Salary After Coding Bootcamp: How Much Do Bootcamp Grads Make?

If you ask any bootcamp grad, they mostly want to become a coder because of the high job opportunities and potential salary. Yet, if you choose the untraditional route to a coding career path, what can you expect as your post-coding bootcamp salary? We’ll get to that, but know that a coding bootcamp starting salary can be quite high.

Progressing into the tech industry as a coder can certainly lead to an impressive annual salary. One reason for this is that gaining the professional experience to become a coder takes a lot of time, sweat, and cash. A career in tech isn’t easy, but as a reward, you’ll have in-demand skills and a comfortable salary after coding bootcamp.

However, what does a “comfortable salary” mean once you leverage learning opportunities from coding bootcamp? Your salary after coding bootcamp depends on various factors that we will later discuss in this guide. We’ll explore the base salary for coders, ways to increase this with tech experience, and the most lucrative careers after completing bootcamp education.

Key Takeaways

• Your salary after coding bootcamp will depend on factors like location, education, and experience.
• Entry-level programmers graduating from bootcamp can anticipate an average annual salary of around $75,302, with demand for developers remaining strong.
• Coding bootcamp graduates can see substantial salary increases as they progress in their careers, outearning degree holders in the early career stage.
• High-paying tech careers for bootcamp grads include web developer, software developer, data scientist, and application developer, each with its own salary range.
• Continued upskilling, working on independent projects, networking, and considering relocation can significantly enhance your salary after coding bootcamp.

Is Bootcamp Education Enough for Lucrative Jobs in Tech?

Many people wonder if you can really get a job off just a coding bootcamp. The answer is yes, bootcamp education is enough to help you explore lucrative careers in tech. There are many tech jobs that offer high salaries after coding bootcamp. However, there are some factors that impact how much you earn.

For example, coding bootcamp grads with a college degree that’s required for some full-time roles may earn a higher salary than bootcamp grads without a degree. If you have a college degree, you can earn around $85,000 in your first job. Bootcamp grads without degrees earn around $75,000.

This is a significant difference, but if you don’t have a college degree, don’t be discouraged. There are many ways to pay for your month-to-month living costs and have money to save after having only completed a coding bootcamp program.

What Is Your First Coding Salary After Bootcamp?

The average salary of a student who has recently graduated from a coding bootcamp is around $75,302 per year. This is how much an entry-level computer programmer earns in the US, according to ZipRecruiter. However, keep in mind that the amount may differ according to company, job specialization, and location.

It gets more impressive when you factor in how quickly most coding bootcamp graduates find employment. Tech companies are constantly looking for developers, from entry-level to senior roles. Although the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10 percent decline in job growth from 2020 to 2030, some 9,700 openings for computer programmers are projected each year.

Most schools also provide comprehensive career services to help graduates find jobs and earn high salaries after coding bootcamp. They include interview preparation, career coaching, and mock interviews. According to our 2023 State of the Bootcamp Market report, bootcamp grads are hired by top companies in a range of industries.

What Are Future Salaries for Coding Bootcamp Graduates? 

The best part of being a coder is the potential earnings. As we all know, the tech field has some high-paying jobs and by progressing up the career ladder, you can get in on some of this action. You can expect your average salary after a coding bootcamp to jump up with your second and succeeding positions.

A new survey by Arc revealed that bootcamp grads and self-learners earn more than programmers with bachelor’s degrees in the early-career stage. After talking to 2,504 remote developers worldwide, the researchers found that bootcamp grads earn a median annual salary of $16,400 globally, 12 percent higher than developers with a degree, who earn $14,590 in the first year of their career.

In the second and third years of the career, bootcamp graduates reportedly outearn degree holders by 37 percent, with a median salary of $27,334. Meanwhile, bachelor’s degree holders earn a median annual salary of $19,883.

These figures offer insights into the potential coding bootcamp graduate salary but they may not be 100 percent accurate. Actual salaries and progression may differ based on roles and responsibilities, location, and capacity. Those holding senior positions may also have access to other perks like stock options or additional financial remuneration.

The Top 10 Positions in Tech and How Much They Earn from Coding Bootcamp Education

If you want to join the tech community after attending any of the best coding bootcamps, there are many lucrative job opportunities available. While a coding bootcamp salary relies on various factors, in most tech jobs, you can earn a high median income. Plus, your average salary increase will skyrocket as you gain more experience and technical and soft skills.

