When asked to list the reasons why you want to become a coder, the notion of a big paycheck is up near the top, right?
Coders can bring in some decent pay. One reason for this is that developing yourself into a badass coder takes a lot of time, sweat, and cash. It’s a high bar to clear, but your reward for all the effort is some nice green stuff every payday.
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But just how much should you plan on bringing home once you become a coder? It depends upon a few factors, which is why we developed this guide. With our help, you’ll get an idea of what sort of salary you can expect after you finish your coding bootcamp.
To Degree or Not to Degree?
Your salary after a coding bootcamp depends on several factors. A college degree doesn’t make as much of a difference in software engineering as it does in some other fields, but coding bootcamp grads with a bachelor’s degree do see higher earnings than non-degreed coding bootcamp grads.
With a college degree, you can plan on making about $85K in your first job compared to about $75K for bootcamp grads without degrees. That’s still a significant salary bump for both groups—over 50% more than their pre-bootcamp salaries. That ain’t nothing, you know?
Experience is Key
Businesses understand that coding bootcamp graduates might not have a background in the field. If you’re a newbie, don’t worry about it—there are lots of folks in the same boat as you. If you worked in a technical field before coding bootcamp, though, your starting salary jumps by leaps and bounds. Companies looooove them some coders with a professional background.
It all depends on your prior programming experience. If you were a self-taught software whiz and were coding up a storm before you started bootcamp, you could make as much as $125K a year. If you developed some programming skills and learned at least some code before class, expect to make up to $105K. And, folks who started bootcamp with no prior knowledge can make up to $100K.
Your First Salary After a Coding Bootcamp is good…
In every field, a person’s first job will almost always feature low pay. Coding isn’t an exception to the rule, but the starting salary is still quite nice.
The average salary after a coding bootcamp is about $70K, and a starting programmer’s median income is about $65K. Not bad for eight to twelve weeks of hard work, eh?
It gets even more impressive when you factor in how quickly most coding bootcamp graduates find employment. Companies are desperate for developers and the demand isn’t going anywhere. As a result, you can plan on finding a good job in a matter of months.
…And Your Future Salaries Get Even Better
The best part of being a coder is that your wages don’t stagnate. If you work hard and do well in your first job, you’ll reap some huge rewards.
You can expect your salary after a coding bootcamp to jump up with your second and succeeding positions. On average, bootcamp grads pull down about $120K five years after bootcamp.
Like cheese and wine, developer salaries keep improving with age, too; expect to bring in over $135K by your third job. And that’s just the average salary—senior programmers regularly make well over $150K a year and get some pretty sweet perks along with the cash, such as stock options and more.
You’ve Earned It
Not everyone who applies will get admitted into a coding bootcamp, and, of those who do get in, not all will make it through. The rewards are worth it, though: you will gain respect and get to do something you enjoy.
Best of all, you also get an excellent salary after a coding bootcamp. The work you do in bootcamp can set you up for life and ensure that you spend your days with financial security and job satisfaction.
We hope our guide helps you make an informed decision about your future and sends you on a lucrative career path. If coding is something you enjoy, your post-bootcamp salary will make you even happier about your choice!
