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How Much Is Coding Bootcamp?
The average in-person bootcamp is $13,584. But costs vary greatly depending on the structure.
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Updated · 2 min read
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Cecilia Clark is an editor on the loans team. She specializes in student loans and manages product reviews and roundups. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer and developed communications strategies for cybersecurity firms. Cecilia has also worked in post-secondary education, elevator operations management and sales and military nuclear command control, maintenance management and public affairs.
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Head of Content, Core Personal Finance
Key takeaways
The average in-person coding bootcamp costs $13,584 and the average online bootcamp costs $12,898.
Community colleges may offer coding bootcamps for under $3,000 and some students may be eligible for free bootcamp programs, so explore these options first.
Evaluate the likely job and debt outcomes of any potential coding bootcamp before investing your time or money, considering how soon you can make the tuition costs back with your post-graduation salary.
Coding bootcamp costs can vary greatly. Programs sponsored through a community college can cost less than $3,000, while private coding schools can cost more than $20,000. Some students may even qualify for a free coding bootcamp.
Consider the type of program when looking at bootcamp costs. Coding bootcamps can last from one day to six months, can have full-time and part-time formats and can teach a variety of coding languages to various depths. Yet, the biggest factors that determine price are usually who sponsors the program and whether it is in-person or online.
The average cost for in-person coding bootcamp is $13,584, according to the bootcamp review site Course Report. The average cost for an online coding bootcamp is $12,898.
Make sure to research the potential outcomes of any bootcamp before investing your time or money. To do this, check your school’s graduation and salary results with the nonprofit bootcamp transparency organization Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, or CIRR, to get a sense of whether it is well-regarded by the tech industry. If your school is not a member of the CCIR, ask it directly about graduation rates and post-graduation salaries. But remember, coding bootcamps are not regulated, do not have to answer to an accrediting entity and may not be entirely transparent in their marketing — which can make it tricky to gauge if a program is a good value.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.19-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 6/30/2025. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
Variable APR
4.24-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 6/30/2025. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.19-16.99%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 6/23/2025. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Variable APR
4.37-16.49%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 6/23/2025. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Programs sponsored by community colleges can be significantly less expensive than those run solely by private institutions. For example, Estrella Mountain Community College offers an 18-week coding bootcamp for $2,900. Like many community college bootcamps, this one is administered by a private company and does not qualify for federal financial aid.
Programs that aren’t partnered with community colleges tend to be more expensive. For example, Rithm School’s 17-week program costs $23,000 if you pay upfront and up to $34,500 if you use its deferred payment plan.
Online coding bootcamps are typically cheaper than in-person programs. For example, Bottega’s 12-week online program costs $12,000 while Galvanize’s 12-week in-person program costs $17,980.
But there are exceptions. Grand Circus offers a 12-week in-person bootcamp for $11,750 before scholarships and early application discounts.
Many online programs align with their in-person counterparts and try to mimic their instruction style and coursework. They do this by using remote collaboration tools like Zoom and Slack. Consider if an online bootcamp will be worth it for you before signing up. Make sure you understand how they will deliver content and that you are comfortable with taking on the workload remotely.
Are there any free coding bootcamps?
Some bootcamps are free to students who meet certain criteria. These programs may provide the same vigor and career prospects as paid programs, or they may be better suited to help you prepare for a paid bootcamp. Ask whether the program offers a certificate or serves as a prep program for the school’s paid bootcamp to get a better idea.
Free coding bootcamps include:
42: You must successfully complete 42's free four-week pre-bootcamp training program to win admission to its self-paced bootcamp.
Ada Developers Academy: Women and gender-diverse adults can receive access to the free full-time coding bootcamp if they align with Ada Developer Academy’s mission and culture, which includes a passion for software development and an investment in social justice.
The Data Incubator: Experienced coders with at least a bachelor's degree in a STEM field — that is, science, technology, engineering or math — can apply to the data science fellowship program, an eight-week bootcamp, to up-level their coding career.
freeCodeCamp: Everyone is eligible to earn free certifications in up to 10 developer disciplines from freeCodeCamp by signing up at its website and completing the required courses.
Resilient Coders: You must identify as a person of color between 18 and 30 years old to qualify for free bootcamp with Resilient Coders. You must also attend one of their free one-day hackathons to be considered.