Here are the top tech careers for coding bootcamp grads and what the coding bootcamp salary for these careers looks like.

1. Web Developer 
2. Web Designer
3. Software Developer
4. Software Engineer
5. Product Manager
6. Digital Marketer
7. Data Analyst
8. Data Scientist
9. Application Developer
10. Junior Developer

10 Tech Careers for Coding Bootcamp Grads Explained

1. Web Developer 

Salary: $109,144

The primary duties of a web developer include developing functional websites for businesses. You’ll have to write, test, and debug code while ensuring websites are updated and fulfill the company’s requirements. Aspiring web developers also attend immersive coding bootcamps so they can troubleshoot website problems.

To secure this tech role you need impressive programming skills. You should know the best programming languages that are in demand like Python, Java, HTML, R, and Swift. If you know more than one programming language, getting a job after coding bootcamp should be a breeze.

2. Web Designer

Salary: $93,194

While beginner coders in web development focus on technical website components, web designers work on creative elements. Any job listing for this career will tell you that web developers design the visual and interactive components of websites. You’ll have to ensure these components engage web visitors and keep them on a page for longer.

Immersive bootcamps teach future web designers HTML, CSS, C++ and Java. You should also have soft skills like communication and the ability to work in a team. These skills are essential to help you score high-paying jobs after coding bootcamp.

3. Software Developer

Salary: $110,448

This is one of the most popular jobs for coding bootcamp grads. Besides the fact that a software developer’s salary is high, this career is also overflowing with career opportunities. Full-time positions in this career require professionals to design, develop, build, and test software applications. Software developers must also update applications and ensure code is error-free.

There are many self-taught coders in software development. These determined professionals study programming languages, data structures, problem-solving, code testing, and math. Software development bootcamp graduates also know how to juggle multiple projects and manage time.

4. Software Engineer

Salary: $118,392

The demand for tech professionals in software engineering is like the coding bootcamp salary these engineers earn: high. You’ll have to write new software applications and systems, update old systems and evaluate computer hardware. This tech career is ideal for patient professionals who want to know the inner workings of operating systems.

Technical skills like coding, software testing and debugging, logical thinking, and problem-solving are important to help you get a job after coding bootcamp. You also need to have superb written and verbal communication skills and excellent time management. As you’ll be working among other software engineers and developers, you need teamwork skills too. 

5. Product Manager

Salary: $113,777

Working in product management can mean a high salary but it also means a lot of work. If you read any job description for product management, you’ll know what we mean. Professionals have to manage products through every stage of their lifecycle and ensure the end result meets the needs of users and their company.

To become a product manager, you should have problem-solving, communication, leadership, interpersonal, teamwork, and time management skills. These are some of the skills you can develop during your time at a coding bootcamp. As such, getting a job in product management after coding bootcamp should not be too difficult.

6. Digital Marketer

Salary: $95,782

Digital marketers are essential in the tech hub as they market products and services on online platforms. When you see social media ads, website content, and email marketing efforts, these tactics exist because of the work of digital marketers. Without the help of digital marketers, brands wouldn’t be able to develop an online presence.

If you’re considering digital marketing as a full-time job, you need technical and soft skills. These skills include email marketing, social media marketing, content writing, written and verbal communication, Google Analytics, and project management. It’s important to know that digital marketing has a competitive job market so your skills need to be up to par.

7. Data Analyst

Salary: $96,862

Data analysis offers a booming job market but the job isn’t for the faint-hearted. You need to be highly analytical for this career as your duties include gathering, sorting, and analyzing data. Professionals will then use this data to determine actionable insights to help businesses generate their desired results.

The skills you need for data analysis include Python, R, machine learning, SQL, data visualization, and data cleaning. Full-time offers for this career will also require you to be a strong communicator and have project management skills. Due to its lucrative prospects, it’s not hard to see why data analytics is among the popular jobs for coding bootcamp grads.

8. Data Scientist

Salary: $120,966

Getting a data science job after coding bootcamp will prove highly lucrative. Data science professionals gather, clean, analyze, store and structure data. It will be up to you to determine data trends and problems and find opportunities in data for businesses to leverage.

Data scientists must know data algorithms, data management, SQL, Python, math, statistics, and computer science. You should also know data analytics, big data, data manipulation, machine learning, and deep learning.

