If you’ve been paying attention to the business world over the last decade or so, you’ve seen how important programming skills can be. Web development bootcamps are a great way to get those skills, but it can be tough to attend a coding bootcamp while working full-time. Knowing how to manage your time at a coding bootcamp while working can help you get valuable training without compromising your finances.
This article will help you develop a plan for making it through coding bootcamp while employed full-time. In this guide, you’ll get advice on selecting a coding bootcamp and a financial arrangement that works with your income. We also give you some crucial tips on how to achieve a good work-life balance so you can maintain a healthy personal and professional life.
Attending a Coding Bootcamp While Working Full-Time
Although it can be challenging, students can work full-time while attending a coding bootcamp.
Attending a coding bootcamp while working full-time is challenging. While bootcamps offer students flexible learning schedules, such as remote, part-time programs, the coursework for bootcamp courses is incredibly time-consuming. Even part-time formats can last 30 weeks or more and may require weekly workshops in addition to self-study.¹⁹ ²² Furthermore, coding bootcamps are costly, whether it be tuition costs, cost of living, or both. The latest market data puts average full-time tuition at around $13,584.¹⁹
If you have a full-time job and are interested in upskilling or career switching, you should consider attending a part-time coding bootcamp while working. You must pick a program with a schedule that won’t get in the way of your job. However, not only do bootcamps have an intense workload, but they also require learners to spend several hours outside of the classroom too.²²
Create a Schedule
If you are working full-time and plan on attending a coding bootcamp, you will need to create a realistic schedule to help you plan your time. A good schedule will ensure you don’t fall behind in your studies or lose your job. Finally, when planning a schedule, you must consider downtime, so you don’t suffer from burnout.
Plan Out Your Finances
Coding bootcamps can have high tuition costs. Furthermore, you may be required to buy resources such as books or programming software. While working full-time, you will have to carefully manage your finances. Common options today include monthly installments, education loans, scholarships/discounts, deferred plans, and employer tuition support.¹⁶ Notably, income share agreements (ISAs) have become rare in recent years (≈5% of providers in 2024), and some financing once common in the market has been discontinued.¹⁶ ¹⁷ Consider total program cost plus living expenses before you enroll.
Make Time for Your Personal Life
When you get into a coding bootcamp, you’ll likely find yourself feeling overwhelmed at first. Bootcamps cover a lot of material in a short space of time. Even part-time coding bootcamps are intense and demand a lot from learners.
You’ve got to stay emotionally healthy to do well in a bootcamp. That means getting enough rest time. Making time for family and friends will improve your ability to train while you continue to work full-time. You can also let potential employers know about your work-life balance and time management skills.
Tell Your Supervisor
You should discuss your educational and career goals with your supervisor at work. Some full-time positions will encourage you to attend bootcamps and upskill. However, even if you plan on a career switch, you must discuss it with your boss. If they are understanding, they may allow you more time off and understand if you are occasionally late for work.
In some cases, employers will even help you pay for your bootcamp if the skilled instruction is relevant to your job. If you already work in the tech industry or an adjacent field, check with your supervisor to see if they offer extra support or financing options.
Be Realistic
Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Learning programming from scratch is no easy task. Balancing a full-time job, a personal life, and a coding bootcamp is very difficult. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you fall behind in your bootcamp program, don’t be afraid to talk to your supervisor or mentor.
Life commitments often get in the way of career goals, so you should be realistic about the extra time you need to attend to those. A bootcamp mentor or prospective employer will appreciate your honesty, and communication is always an effective option for change.
Best Coding Bootcamps for Working Professionals
A coding bootcamp for working professionals will offer flexible programs. If you have a full-time job, you will have to enroll in part-time coding bootcamps. Classes for these courses take place on weekday evenings and weekends. There are also self-paced or flexible-pace options that are ideal for those working full-time, especially if your job isn’t nine to five. Continue reading for the best coding bootcamps while working full-time.
