript, Node.js, computer science, and career topics. Kickstart online—all of the above in an online system—will be available next year.

In person, online, or a combination? In person only

US location: Oakland, California

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Not tracked

Median starting salary: Not tracked

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:10

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: About seven hours a week devoted exclusively to one-on-one help, in addition to time during lectures.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? None; all classes are led by instructors.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: N/A

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Python, JavaScript, Django, React, HTML, CSS, Postgres, Bash, Git, Heroku, and Node, and limited time on Express, Redux, MongoDB, and NGINX

Course syllabus: Available online. Across both classes, students build a total of at least four full portfolio-defining projects. Topics are open-ended, but the process is highly structured, and there's one-on-one help to bring student ideas to fruition. In each course students build personal projects and group projects.

Required student background: No programming background necessary. The bootcamp provides suggested resources for new students to get prepared before the beginning of the course. But if a student is taking only Kickstart Frontend, beginner to intermediate coding knowledge is required.

Student-student pair programming? Not often. Instead there are group discussions and "lightning projects" that can occasionally involve pair programming. Class sizes are kept small to maximize one-on-one time with instructional staff.

Hours per week: Nine hours of classtime and 10 to 40 hours of coursework, depending on the student’s background and initial knowledge

Length of program: Two to four months

How long has Kickstart Coding been offering bootcamps/courses? One year

Costs: $2,500 for a single course, or a total of $4,000 or less with discounts for a full-stack bootcamp with two courses. Fees are paid either up front or on a monthly basis.

Percentage of students completing on time: About 85%

19. Lighthouse Labs

Lighthouse Labs offers 12-week web development bootcamps and part-time intro courses in multiple cities across Canada. The web development program covers JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, Node.js, software architecture, and responsive design, as well as computer science and software engineering concepts.

Courses: 12-week full-time web development bootcamp in multiple Canadian locations, as well as a six-week part-time introduction to front end and an introduction to web development program at all locations.

In person, online, or a combination? In person only

Locations: In Canada: Victoria, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; and Ottawa, Ontario

P ercentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 93% of graduates accept offers for full-time developer roles within four months of graduation.

Median starting salary: It varies depending on area. In Vancouver, a starting salary might be around $50,000 (Canadian), while in Toronto, it's $50,000 to $60,000 (Canadian).

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:8.

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Students have access to mentors six to eight hours a day, Mondays to Fridays. Students have the opportunity to request one-on-one assistance from instructors and mentors via the company's educational software.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: All instructors and mentors have previously worked as full-time programmers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? The majority of instruction is handled by mentors, Lighthouse's version of TAs. Only two hours a day is taught by lecturers. Part-time mentors are required to be working in the industry and have a minimum of one year of industry experience.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: All teaching staff are required to have industry experience even if they have graduated from the program.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: JavaScript, Express.js, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, SQL, SQLite, Postgres, Node.js, HTML, CSS, Git, front end, back end, MongoDB, Sinatra, jQuery, AJAX, product management, UX, UI, WebSockets, object-oriented programming, RSpec, test-driven development, APIs, REST, responsive web apps, and Heroku

Course syllabus: Web development curriculum is available online.

Required student background: No formal education is required to be admitted to Lighthouse Labs, although having some coding knowledge always helps.

Student-student pair programming? Students work with other students to effectively mimic a software development team. In addition, midterm and final projects are done in groups.

Hours per week : From Mondays through Fridays, students can be in the classroom upwards of 12 hours a day and have eight hours of homework per week. This works out to roughly 60 to 70 hours of coursework a week.

Length of program: 12 weeks, plus a mandatory prep module that typically takes students four weeks to complete

How long has Lighthouse Labs been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Costs: Excluding equipment and living expenses, the courses are priced by location: Vancouver: $11,500; Toronto: $12,500; Montreal: $10,500; Calgary: $9,875; Victoria: $9,875.

Percentage of students completing on time: On average one or two students per group will withdraw or restart the program for a second time.

20. Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is a Ruby web development program focused on Rails and Sinatra frameworks. Includes a nine-week online prep phase that is 20 hours a week. Then it includes 10 more weeks of in-person classes and coding, which consists of 40 to 60 hours a week.

Courses: Full-stack web development

In person, online, or a combination? A combination, with nine weeks completely online and nine weeks in person

US locations: San Francisco, New York, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, and Austin, Texas

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Does not provide information "because methodologies can be created to artificially inflate results."

Median starting salary: Does not provide information "because methodologies can be created to artificially inflate results."