9. Application Developer

Salary: $114,207

This developer job entails designing, building, testing, and debugging applications for desktop and mobile. Developers must provide end-user support, action any required updates, and swiftly act on security threats. The applications you’ll develop vary from job to job and primarily depend on what your company needs.

To gain the competitive edge for this career, you need to be analytical, creative, logical, and proficient in high-level programming. Professionals must also pay attention to detail, have patience, and know how to work under extreme deadlines.

10. Junior Developer 

Salary: $107,821

If you’re new to coding and programming, becoming a junior developer may be ideal for you. Because the role doesn’t require a lot of experience, this is a great job for coding bootcamp grads. You’ll assist with coding projects, testing, developing, debugging, and updating code.

Junior developers must also maintain code, provide assistance for application development and provide any support needed by the team. The skills you need for this job include programming, analytics, problem-solving, and time management.

Factors That Affect Salary Potential for Coders

There are a lot of factors that can affect your salary as a tech professional. You can work for the same company in the same role and still earn differently. For example, remote workers may not qualify for perks such as transportation benefits. As such, their additional pay may be lesser than others who are required to work from the office. Below are key factors affecting salaries.

Location

Wages vary depending on your location. Employers typically take into consideration the cost of living in an area before making a salary offer. For example, a programmer in New York earns an average salary of $93,510 while a programmer in Mississippi earns $65,630. This makes sense considering the cost of rent in New York alone is 445.75% higher than in Jackson, MS.

Additionally, your wage also depends on the concentration of tech companies in the area. In an area like San Francisco, for example, there is a lot of competition for quality tech talent. And as such, coding bootcamp graduates who have the right technical skills may be offered a higher salary. 

Education

Educational background plays a huge role in determining your salary potential. This is because your academic qualification can be an indicator of your level of expertise. A master’s degree holder in machine learning, for example, would have had at least six years of training in a specialized area. This gives them the upper hand in machine learning roles.

However, more and more employers are adopting a skill-based hiring process. Companies, especially in the tech scene, are foregoing the degree requirement in a bid to attract tech talent. This means that although a four-year-degree holder may potentially earn more, there is still a place in tech for other skilled individuals like coding bootcamp grads.

Experience

Experience is also a determining factor when it comes to salary. From an employer’s point of view, a new hire with substantial experience would be able to smoothly transition into their new role at the company. This eliminates the need for extra training, saving the company money and time. For this convenience, companies are willing to fork out extra to bring in seasoned talent.

At the same time, the more experience you have under your belt indicates a high level of expertise in the field. This naturally supports a career progression within a company. And as we know, the higher you are on the career ladder, the higher your salary is.

How to Increase Your Chances of a High Salary After a Coding Bootcamp

We now know that your chances of getting a job after programming bootcamp are high. However, there are still ways to maximize the opportunity by boosting your salary potential. Here are five of our top tips.

• Continue to upskill. After getting your first job post-bootcamp, identify the gap in your skills that prevent you from earning a higher wage. Take advantage of numerous resources where you can learn coding for free and level up with self-study. 
• Work on independent projects. Build a more robust portfolio and expand your skillset by working on real-world projects. You can either take up freelancing opportunities or offer your services for free. This shows your initiative to improve and diversifies your portfolio.
• Relocate after doing research. Some people recommend relocating for a higher-paying job. This may be a worthwhile endeavor but a lot of research is needed. You have to consider the company’s business performance, capacity, and capability. You also have to factor in the cost of living and see if it matches what you would be earning.
• Join training programs or seminars. There are a lot of ways for you to enhance your skills and boost your marketability. You can attend online seminars and specialized training programs, such as coding apprenticeships, to help you fortify your skills and become a more proficient tech talent.
• Expand your network. It is always a good idea to build and maintain a huge network of professional contacts. This exposes you to more opportunities that you would otherwise have no access to. These opportunities may also lead you toward a bigger paycheck.

What Is a Coding Bootcamp Salary Like in 2023?

In 2023, your coding bootcamp salary should be more than comfortable. This is because coding bootcamps are focused on offering intensive training for professionals in the tech community. They are also designed to be career-centric, which means you will walk away with all the tools you need to launch a high-paying career.

The actual range of a coding bootcamp salary, however, varies depending on a lot of factors. Having previous experience or a college degree will certainly maximize your coding bootcamp salary. However, the tech scene still offers significant wages for professionals with only bootcamp education. So, if you want a lucrative job, consider coding bootcamps.

Salary After Coding Bootcamp FAQ