Key takeaways
- Roles such as software developers and quality assurance analysts are expected to continue outperforming the U.S. job market, supported by a strong outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics over the next decade.
- Affordable coding bootcamps are an excellent way for beginners to explore coding without committing to a high tuition fee, helping them test their interest in tech before fully diving in. The low financial risk equips students with valuable skills that can lead to high-paying entry-level tech jobs, potentially providing returns on their investment.
- Cheap coding bootcamps often feature asynchronous, online learning formats that allow students to study on their own schedules, making it ideal for career changers, working professionals, or those with family commitments.
Are you interested in pursuing a coding bootcamp but are hesitant due to financial limitations? There are a number of affordable coding bootcamps you can explore that will provide you with the tech education you need to enter the job market with confidence.
Below, we’ll detail the advantages and disadvantages of cheap coding bootcamps and provide more information about the options out there.The coding job market has seen astronomical growth over the last decade, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is confident that jobs like software developer, quality assurance analyst, and QA tester will continue to outperform the U.S. labor market as a whole over the next 10 years.1
How much does a typical coding bootcamp cost?
According to 4Geeks Academy, the average full-time coding bootcamp in June of 2025 costs around $13,584, while part-time coding bootcamps average around $11,000.2
What does a typical coding bootcamp offer for the price?
Bootcamps are designed to prepare students to land and succeed in entry-level tech jobs, sometimes even if they have zero coding experience. The exact curriculum can vary depending on whether the bootcamp is geared toward software engineering, web development, data science, UX and UI design, and/or cyber security.
This educational content may be delivered through live in-person or online classes, asynchronous online activities, or a hybrid of these. Students will often also complete individual and/or group projects to put their new skills to work and begin developing a portfolio that can be used in recruitment.
Because they emphasize placing bootcamp graduates in entry-level tech jobs, many of these programs also offer extensive career coaching, such as interview preparation, resume review, and networking opportunities. Some also cultivate alumni communities that can offer career support for years after a student graduates from a bootcamp.
What makes a bootcamp cheap?
Of course, the easy answer for what makes a bootcamp cheap is the price—but what changes when you pay less for a coding bootcamp? If a bootcamp provider charges less (or nothing at all) for a bootcamp, they may need to reduce their own expenses and increase the volume of students they are able to serve. This generally means that there may be a higher student-to-instructor ratio, resulting in less personalized interaction in favor of more scalable online asynchronous resources. A more affordable coding bootcamp may also provide less individualized career support.
There are advantages that make cheap and free coding bootcamps great options for certain kinds of students. We should also note that cost-cutting isn’t the only way a bootcamp can be affordable. Employer reimbursement plans, federal funds, and company sponsorship can offer high-level coding bootcamps at subsidized prices. Let’s explore some examples below.
What are the typical advantages of a cheap coding bootcamp?
The first advantage of a cheap or free coding bootcamp is obviously the price. If you can turn a software development bootcamp into a lucrative coding career for a fraction of the price, you stand to see a favorable return on your investment.3
In addition, the low price of cheap coding bootcamps means they are a low-risk investment. While ideally a cheap coding bootcamp would result in job placement, if it doesn’t, you’ve lost less than you would have if you paid for a $15,000 bootcamp or, worse, a full four-year computer science degree. Moreover, this lower financial risk also means that affordable coding bootcamps can provide value to those looking to dip their toes into coding who aren’t yet ready to commit.
Because they generally rely on asynchronous online content, cheap coding bootcamps can actually be far more flexible than full-fledged coding bootcamps. Asynchronous content refers to a certain learning style. This type of cadence is exclusively self-paced, offering students an online learning platform where they can build practical skills from anywhere at any time of day or night. This learning format is particularly popular for bootcamp students working full-time jobs, tending to family commitments, and/or wanting to maintain their current job while working towards a career change.
What are the typical drawbacks of a cheap coding bootcamp?
