You may have heard crazy stories of software developers at Google making hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more!) a year, and many of these developers might not even have a college degree. Sounds a bit too good to be true, right? 

The tech industry is booming, and with it comes an increasing demand for skilled developers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of software developers is projected to grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. With such high demand, there are now more paths than ever for individuals looking to break into the tech industry.

Two popular options include attending a coding bootcamp or pursuing a college degree in computer science. In this blog post, we will explore both options, highlighting their benefits, limitations, and what you can expect from each path.

What are Coding Bootcamps?

Coding bootcamps emerged around 2011 as a response to the growing demand for tech talent. These programs offer an alternative to traditional computer science degrees, providing a more focused and practical education in a shorter amount of time.

Coding bootcamps are short, intensive training programs focused on teaching students the skills they need to get a job. These programs can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and typically cost between $10,000 and $20,000.

What is a College Degree in Computer Science?

A college degree in computer science is what it sounds like: a degree that provides a comprehensive education in computer science. It can be either a Bachelor’s, Associate’s, or graduate-level degree. For the purposes of this blog post, we’ll focus on Bachelor’s and Associate’s programs.

Typical Duration and Curriculum:

Coding bootcamps typically last between 12 and 24 weeks and cover topics such as web development, data science, or UX/UI design. Students can expect to learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, or Ruby, as well as gain hands-on experience building projects and working in teams.

Most coding bootcamps will tell you upfront what language they specialize in. These days, most coding bootcamps focus on JavaScript. Look for words like React, Next, JavaScript, JS, MERN, Node - these are all JavaScript-related. Also popular are Python bootcamps—Python is known for being one of the easiest programming languages to learn. Java may also be popular for more “traditional” tech jobs like working in government.

College degrees are 2-4 years in length. There are special exceptions if you take extra course load or are able to transfer credit in, but the 2 years (Associate’s) and 4 years (Bachelor’s) are standard. For college degrees, students can expect to learn the basics of programming, algorithms, data structures, and computer architecture, as well as gain experience in research and theoretical computer science. 

Since college degrees are much longer, the courses cover a much broader range of topics. There’s time to delve into more theoretical parts of computer science that a bootcamp won’t have as much time to cover.

Cost and Payment Option Comparison:

Coding bootcamps are generally less expensive than a traditional college degree, with tuition ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. There are usually flexible payment options available, including:

• Pay in full - self-explanatory. This is challenging for most students to be able to pay in one go, but is almost always the cheapest option and you have peace of mind knowing that you’ve paid already. Bootcamps typically give a discount if you pay in full before starting
• Payment plans - usually offered by the coding bootcamp itself, payment plans split the cost of class into several installments as you take the class. With a payment plan, you don’t have to take a loan and don’t have any interest payments attached to them. However, these can be large payments, for example $2,000 per month over 5 months.
• Loans - most coding bootcamps offer deferred loan options, where you can pay only after you complete your bootcamp (and even some grace period after). Common loan providers include Ascent Funding, Climb Credit, and Meritize. Your school will typically have a preferred loan provider (or several), and your admissions representative will walk you through how it works. Interest rates can vary significantly. Some may offer 0% interest loans while others may have 30%+ interest loans. Note that you aren’t guaranteed approval and credit requirements may be high.
• Income share agreement or income share loan - this payment option is less common these days, but some bootcamps will offer you the option to make no payments until you are making a minimum salary after completing the bootcamp. Similarly, note that you aren’t guaranteed approval and credit requirements may be high. 
• GI Bill - if you or a family member are a veteran, you likely qualify for GI Bill benefits that can fully cover the cost of your bootcamp. Not all bootcamps are covered, however.
• Scholarships - your coding bootcamp might offer a scholarship, be sure to check with your admissions rep.