Teacher-to-student ratio : 1:3 or 1:5

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: As much time as necessary before the class day starts, during lunch, after hours, and on weekends

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Noble Desktop hires "experienced technical practitioners," but it did not state what percentage of teachers had previously worked full time as programmers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? Did not answer.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: Did not answer.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: HTML, CSS, Ruby, JavaScript, PostgreSQL, ActiveRecord, Sinatra, Rack, Ruby on Rails, AJAX, and jQuery

Course syllabus: A syllabus is available to people who attend info sessions or who email the admissions team.

Required student background: No prerequisites

Student-student pair programming? Students tackle projects in pairs and larger groups to mimic real-world workplace environments. Pairs change with every project.

Hours per week: For the nine-week online prep phase, 20 hours. For the 10-week in-person portion, 40 to 60 hours.

Length of program: 19 weeks

How long has Noble Desktop been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2012

Costs: Depends on the city: $13,950 in San Francisco and New York, $12,700 in other cities, all including $1,000 deposit.

Percentage of students completing on time: "Most" finish on time. Depending on assessments, a student may be asked to repeat a three-week, in-person session for up to two times at no additional cost.

21. Rithm School

Rithm School offers a 16-week, full-stack web development program to help students become creative developers. For the first three months, students are in the classroom full-time learning to code with a small number of other students. For the final month, students prepare to enter the competitive job market.

Courses: Full-stack web development (covering JavaScript and Python)

In person, online, or a combination? In person

US location: San Francisco

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 87% within three months (not including full-time software engineering contractors). If including contractors, that number is 91%.

Median starting salary: $115,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: At most 1:6, usually 1:5. Classes are capped at 20 students.

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Every student meets with teachers one-to-one weekly. Each student has an advisor.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? Rithm does not hire TAs.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: The entire instructional team comes from teaching/engineering backgrounds and other bootcamps (Galvanize, General Assembly, Hackbright).

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Full-stack JavaScript including Node, Express, PostgreSQL, React, Redux; Python with Flask; SQL; and SQLAlchemy

Course syllabus: Available online. Some exercises have students writing applications from scratch and others have students reading code that instructors have written and build off it (which is what they will be doing in industry). Instead of focusing entirely on personal projects, students spend three weeks of the program contracting with companies in the Bay Area to get professional experience before the job search. Students also build personal projects and clones of popular web applications.

Required student background: No technical background is required, but students must spend some time learning JavaScript fundamentals on their own. Like many other bootcamps, Rithm School offers free prep courses and online materials to practice the fundamentals.

Student-student pair programming? Students pair for most exercises. While some may argue that new students may not be ready, each exercise has code review checkpoints where students must show their work and defend design decisions (similar to what they will see in industry).

Hours per week: Class runs from 9 am to 3 pm, with a two-to-three-hour exercise at the end of the day. There are also assessments over the weekend that take six to 10 hours, so students spend an average of 45 to 55 hours a week.

Length of program: 16 weeks

How long has Rithm School been offering bootcamps/courses? Three years

Costs: Tuition is $24,000, which can be paid in installments, up front, or with a loan using SkillsFund. Students can also take a loan for up to $6,000 for living expenses. Rithm also offers an income share agreement where students can pay zero tuition up front and instead pay 17% of their first two years' salary (capped at 1.5x tuition, or $31,500).

Percentage of students completing on time: 100% in the past 12 months

22. The Software Guild

The Software Guild teaches Java and .NET (C#) web development, with AngularJS and jQuery for the front end. The online course is nine months, and the in-person course is 12 weeks.

Courses: Java and .NET/C#

In person, online, or a combination? In person and online

US locations: Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis, Minnesota

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 89.6% are in full-time IT positions.

Median starting salary: $55,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: Maximum 1:15, usually lower

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Varies for in-person students but as much as the student needs. Online students meet with their mentors one hour per week minimum, and open office hours occur nightly that they can attend as needed.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 100%; most have an average of 10 or more years of experience as professional developers.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? TA instruction can be up to 25%; three or more years of experience as a developer is required to be a TA.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: None; graduates are not hired as TAs or instructors unless they achieve the required three years of experience as professional developers.

Languages, systems, and tools learned: C# with .NET Framework uses Visual Studio, Microsoft SQL Server, and SQL Server Management Studio. Java uses NetBeans, MySQL, and MySQL WorkBench. Both language tracks also include Bootstrap, JQuery, HTML, and CSS.

Course syllabus: The course syllabus is published inside the learning management system. There are overview pages on the website for both language tracks (Java and C#/.NET.) Students are given hands-on exercises with the majority of the lessons in the bootcamp. They are required to submit a summative application for each milestone in the course.

Required student background: No specific background is required.

Student-student pair programming? The program includes paired-programming and design exercises led by the instructors and mentors. This includes the review and presentation steps for their summative assignments as well. Students are evaluated on their individual work.

