How hard are coding bootcamps? (2023)

Are coding bootcamps stressful?

A coding bootcamp typically involves a firehose level of learning in a compressed time period, which can become stressful for participants.

Coding bootcamps are called ”boot camps” for a reason. They're short, intense, and stretch students to their studying limits. With this, it is important to learn how to avoid coding bootcamp failure. Bootcamp failure is not uncommon because many applicants don't know what to expect.

Whether you're a career developer looking to brush up on your skills, or a beginner with an interest in dipping your toes into the world of software development, coding bootcamps offer educational opportunities for everyone, regardless of past experience.

What is the success rate of coding bootcamps? According to CIRR data, over 70% of coding bootcamp graduates across all reported programs find employment in the tech industry within 180 days. Success rates vary from one bootcamp to another.

Does Google Hire Bootcamp Grads? Yes, Google hires bootcamp grads in a variety of positions across its organization. The career page states that job applicants do not need a computer science degree for most of Google's software engineering and product manager roles.

Graduates of the best coding camps generally are ready for many high-demand jobs. Many prospective tech professionals ask, "Are bootcamps worth it?" According to graduates' employment success and the two studies below, the answer appears to be yes.

More than anything else, it requires a massive shift in mindset. Many people expect themselves to become expert coders after completing online courses. When they feel stuck, they give up on the problem too quickly, and feel like they just aren't smart or prepared enough to learn programming.

Students study programming over a longer period of time (~6-9 months) and spend 6-15 hours per week in class and another 10-15 hours per week on outside work. Students in part-time bootcamps usually hold part-time or full-time jobs in addition to class.

If you fall too far behind, you may get left behind. That said, most (if not all) students do make it to graduation. According to a report by the Council on Integrity Results Reporting, bootcamps see an average graduation rate of 92%.

A bootcamp program is absolutely good to put on your resume. Not only does it shine a light on your skills and education, but it also shows that you have the dedication and work ethic to successfully complete a comprehensive and often rigorous program.

Is paying for a coding bootcamp worth it?

Short Answer is Yes – coding bootcamp alumni earn ~51% higher salaries compared to their previous jobs! On average, graduates earn $80,943 at their 2nd job after bootcamp, and $99,229 at their 3rd job.

Overall across this industry, the facts show that in general coding bootcamps are worth it—a recent Course Report survey of over 3,000 bootcamp grads shows that 79% of them were already employed in a job using these new coding skills they'd learned.

Yes, employers usually view bootcamp grads favorably. A 2017 survey by Indeed found that 72% of employers thought bootcamp graduates were "just as prepared and likely to be high performers" in a job as people who have a computer science degree.

​Yes, it is possible to fail basic training. You could go through the trouble of leaving your home, job, family and friends and come back a failure. In fact, this happens to about 15% of recruits who join the military every year. Too many recruits I speak to think that it is impossible to fail basic training.

Yes, Apple hires bootcamp grads and it is part of their company culture to be inclusive and accepting of people from different backgrounds, which also applies to their education. That being said, it's still important that your skills, character, and personality stand out from the competition.

We also offer 12-week summer internships where participants work on similar impactful projects and a technical bootcamp for current college students to learn technical skills like Java, data science, or UX/UI design.

Many bootcamps offer career services and partnerships with large tech employers. Many employers view bootcamp graduates as sufficiently trained job candidates. Top tech companies like Google and Facebook have hired bootcamp grads.

While the degree sets you up with a solid foundation, a bootcamp teaches you specific skills that you can use immediately in a job. "Both have merit, but from an employment perspective, bootcamps provide more concrete evidence of a candidates' skill than a degree does."

In general, coding is a fairly relaxing job. There is the flexibility of working remotely as a programmer, and in many cases there is the security of routine. However, as with any job, whether coding is stressful depends largely on the company you work with. Cultural pressures and tight deadlines can cause stress.

Is coding mentally exhausting?

Programming needs you to solve challenging problems, which is a mentally taxing task. Lack of breaks causes weariness to build up. If you don't change your focus and give your brain a break, exhaustion will ultimately catch up to you.