Though technology stands to be one of the most lucrative fields in the nation, it is also one of the riskiest educations.
Because even the most innovative college programs often linger behind the most recent technological findings, there is no guarantee that a bachelor’s in many schools will really provide students with all the knowledge they need as they emerge into the workforce.
More and more often, technologically minded students are turning to coding schools and boot camps to meet this gap.
Both less expensive and shorter in length than a traditional degree, enrollment in a coding school or boot camp is a fantastic way to hone in specifically on this valuable skill set.
In addition to providing a new set of skills, coding schools increase critical thinking, encourage the virtue of perseverance, and teach students to think logically.
As a result, education from a coding school opens up the doors to a number of career fields, even those outside of the world of coding.
For many students, this manner of education offers only one major problem: they don’t know where to start.
While most students begin learning about the world of college from a young age, they do not hear quite as much about this specific area of education.
Looking to learn more about how to take advantage of the best coding schools and boot camps in the United States? Look no further!
These schools are ranked according to each program’s placement in the switchup.org ranking of coding schools, which is largely based on first-hand participant reviews of each boot camp.
10. The Tech Academy
Any beginner looking to slowly wet their feet in the world of coding and programming need turn no further than The Tech Academy.
This program begins slowly, ensuring that each student has the basic computer science skills they need to progress successfully.
From here, they dive into the slightly more advanced skills until they ultimately reach their final goal, becoming employed programmers.
At the end of this program, students take part in a real-life coding experience, as well as job placement training.
Nurtured in this supportive environment, 62% of students go on to achieve employment in this selective field.
The greatest benefit of this course is the flexibility.
With many different paths of study– including remote, part-time, and full-time options– the Tech Academy is dedicated to meeting a student where they are, and helping them finish their education in anywhere from ten to forty weeks.
9. General Assembly
Originally born in the heart of New York City, General Assembly now hosts courses all over the nation, even offering courses in Melbourne, Singapore, London, and Toronto!
From one corner of the country to the other, General Assembly works to guide in-person learners through the intricacies of coding.
In order to accommodate the most extensive set of learners possible, they also offer online courses to students who prefer a self-led approach.
If this field knows one thing, it is diligence.
Even during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, General Assembly continued its mission to educate online learners, inspiring 74% of enrollees that year to achieve a job in the tech industry within six months.
By accepting the G.I. Bill and offering free starting workshops to newbies, General Assembly helps open doors of opportunity even to those who may initially fear the cost.
8. Flatiron School
Flatiron School has been shaping some of the tech industry’s brightest minds for ten years, offering courses in cybersecurity, software engineering, data science, and product design.
Graduates from this award-winning program have gone on to join some of the top companies in the world, including Google, Facebook, Vox, Spotify, Apple, and Intel.
Flatiron School believes that the truest pathway to innovation lies in diversity. In that name, they offer a variety of scholarships to ensure that money is never a roadblock to a potential student’s success.
Even in today’s modern world, gender inequality throws up barriers to women who hope to enter tech; as recently as 2020, there remained two men for every woman hoping for a career in this industry.
By specifically reaching out to women interested in coding, Flatiron School hopes to help repair the gender inequality that exists within this field.
7. App Academy
Like many other coding boot camps, App Academy offers flexible options, remote learning, and a rigorous introduction to the valued field.
Unlike other schools, however, it does not require tuition until a student is firmly planted within the career field and earning at least $50,000 per year!
This philosophy has led the school– and its students– into undeniable success.
Since its founding in 2012, App Academy has led over 4,500 students into lucrative software engineering careers, earning a starting average of $80,000 per year.
The rigorous education itself has earned awards from Career Karma, Switchup, and Course Report, all of which praise it for its high coding standards.
By adopting the idea that it is their responsibility to ensure every student goes on to the career of their dreams, App Academy has come to be regarded as one of the most morally sound programming educators in the world!
6. DigitalCrafts
Though less than a decade old, DigitalCrafts has already become a household name in its field.
With online and in-person courses available, DigitalCrafts runs its education less like a small program and more like a full university, providing extensive opportunities on a condensed scale.
After selecting a program, students can connect with an individualized support team.
This team coaxes them through their studies and into their desired career, providing portfolio reviews, mock interviews, and networking opportunities in order to lead every student to success.
With 100% financing approval and a 73% employment rate, this school makes sure that finances are never a roadblock to this form of higher education!
5. Fullstack Academy
With a wide range of areas for study– including four coding-specific pathways– Fullstack Academy promises every student the flexible education they need to flourish in this growing field.
Since its founding, Fullstack Academy has helped over 5,500 alumni achieve their coding dreams, and it has no plans on stopping.
In the hopes of opening even more doors, Fullstack Academy contains special programs geared towards women and nonbinary students.
Through the Grace Hopper Online Coding Bootcamp, this academy hopes to do more than just influence the tech industry; it aims to redefine it.
4. Hack Reactor
Hack Reactor stands apart in a sea of similar coding schools and boot camps in the US.
In addition to traditional lessons, Hack Reactor trains students through a coding curriculum that models the very work they aim to do, helping students successfully progress through their studies at a higher-than-average speed.
This somewhat unconventional approach has been seen to have great success.
According to Switchup, Hack Reactor currently maintains an 80% success rate in placing students directly into careers as coders.
In addition to lessons in coding, students receive “soft lessons” in career management.
In these courses, students learn how to work collaboratively and manage stress, all in the name of guiding them to long-term success rather than short-term burnout.
Hack Reactor strives for more than just a high hiring rate; they hope to produce happy, fulfilled workers inspired to change the world!
3. Tech Elevator
Choosing the right coding boot camp can be a make-or-break moment, but any hopeful student is guaranteed to find the education they need at Tech Elevator.
According to data from the Council on Integrity in Results Reported, Tech Elevator remains one of the top institutions available in this field.
In just seven years, Tech Elevator has graduated over 3,000 students with a sound 90% job placement.
By connecting graduates with one of over 750 dedicated partners, Tech Elevator offers students an average salary increase of just under $25,000, teaching the lesson that the best investment is “the one you make in yourself.”
With only two focused areas of study, Tech Elevator guides students with a firm understanding of their specific goals in mind exclusively.
This being said, Tech Elevator also guides with a precision that has seen nationally recognized results!
2. DevMountain
With costs of between $49 to $9,900, Devmountain is doubtlessly one of the best returns on investment a student could make!
In addition to online courses, Devmountain offers in-person learning for students in Dallas.
While there, these students have access to free housing, assuring that its students do not have to worry about anything other than learning.
Though affordable, this school does not fall short of the rigorous standards needed to guide the next generation of programmers.
This career-focused curriculum wastes no time.
Though longer courses are available to guide students through the basics, advanced learners can take advantage of fast-tracked boot camps to quickly blow through the material on their pathway to success.
With a total employment rate of 87%, the results for this course of study speak for themselves!
1. Codesmith
Ranked as the top coding school in the US, Codesmith boasts over a 90% job placement rating, with even part-time employees earning a median salary of $125,000.
However, this alone is not what earned this school its prestigious placement.
As part of its mission to create a brilliant, collaborative graduating class with a diverse range of viewpoints, Codesmith offers a variety of courses specifically to underserved groups.
The Veteran’s Coding Scholarship aims to empower more members of service to join the ranks of coders within this field, bringing their diligent training to another level.
Additionally, scholarships for minorities, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community break down financial and social barriers that stand between these groups and quality education.
No matter who a student may be– their culture, background, or financial limitations– everyone deserves an opportunity to better their situation through hard work, dedication, and valuable coding education.