Affordable coding bootcamps can sometimes be less engaging, perhaps making it difficult for social learners and bootcamp students who require more in-class support while they learn.
Cheap coding bootcamps also run the risk of being less responsive/adaptive to changing demands in the market. An instructor who is a professional in their coding field can easily (and naturally) adapt coursework to include changes in the field, but refreshing asynchronous curricula can be expensive and time-consuming, meaning that often several years can go by between content refreshes. This means that students pursuing cheaper or free coding bootcamps run the risk of learning from a curriculum that is less current than others out there, putting themselves at a disadvantage in the tech world where employers will be looking for candidates who can use the latest software engineering tools and have relevant skills and expertise in in-demand areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Coding bootcamp providers offering more affordable options often have fewer resources to devote to individualized career services. This can be difficult for those unaccustomed to the job search and may not have established professional networks in tech.
Who benefits from cheap coding bootcamps?
Cheap coding bootcamps may meet the needs of the following audiences:
- Aspiring coders who have experience or an aptitude for learning in asynchronous environments
- Individuals curious about coding who want to learn more in a low-risk environment
- Individuals who need a more affordable way to learn coding
What cheap coding bootcamps are out there?
You might think a cheap or free coding bootcamp is right for you, but how do you know which one will meet your individual needs? Below, we’ve assembled our picks of some of the most affordable coding bootcamps, optimizing for quality of curriculum, learning format, flexibility, and price. To be considered for this list, a bootcamp’s tuition must be $9,000 or less, and we’ve ordered them from lowest to highest cost.
Please note, all information provided is up-to-date as of July 2025.
Cheap Coding Bootcamps
Nucamp
Nucamp, in collaboration with Google Cloud, offers a range of coding bootcamps that cover various areas such as web development fundamentals, cyber security, back-end, front-end, and full-stack options. Nucamp’s hybrid format allows it to offer competitive instruction at a much lower price point. For each bootcamp, students study at their own pace during the week and then participate in weekly instructor-led workshops online, with flexible scheduling options available.
Nucamp is also noteworthy for its focus on increasing diversity in coding. Through the Women in Tech Scholarship offered in collaboration with Google Cloud, Nucamp provides women with a 25% tuition discount. But all of NuCamp’s offerings should already be considered affordable, with most courses priced under $4,000.
Location: Remote (with the option to learn with students in your same area)
Learning Format: Online
Program Length: Varies
Job Placement Rate: 76% employed and applying their coding skills within 9 months
Program Cost: <$4000
Financing Offers: Women in Tech Scholarship, FSA loans, and moreJob Guarantee: No
Codestack Academy
Codestack Academy is a nonprofit offering an in-person, accelerated coding bootcamp to those with zero coding experience. Bootcamp students spend seven months of instruction in project-based learning, acquiring coding skills in HTML5, JavaScript, SQL Server, React, C#, Cloud Services, mobile app development, and DevOps before giving them the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in a two-month internship.
Because the program is subsidized by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, students can enjoy all the benefits of a more expensive bootcamp—in-person instruction, project-based lessons, collaborations with peers—at a fraction of the price. Plus, students are guaranteed a two-month internship. It’s important to note that instruction is only available in person and during the day. Those who live outside of Stockton, CA, or are looking for a coding bootcamp that they can work around their current schedule, might not benefit from the program.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Location: Stockton, CA
Learning Format: In person, days
Program Length: 7 months of instruction, 2-month internship
Program Cost: $99 for the first month, $4901 for the remaining 8 months
Financing Offers: Local scholarshipsJob Guarantee: No, but the internship is
TrueCoders
TrueCoders is another stand-out affordable coding bootcamp because it offers everything you would expect in a more expensive online coding bootcamp—live instructor sessions, lifetime access to 1:1 career services, project-based learning—all at an affordable price. What’s more? Instructors even host regular coding labs where students can work together on fun and practical projects. There’s also a Discord where students can get together after hours.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Online, live, self-paced, hybrid
Program Length: Up to 45 weeks, full-time
Program Cost: $6,500
Financing Offers: Deferred loansJob Guarantee: No
Free Coding Bootcamps
42
42 is a European mutual-aid group that leverages gamification and peer-to-peer learning to offer free coding instruction to students all over the world. 42 prioritized openness and inclusivity, with some courses reserved for groups historically marginalized in tech.