Hours per week: Approximately 50 for the in-person student and 25 for the online student

Length of program: 12 weeks for in-person and 10 to 14 months for online

How long has The Software Guild been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Costs: Only tuition is included: $13,750 for in-person and $10,000 for online, with a $1,000 retention discount for online.

Percentage of students completing on time: Approximately 80%

23. Tech Academy

The Tech Academy provides a mixture of lessons on WordPress development, Python, and .NET web development. The program is 15 weeks of 40-hour workweeks.

Courses: Full-stack development, front-end development, back-end development

In person, online, or a combination? In person, online, and a combination

US locations: Portland, Oregon; Renton, Washington (Seattle area); Salt Lake City, Utah; Wheat Ridge, Colorado (Denver area)

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: 91%

Median starting salary: $60,000

Teacher-to-student ratio: 1:15

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Whenever the student needs it

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: 21%

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? There are no TAs.

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: 80%

Languages, systems, and tools learned: WordPress, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Python, C#, SQL, ASP.NET, Visual Studio, Git, and GitHub

Course syllabus: Available online

Required student background: No technology background required

Student-student pair programming? Throughout the bootcamp, students will be assigned paired coding projects occasionally.

Hours per week: The school recommends students put in a minimum of 20 hours a week but "highly encourages" more than 40 if they're able to do so.

Length of program: Software developer bootcamp, on average: 26 weeks full time, 52 weeks part time. C# and .NET Framework bootcamp, on average: 15 weeks full time, 30 weeks part time. Python bootcamp, on average: 15 weeks full time, 30 weeks part time. Web developer bootcamp, on average: 8 weeks full time, 16 weeks part time.

How long has Tech Academy been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2013

Costs: Software developer bootcamp: full time, $11,700; part time, $23,400. C# and .NET Framework bootcamp: full time $6,750; part time $13,500. Python Bootcamp: full time, $6,750; part time, $13,500. Web developer: full time, $3,600, part time, $7,200.

Percentage of students completing on time: N/A. Students purchase time on the program and move at their own pace. There is no exact length of time for any single boot camp, only approximations, since every student studies at a different speed.

24. Thinkful

Thinkful offers programs that include full-stack web development, data science, and data analytics. Although Thinkful is an online platform, the school has in-person communities in some tech hubs around the US, where students can attend events and classes.

Courses: Full-stack web development offered part time, full time, and in a structured nights and weekend format; data science offered part time and (soon) full time; data analytics offered part-time; data science offered part time and (soon) full time; and product design offered part time.

In person, online, or a combination? Online (with in-person communities in over 20 cities)

US locations: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, DC

Percentage completing program who are in full-time jobs within six months: Engineering immersion (full-time web development), 63.2%; full-stack flex (part-time web development), 62.6%; and data science flex, 68.8%

Median starting salary: Engineering immersion, $65,000; full-stack flex, $63,700; data science flex, $63,700

Teacher-to-student ratio : 1:1

Time for teacher-student one-on-one: Students meet with their mentors one-on-one twice every week.

Percentage of teachers with full-time programming experience: Over 98% of Thinkful instructors and mentors have more than three years of professional experience.

How much TA instruction? Necessary experience to be TA? No TAs

Percentage of instructors/TAs hired directly out of the program: N/A

Languages, systems, and tools learned: Full-stack web development includes React (front end), Node.js (back end), Express.js (back end), PostgreSQL, JWT (authentication), data structures and algorithms, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Data science includes Python, data science toolkit (NumPy, Pandas, matplotlib), and SQL. Data analytics includes Excel, SQL, Tableau, and Python. Product design includes UX design, visual design, and front-end design (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript basics).

Course syllabus: Complete syllabi for Thinkful courses can be found on the website.

Required student background: None, but Thinkful offers prep courses "to ensure that students are properly set up for success."

Student-student pair programming? Sometimes. Mentors and instructors determine the appropriateness of pair programming based on each individual student's abilities.

Hours per week: Full-time programs require a commitment of 50 to 60 hours per week, while flex (part-time) programs require a commitment of 20 to 30 hours per week.

Length of program: Full-time programs are five months long; flex programs are self-paced but are typically completed in six to 12 months.

How long has Thinkful been offering bootcamps/courses? Since 2012

Costs: For students who pay up front, engineering immersion costs $16,000, and the nights and weekends version is $12,900. The full-stack flex program is $9,500, data science flex is $7,900, data analytics flex is $7,900, and product design flex is $5,000. Thinkful offers a variety of payment plans, including an option to pay no tuition until hired and a living stipend that covers expenses, such as rent and groceries (offered in select cities).

Percentage of students completing on time: Only Thinkful immersion (full-time) programs have a set duration; 81.6% of students in engineering immersion graduate on time.

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