Is Coding Bootcamp Worth It?

If you’re thinking about coding bootcamp, you’re probably contemplating one big question: Is it worth it? Bootcamp is, after all, a big investment of your time, energy, and money. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not coding is for you, you should definitely do some more investigation to figure out if a life of code is what you really want. (Eleven Fifty’s free Intro to Coding course is an excellent place to start).But if you’re already sure that you would enjoy coding, here are four big reasons why coding bootcamp is worth it:

Career Satisfaction

How happy are you with your job? Many people land in coding bootcamp as a way to transition into a job with better career satisfaction—and for good reason! Tech jobs consistently land in top spots on career satisfaction lists.Software Developers were ranked #1 in US News & World Report’s 100 Best Jobs list and ranked above average for flexibility, meaning a better work-life balance.Data Scientists—a hot Python job—and Front End Engineers fall at numbers five and six respectively on Glassdoor’s list of the 20 jobs with the highest rates of job satisfaction.If you’re looking to be happier in your career, a coding job definitely has merits!

Skill Building

Yes, bootcamps are about learning your desired coding field. But they’re also a grounds for learning other skills that make you a great coder, especially when it comes to teamwork. “Coding is very social these days,” says Eleven Fifty instructor, Connor Mullet.Working together to solve complex problems, troubleshoot, and learn from each other is a key part of bootcamp. This part of the experience is something you’re not going to find if you learn coding solo through an online program.

Speed of Transition

Unlike many jobs, tech is still one of the few sectors where the emphasis is placed on skills over degree. While traditional four-year degree programs in Computer Science can still pull some weight, they’re absolutely not necessary. In fact, many Computer Science departments have a tough time keeping up with the field advancements, giving some coding bootcamps an edge. At Eleven Fifty, we continue to work with companies and industry professionals to make sure the curriculum is cutting-edge and covers what they’re most looking for in candidates.A dedication to code bootcamp gives you a condensed way to get skills and hands-on training in less than a year (12 weeks fulltime and 24 weeks part-time for Eleven Fifty’s programs), allowing you to more quickly transition into a new career.

Salary Increase

Yes, coding bootcamp does come with a price tag, but the numbers show that the investment pays off. According to a 2020 Course Report study, the average starting salary before coding bootcamp was $44,350. The average post-coding bootcamp salary was $69,079 for their first job, an increase of more than $24,000. Their salary continued to increase as they moved up and into different jobs. For attendees of a bootcamp like Eleven Fifty Academy, which costs $13,500 for a full-time track, that means the full cost of bootcamp is typically covered by the first post-bootcamp job salary bump. Overall, the data continues to show that coding bootcamp is worth it—but only if you make it worth it! No coding bootcamp program is an easy ticket to success. As cheesy as it sounds, your heart still needs to be in it, despite the appealing salary.“If it isn’t for you, it isn’t for you,” says Mullet. “Don’t put the money first. ”Want to learn more about what Eleven Fifty has to offer? Reach out to one of our admissions advisors here or check-out our course offerings.