Special Feature
Part of a ZDNet Special Feature: Building the digital workforce: Tech skills trends and strategies for success
Why you can trust ZDNet
Our recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We may earn a commission when you purchase a product through our links. This helps support our work but does not influence what we write about or the price you pay. Our editors thoroughly review and fact check every article. Our process

‘ZDNet Recommends’ What exactly does that mean?

ZDNet’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNet nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNet's editorial team writes on behalf of YOU, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form

Close

Best coding bootcamps of 2021

A reputable coding camp is an alternative to the four-year commitment of obtaining a computer science degree at a college or university. Graduates of the best coding camps generally are ready for many high-demand jobs.

With thousands of new tech jobs opening up in the last few years, there is increasing attention on the tech sector as a good place for well-paid careers. As a result, attendance at coding bootcamps has grown steadily since New York-based General Assembly launched the segment's pioneer program in 2011.

Curriculum at the best coding bootcamps typically takes three to four months to complete, and the experience provides an intensive education in Real World 101-type programming. The camps are an alternative to the four-year commitment of obtaining a computer science degree at a technical college or a conventional university. Graduates of the best coding camps generally are ready for many high-demand jobs.

To help you find the best route to your career aspirations, ZDNet compiled the following list of the best coding bootcamps of 2021. To learn more about coding bootcamps in general, check out our guide to coding bootcamps.

Best coding bootcamps of 2021

Flatiron School

Coding bootcamp

flatiron-3.jpg
Flatiron School

Cost: $16,900; pay upfront and installment payment plans available

Location: Online or in Austin, Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Washington, D.C.

Enrollment: Full-time or "flex" schedule

Time to Completion: 15, 20, 40, or 60 weeks

Curriculum: Front-end development, JavaScript, ReactJS, front-end web applications, back-end development, SQL, and back-end web APIs

View now at App Academy

Coding Dojo

Coding bootcamp

A word cloud with the names of various programming languages.

Cost: $16,245 (full-time), $8,745 (part-time), or $1,950 or $3,850 (self-paced); pay upfront, installment payment plans, income share agreements, loans, and scholarships available

Location: Online or in Bellevue, Boise, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Silicon Valley

Enrollment: Full-time, on-site, online accelerated, online "flex," or self-paced

Time to Completion: 8-32 weeks

Curriculum: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Jquery, Flask, and React 

$16,245 at Coding Dojo

Skylab Coder's Academy

Coding bootcamp

A Black person works at a desk with multiple computer monitors.
Shutterstock

Cost: $6,734 (5,700 €); installment payment plans available

Location: Online or in Barcelona or Madrid, Spain

Enrollment: Full-time or part-time 

Time to Completion: 11 or 13 weeks

Curriculum: JavaScript, HTML, and CSS  

View now

Tech Elevator

Coding bootcamp

Software engineers working on project together
Getty Images/iStockphoto

Cost: $15,950; deferred and monthly payment plans, financing, scholarships, workforce grants, and veteran benefits available

Location: Online or in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Philadelphia, or Pittsburgh

Enrollment: Full-time 

Time to Completion: 14 weeks

Curriculum: JavaScript, C+, SQL, CSS, HTML, and APIs

View now at General Assembly

General Assembly

Coding bootcamp

javascript-best-programming-languages-shutterstock-1361674454.jpg
(Image: Shutterstock)

Cost: $14,950; pay upfront, income share agreements, installment payment plans, loans, and tuition discounts available

Location: Online or in-person in Asia, Australia, Europe, or North America

Enrollment: Full-time immersive, "flex" immersive, part-time, or self-paced 

Time to Completion: 10, 12, or 24 weeks

Curriculum: JavaScript, React, Python, Django, Git, and Github

$14,950 at General Assembly

App Academy

Coding bootcamp

sql-best-programming-languages-shutterstock-1897996366.jpg
Shutterstock

Cost: $17,000-$31,000; pay upfront, deferred, and installment payment plans available

Location: Online

Enrollment: Full-time, part-time, or self-paced  

Time to Completion: 16 or 24 weeks

Curriculum: JavaScript, Python, SQL, HTML, CSS, ReactJS, Express, Flask, and SQL Alchemy 

$17,000 at App Academy

Fullstack Academy

Coding Bootcamp

image.jpg

Cost: $17,811; pay upfront, employer assistance, government assistance, scholarships, and loans available

Location: Online or in New York City

Enrollment: Full-time or part-time

Time to Completion: 17 or 28 weeks

Curriculum: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Github, Bash, Sublime, and Chrome development tools 

$17,811 at Fullstack Academy

Hack Reactor

Coding bootcamp

hack-reactor-best-coding-bootcamp.jpg
Hack Reactor

Cost: $17,980; pay upfront, income share, split-payments, loans, scholarships, and veterans benefits available

Location: Online or in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, or Seattle

Enrollment: Full-time or part-time 

Time to Completion: 9 or 12 weeks

Curriculum: React, ES6, and full-stack JavaScript

$17,980 at Hack Reactor

Codesmith

Coding bootcamp

programming-code.jpg
Shutterstock

Cost: $19,350; scholarships available

Location: Online or in Los Angeles or New York City

Enrollment: Full-time or part-time 

Time to Completion: 12 weeks

Curriculum: JavaScript, React, and Node.js

$19,350 at Codesmith

Lambda School

Coding bootcamp

css-best-programming-languages-shutterstock-1893752428.jpg
(Image: Shutterstock)

Cost: $15,000 (U.S. and international students) or $30,000 (residents of California, Georgia, Texas, or Washington, D.C.); pay upfront, income-share agreements, payment installment plans, and California retail installment contracts available

Location: Online

Enrollment: Full-time 

Time to Completion: 6 months

Curriculum: JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Node, React, Python, Redux, SQL

$15,000 at Lambda School

Why attend a coding bootcamp?

The best coding bootcamps provide intensive skill-building sessions and peer review in software engineering, cybersecurity, or web design. These programs offer an immersive experience over a short time period. Most bootcamps take 3-6 months to complete and are available in both online and in-person formats. Part-time options are often available.

To learn more about what coding bootcamps are and how they can help your career, check out our guide to coding bootcamps.

More Education


Related