Flatiron School
- Cost: $9,900 (Beginner Software Engineering, upfront)¹
- Format: Online, in-person/hybrid options; full-time, part-time, self-paced¹
- Topics covered: Software engineering, data science, cyber security, product design¹
Flatiron offers structured beginner and intermediate pathways with live instruction, asynchronous study, and robust career services designed to fit around work. Part-time and self-paced tracks let you progress on evenings and weekends while still getting instructor support and peer interaction via Slack. The curriculum culminates in portfolio projects to showcase to employers.¹
Le Wagon
- Cost: Online (Europe): €7,400 full-time; €5,900 part-time; London on-campus: £7,400² ³
- Format: Online or in person across dozens of cities; full-time and part-time cohorts² ³
- Topics covered: Web development, data science²
Le Wagon emphasizes small class sizes, hands-on projects, and lifetime access to resources. Working professionals can choose the evening/weekend part-time track or join a remote cohort aligned to their time zone. Cohorts include 40 hours of prep so beginners can hit the ground running.² ³
Careerist
- Cost: Software QA Engineering (Manual QA) $5,900; QA Automation + Python $6,200⁴
- Format: Online; part-time, self-paced options⁴
- Topics covered: Manual QA, QA automation, tech sales, sales engineering
Careerist focuses on job-ready skills and offers mentor support plus guided job search services. The QA tracks are designed for busy adults, with live sessions scheduled outside standard business hours and supplemental self-study. Some programs advertise money-back guarantees subject to terms—always read the fine print.⁴
General Assembly
- Cost: Software Engineering Immersive (U.S.) $16,450⁵
- Format: Online and on-campus; full-time and part-time (Flex) options
- Topics covered: Software engineering, data, design, and more
GA pairs industry-led instruction with project-based learning and career coaching. Part-time options spread work across evenings/weekends to suit full-time professionals, with the same core content as full-time cohorts. (Tuition figure corroborated by Course Report.)⁵
Test Pro
- Cost: QA Engineer (Manual): $3,500; SDET: $4,999⁶
- Format: Online; part-time, with evening and weekend schedules⁶ ⁷
- Topics covered: Manual QA, SDET/automation
Test Pro’s schedule is built for working adults and combines live classes with recordings for catch-up. Programs include interview prep, resume support, and team projects simulating real testing workflows. Tuition and details are listed on Course Report; official site outlines schedules.⁶ ⁷
Nucamp
- Cost: Web Dev Fundamentals $458; Full Stack Web & Mobile $2,604; Complete Software Engineering Path (11 months) $5,644⁸
- Format: Online; part-time, self-paced with live weekend workshops⁸ ⁹
- Topics covered: Web development, front end, full stack, back end (Python/SQL/DevOps), cybersecurity; plus career-focused paths²⁵
Nucamp is designed for affordability and flexibility: cohorts meet outside business hours and emphasize step-by-step progression from fundamentals through full stack. Programs include career coaching and an interview prep bootcamp to help working learners transition into tech.⁸ ⁹
Hack Reactor
- Cost: $17,980¹⁰
- Format: Online; full-time; part-time offerings are provided via Tech Elevator with evening/weekend live sessions¹¹
- Topics covered: Software engineering (JavaScript/TypeScript, full-stack)
Hack Reactor’s immersive curriculum centers on pair programming, team projects, and career support. The long-standing brand is intensive, but the Tech Elevator part-time path offers a nights-and-weekends cadence for those who must keep working while they upskill.¹¹ (Tuition figure cited by third-party review site.)¹⁰
The Tech Academy
- Cost: $9,995
- Format: Online and in-person; full-time, part-time, and self-paced with flexible start dates¹³
- Topics covered: Software development, front end, Python, C#/.NET, cyber security
The Tech Academy’s self-paced model and rolling starts make it friendly to full-time workers. Students complete modular courses with instructor support and can finance tuition via in-house plans or lending partners.¹³ ¹⁴
Ironhack
- Cost: $12,500 (full-time) and $13,000 (part-time)¹⁵
- Format: Remote and on-campus cohorts; full-time and part-time tracks¹⁶
- Topics covered: Web development (software engineering), UX/UI, data analytics, cyber security
Ironhack offers structured live classes with project work and career services, and remote cohorts for learners who need the flexibility to study from home. Working professionals often opt for the 24–25-week part-time format.¹⁵ ¹⁶
Other Ways to Make Money While in a Coding Bootcamp
- Find a paid internship. One of the best ways to make money while in a coding bootcamp is to apply for paid internships. If you can find an internship opportunity in your field of study, it will also help you practice the technical skills you learn. Furthermore, once you graduate from a coding bootcamp, you may be able to turn your internship into a full-time job.