In contrast, a bachelor's degree in computer science can cost upwards of $50,000 per year. Associate’s degrees are generally cheaper per year since community colleges are quite affordable, but private technical colleges can have a similar tuition cost. There are usually flexible payment options available as well, including:

• Financial aid for those who qualify - it’s unfortunately hard to guarantee some amount of financial aid, but you can check out the Federal Student Aid calculator to see roughly what you might be eligible for. Speak with your admissions counselor and the financial aid office to see what you might qualify for.
• Student loans: offered by both the government and private lenders. You may qualify for loans with relatively low interest rates; be sure to shop around to get the best rates and repayment schedules.
• Scholarships: there is generally more scholarship availability for students going to college. You can use various scholarship websites to search or check the scholarship office at your college.
• GI Bill - same as above. If you have GI Bill benefits, you can likely have your full college degree covered.

Benefits of Coding Bootcamps:

• Focused curriculum on current tech trends - Coding bootcamps are designed to teach students the most in-demand skills in the tech industry. This means that students can expect to learn the latest technologies and frameworks, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.
• Shorter duration - Coding bootcamps offer a fast track to a career in tech, with most programs lasting only a few months. This makes bootcamps an attractive option for individuals looking to change careers quickly.
• Practical, hands-on experience - Coding bootcamps prioritize hands-on learning, giving students the opportunity to build real-world projects and gain practical experience. At the end of a good coding bootcamp, you’ll have a portfolio of working websites, apps, etc. that you’ll be able to show to employers. Some coding bootcamps also have apprenticeships or externships that allow you to work on real products that have real users.
• Networking and job placement - Many coding bootcamps offer career services, including job placement assistance, networking events, and career coaching. With an extensive alumni network, bootcamps also have far reach into many companies.

Limitations of Coding Bootcamps:

• Not universally recognized - While coding bootcamps are gaining recognition in the tech industry, they are not yet universally recognized by all employers.
• Not every coding bootcamp is equal - quality can vary significantly per coding bootcamp: some are online, some are asynchronous, some have instructors who graduated from the bootcamp recently. Be sure to check out reviews, talk to alumni, and read through what the curriculum covers
• Bootcamps are intense - bootcamps are not for everyone. In order to be so short, bootcamps are intensive: you may have to do 40+ hours of work every week in order to prepare for engineering jobs. You may also have to do a lot of pre-work before starting, a lot of self-study on your own, and additional work after the bootcamp.

Benefits of a College Degree:

• Widely recognized and respected - unfortunately the reality is that a college degree is favored by many employers. Certainly not all employers require a college degree—many employers actually prefer skills demonstrated instead of a paper diploma—but having a degree will give you a leg up with certain types of employers. Many employers will also recruit directly on campus, allowing you an “in” into your first job.
• More chill - because college degrees take longer, there isn’t as much of a need to cram all of the software engineering knowledge in just a few months. Classes are spaced out over the week, with ample time for self-studying on other days. This is a good option for those who need to work or take care of children while going through class.

Limitations of a College Degree:

• Longer time commitment - while college degrees are more chill, the tradeoff is that college degrees are longer than coding bootcamps. 2-4 years can be a long time to learn, but it may also be more approachable than an intensive bootcamp that may require a lot of dedication.
• Some argue it's less focused on current market needs - colleges often design computer science degrees around theoretical knowledge, while neglecting the most cutting-edge technologies. This gives a broader base to build off of, but it may take some outside investment in order to skill up into real-world programming. Colleges also don’t do as much work to prepare students for specifically software engineering interviews, whereas coding bootcamps may have a whole week or more dedicated to solving problems that come up in those interviews

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing between a coding bootcamp and a college degree. Both options have their own set of benefits and limitations, and the right choice will depend on your individual needs and goals. When making your decision, consider factors such as your timeline for starting your new career, your realistic time availability, and financial resources. We recommend shopping around across both types to be able to get a good understanding of what’s out there and what’s the best option for you.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to take the first step! Millions of people have gotten into the field through all types of pathways: bootcamp, degree, or even self-study. The people who haven’t gotten into the field are the ones who don’t take the first step.