Codecademy
Codecademy’s basic access plan allows bootcamp students to participate in free coding courses such as “Intro to ChatGPT,” “Learn SQL,” and “Learn HTML.” These beginner-friendly courses allow students to learn core coding skills and apply them through their own coding projects, all on a schedule that suits them. If students want to access more features or take more advanced courses, they are able to upgrade their membership to a paid plan.
MIT Open Courseware
MIT Open Courseware’s Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python allows coding novices to experience a college-level programming course from a world-renowned technical university, absolutely free. Students get access to quality education in the form of lecture videos and notes, as well as problem sets. But since there is little peer-to-peer or student-to-instructor interaction, this course is best for either those who are merely curious about coding but not yet looking to switch careers or those who are skilled at learning in a low-touch environment.
What are some other ways to make a coding bootcamp a good investment?
If you’d prefer to take advantage of the services provided at a traditional coding bootcamp, there are several ways to make attending one more financially viable, including income share agreements and job guarantee contracts.
Income share agreements
In an income share agreement (ISA), the coding bootcamp offers students the opportunity to attend the program without any upfront cost. Instead, the student agrees to pay back a percentage of their income once they secure a job. It’s important to note that the amount ultimately repaid through the ISA can exceed the advertised tuition, essentially making it a form of loan. The Senate introduced the ISA Student Protection Act of 2023, which helps to regulate ISAs.4,5,6
Since ISAs can involve a significant portion of your monthly income, they are most beneficial for students who lack the upfront funds to pay for a bootcamp and plan to work in a city with a lower cost of living, which facilitates easier repayment. It is crucial to thoroughly review and understand all the terms and conditions outlined in the ISA before entering into such an agreement, just as it is with job guarantees or any financial commitment.
Job guarantees
Job guarantees are another way for students to make a coding bootcamp less of a financial risk. Essentially, a job placement guarantee ensures that students who successfully complete the coding bootcamp will secure employment. If a student fails to find a job within a specified timeframe, they may become eligible for a full or partial refund.
Job guarantees can be beneficial for both the bootcamp and the students in the long run. A higher number of successfully employed alumni enhances the perceived value of the bootcamp’s education. Plus, Individuals seeking to switch into the tech industry may view a bootcamp with a job guarantee as a more secure investment.That said, students banking on job guarantees must be careful: Often, there are a number of stipulations attached to these guarantees that can be difficult for job seekers to fulfill. The jobs that release the bootcamp provider from the guarantee can also sometimes be less than ideal. To learn more, check out our article on job placement.7
What’s next?
In this article, we’ve covered the drawbacks and advantages of cheap coding bootcamps while offering our picks of some of the most affordable coding bootcamps to help you get your research started. From in-person bootcamps to free courses, and more options in between, you can see that there are some really solid coding bootcamps out there that remain affordable while still equipping you with the basic programming skills you need to find success in the tech industry.
Whether you’re looking to enroll in a structured online coding program, or you just want to explore programming languages and gain technical skills at your own leisure, there’s an affordable coding bootcamp and training program out there that meets your needs. If you want more guidance as you research bootcamps, get matched with a coding bootcamp today.
Sources:
1 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm
2 https://4geeksacademy.com/us/coding-bootcamp/how-much-is-a-coding-bootcamp
3 https://bestcodingbootcamps.com/advice/are-coding-bootcamps-worth-it/
5 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/136
7 https://bestcodingbootcamps.com/advice/coding-bootcamp-job-placement/
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