- Apply for scholarships. Scholarships are typically available for low-income or underrepresented students. For example, Women Who Code often has scholarships for women who want to break into tech. Scholarships can pay for a portion or the entirety of your tuition. They may also include stipends for cost of living.
- Pick a bootcamp that offers stipends. Some bootcamps not only offer students deferred tuition but also include monthly stipends to help them pay for expenses such as food and housing. Students pay these costs back when they find employment in the industry.
- Talk to your employer. If you have a full-time job, you can talk to your employer and ask about getting reduced hours without having to quit your job. You might be able to go down to part-time hours or just work on the weekends to allow you to focus on your studies and complete your bootcamp quicker.
- Use freelancing websites. Coding students can use websites like Fiverr and Upwork to find freelance work. You can even use these sites to find simple coding work to help you gain real-world experience as well as make some money. You can use these hands-on projects for your portfolio as well.
Should I Have a Job During My Coding Bootcamp?
You should have a job during the coding bootcamp if you need money for tuition or living expenses. While some bootcamps offer flexible payment options such as deferred payment, students will still need some sort of income to live off during their studies. After that, most bootcamp students earn a high annual salary in a wide variety of jobs.
Managing a coding bootcamp while working full-time is challenging and will require you to look at part-time bootcamps. If you want to enroll in a full-time program, you should consider reducing your work hours to go part-time. Furthermore, there are other ways to make money and help pay for education, such as scholarships and deferred stipends.
Attending a Coding Bootcamp While Working Full-Time: FAQ
Yes, you can do a coding bootcamp while working full-time if you study part-time. Depending on the hours of your full-time employment, you may have to choose a program that offers self-paced courses to allow you to dictate your own schedule.
How much money should you save for a coding bootcamp?
Tuition varies widely by school and track. For example, Nucamp lists programs starting at $458, while large immersive programs like General Assembly’s Software Engineering Immersive are currently $16,450 in the U.S.⁸ ⁵ (You’ll also want to budget for living expenses during study.)
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How do you get through a coding bootcamp and have free time?
If you want to get through coding bootcamp and have free time, you should enroll in a part-time program. Ideally, you should find a self-paced program. This will allow you to set your own schedule and fit free time in. Part-time bootcamps will typically require about 20 hours of classes and study a week.
Which part-time online coding bootcamp is best?
There’s no single “best” for everyone—look for programs that explicitly offer evening/weekend formats or self-paced study and strong career support. Options to consider include Flatiron School, General Assembly, Nucamp, Hack Reactor (via Tech Elevator for part-time), The Tech Academy, and Ironhack.¹ ⁵ ⁸ ¹¹ ¹² ¹⁶
Sources
- https://flatironschool.com/explore-all-courses/
- https://info.lewagon.com/upcoming-sessions?course=web-development&campus=online-europe
- https://www.lewagon.com/london/web-development-course
- https://www.coursereport.com/schools/careerist
- https://www.coursereport.com/blog/best-summer-coding-bootcamps-2025
- https://www.coursereport.com/schools/test-pro
- https://testpro.io/qa/
- https://www.nucamp.co/blog/coding-bootcamp-cost
- https://www.nucamp.co/bootcamp-overview/web-development-fundamentals
- https://techendo.com/schools/hack-reactor-reviews.html
- https://www.hackreactor.com/online-coding-bootcamp/part-time-coding-bootcamp/
- https://www.coursereport.com/online-coding-bootcamp-cost-comparison
- https://www.learncodinganywhere.com/
- https://www.learncodinganywhere.com/Financing
- https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/ironhack/
- https://www.ironhack.com/us/remote
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