For anyone trying to break into the field of programming with limited or no experience, a coding bootcamp is the best way to start. Bootcamps are more fast-paced than traditional single courses—and though they take longer to complete, they are far shorter than pursuing a formal college degree in your subject area. These programs are designed for comprehensive career preparation and skills-focused training, but bootcamps also provide the opportunity to meet like-minded programmers and even find a coding mentor.
Coding is a broad specialty that can be applied to many career paths, so before you choose a bootcamp you should narrow your focus. Some possibilities include mobile development, software engineering, computer science, and front-end, back-end, or full-stack development. Each of these fields requires nuanced education—while some may overlap or use similar programming languages or concepts, you should still look for a bootcamp that suits your needs.
When compared with a college education, coding bootcamps are a fast and affordable way to break into a tech-related career path. The technological landscape is constantly growing—in fact, tech jobs in Colorado have grown nearly 30% in the last decade. Since you can apply coding skills in tech and other industries, these training programs are a worthwhile investment for any aspiring programmer.
Denver Careers for Coding Bootcamp Graduates
Depending on the program you choose, there are many Denver career opportunities for coding bootcamp graduates you can look into. In web development, you can pursue Front-end, Back-end, and Full Stack Developer positions. There are also Developer careers that specialize in specific programming languages like Ruby, Python, SQL, and JavaScript. Other paths include Mobile Developer, Software Engineer, and Computer Scientist.
The majority of these coding careers earn an annual salary at or above $100,000, which is far higher than Denver’s local median income. It is especially more than you might hope to make at entry-level jobs that don’t require a lot of experience like Call Center Representatives or Data Entry Clerks, which tend to bring in less than $35,000 a year. Though a long training program might seem expensive at first, it would pay for itself in almost no time at all once you land a coding position.
Once you are ready to apply, you can look for work in one of Colorado’s many tech startups, though that is not your only option. Many of the state’s key industries involve coding in one way or another—it is used daily in fields like healthcare, finance, engineering, and transportation to create websites, applications, and other programs or user interfaces.
In-Person Coding Bootcamps in Denver
If you are looking for an in-person coding bootcamp, there are several to choose from in the Denver area. Schools including Turing, University of Denver, Flatiron School, Hack Reactor, General Assembly, and Galvanize all offer 100% face-to-face courses. Another option, ONLC, has live online courses with the option to attend at their onsite computer lab.
At these Denver coding schools, you will find bootcamps for various specialties. There are immersive courses in software engineering, data science, web design, and web development across front-end, back-end, and full-stack. These courses all last several weeks, with some as long as 7 months—though even the longest bootcamp is still far shorter in duration than a college degree. While bootcamps are generally meant to be an immersive and full-time experience, some courses do offer evening schedules which allow you to acquire a new skill without sacrificing your day job.
Virtual Coding Bootcamps
Although there are many in-person coding bootcamps in Denver, you may wish to learn programming without commuting the busy streets. Live online courses provide the same hands-on instruction and real-time feedback you’d get from an in-person course, only you can attend from wherever you are—including your living room or home office!
Noble Desktop’s virtual curriculum contains multiple virtual coding bootcamps created to prepare you for a new career or change in specialty on an accelerated timeline. You can find courses focused on front-end, back-end, full-stack, data science, and financial technology. The Software Engineering Certificate is perfect for aspiring Software Engineers or Full Stack Developers, and there is also a Front-End Web Development Certificate or Data Science Certificate if those fields are of interest. All three of these certificates offer multiple one-on-one mentorship sessions which can help you work through complex concepts, polish your LinkedIn profile and/or resume, and otherwise offer valuable support throughout the course and even your job search.
There are a few other virtual providers that have coding bootcamps if you are looking for alternatives. Some coding schools you could look into include General Assembly, Metis, DigitalCrafts, Fullstack Academy, Ironhack, Coding Dojo, and Flatiron School, among others. There are many bootcamps to choose from with diverse specialties and flexible scheduling. Some even offer part-time training at 10-12 hours a week rather than the 40 (or more) you’ll see in the full-time programs.
Coding Classes in Denver
Bootcamps can be a daunting commitment, especially when some courses require the commitment level of a full-time job. One way to see if you are ready for a coding bootcamp is to dip your toe into the subject by taking a shorter course. This allows you to get started with a topic to make sure it's right for you before leaping into an immersive program that lasts several weeks or months.
Thinking about taking a class? Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool has located over 70 coding classes in Denver with both in-person and live online availability. There is a class for nearly any coding-related specialty you can think of, so it’s simply a matter of picking a class or two to start with. The 6-hour Python for Automation workshop is a great choice if you already know some HTML and CSS—if not, you can find it in the 18-hour Web Development Level 1 among other concepts.
Choosing a Coding Bootcamp
With the plethora of available options to choose from, you might be wondering how to decide which coding bootcamp to complete. Even bootcamps that seem similar at first glance will have differentiating factors that set them apart. A few of the criteria you’ll want to take into account are class format, scheduling, and cost.
As for the format, you will need to choose in-person or virtual courses based on what best fits your learning style and home environment. Scheduling and duration of courses are also important; you may only have the bandwidth for a part-time program, or perhaps you are looking to go all-in with a 70+ hour/week commitment. The cost is one of the most important considerations—while any coding bootcamp would be a worthwhile investment in your future, you should not choose a bootcamp that will cause financial struggle.
If you have already narrowed your search to a few bootcamps but can’t choose one, think about what the programs offer beyond the educational value alone. For instance, do they provide advantages like one-on-one coaching or job placement assistance? Mentors and career services can last years or even decades, making them valuable assets long after the course is over. Bootcamps that offer one or both of these benefits are absolutely worth a second thought.