Kenzie Academy: Find Top Courses & Training Locations

Kenzie Academy is collaborating with Amazon Technical Academy to launch an online Software Engineering Program with back end Java specialization for those looking to transition into a rewarding career in software development. They also offer a UX Design program with instructors that are currently working in the field.

In 2017, Chok Ooi founded Kenzie Academy as a way to help people prepare for careers in technology. He wanted to make tech education more affordable and accessible, especially for underserved communities. In addition to teaching in-demand skills like coding and web design, Chok built a curriculum that also contains soft skills like problem solving, interviewing, teamwork, and effective communication.

Kenzie Academy was acquired by Southern New Hampshire University in 2021, and now operates as a nonprofit division of the university. The acquisition will allow Kenzie to expand its offering even further to include alternative credentials and other programs to help students build skills and prepare for careers in high-demand fields. According to Paul LeBlanc, President and CEO of Southern New Hampshire University, “SNHU and Kenzie are a natural fit because we share a mission to help bring higher education to learners who have often been left behind by traditional higher education.”

School Locations

Currently, all Kenzie Academy courses are taught online. This makes them accessible from any location, to students based in the U.S. as well as international learners.

Subjects Taught at Kenzie Academy

Kenzie Academy currently offers courses in software engineering, UX (user experience) design, and full stack web development. You can compare their selection with other schools in your area by searching through Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. From shorter UX design or web development courses to long-form coding bootcamps, you’ll be able to see how Kenzie stacks up to your local providers.

What Classes Are Available?

There are three programs currently offered in the Kenzie Academy catalog: a Software Engineering Program offered in partnership with Amazon Technical Academy, a UX Design Certificate, and a Full Stack Web Development (MERN) Certificate. Each program is meant to prepare its graduates for a career in the field, and all three are open to beginners without coding experience.

The software engineering course is a solid choice for aspiring coders who are interested in learning about back end languages and frameworks such as Java, SQL, and DynamoDB, among others. The web development certificate is full stack, meaning that it involves both front end and back end languages—this can lead to further versatility in the job market since graduates understand coding from all angles. The UX design certificate is great for students who might be intimidated by (or have less interest in) coding, since it is geared more toward user research, testing, and building wireframes/prototypes of websites and apps as opposed to actually having to code them.

Class Formats

All Kenzie Academy courses are offered in a remote online format, but there is plenty of room for customization. Each program typically runs for nine months, though there is an option to extend the Software Engineering Program to a full year if you are entering as a beginner. The first three months are geared toward coding fundamentals, which you can skip if you already have some experience.

Beyond the initial length of the course, students will work with a Kenzie Advisor to build a custom schedule. This generally consists of 30 to 40 hours per week, a large portion of which is independent study. Other set blocks of time can include topic sessions, Q&A sessions, study halls, and application reviews.

Admissions Process

To apply for a Kenzie Academy program, there are a few basic requirements. Students must have a high school diploma or equivalent certification; they also need to be at least 18 years old and fluent in English. Those who fit these qualifications are free to apply using Kenzie’s online application form. After the form has been submitted, the next step is a 30-minute phone or video interview with an Admissions Counselor who will determine whether or not Kenzie is the best fit for your goals and needs. Once accepted, you’ll settle payment details and begin course preparation through Kenzie Academy Launchpad, a valuable resource for tips and tricks as well as practice exercises.

Pricing & Payment Options

Each of Kenzie’s programs is different, so their tuition naturally varies as well. The UX Design Certificate is $13,000, the Full Stack Web Development Program is $18,000, and the Software Engineering Program is $16,000 to $20,000 depending on how you pay. The $16,000 figure is for those who have the funds to pay upfront and save 20%, or there is a 24-month payment plan that comes with 10% off. In this option, students pay a $500 down payment followed by $729.17 per month for a total of $18,000. This payment plan can also be deferred until six months after graduation—however, the monthly payments will be higher at $812.50 per month for the two-year plan for a total of $20,000.

Career Support Services

Because Kenzie Academy programs are geared toward career preparation, they also have several supports in place to make sure students are able to find work after completing a course. Their talent placement team works with over 250 employers to help connect their graduates with technology and enterprise companies across the nation, and career readiness is also addressed in the curriculum through topics like job interviews and resume preparation. Additionally, graduates of the Software Engineering Program are able to apply for engineering roles at Amazon without the traditionally required four-year degree in computer science.

Alumni Outcomes

Depending on their course, Kenzie graduates emerge with the skills needed to obtain development and UX design jobs. Potential job titles and specialties include Software Developer, Quality Assurance (QA), Project Manager, Product Manager, Sales Engineer, UX Designer, and AWS DevOps Engineer. Many of these roles earn well above the local median salary in any given state, with some earning at or near six figures—especially as you move past entry-level positions into mid-level and senior-level roles.

What Do Students Say?

One of the best ways to get a feel for the experience of a school is to read the reviews and feedback of its former students. On review websites like Career Karma and Course Report, Kenzie Academy is highly favored, with a near five-star rating from its alumni.

The positive reviews of Kenzie focus on the hands-on learning environment, knowledgeable instructors, and challenging (but attainable) curriculum. One student stated, “Kenzie Academy and the software engineering program has been an incredible experience. I feel like they fully prepared me for a new role in the software engineering industry.” This reviewer went on to say that they would “recommend this course to all that are interested in the industry as being one of the best programs available.”

While most reviews are positive, there are some students who felt like they had a “lack of guidance” when starting the program, especially those who were not Mac users as that was the preferred operating system for the instructional team. One student also expressed disappointment about the lack of in-person training; they felt that “distractions would be minimal [if they were] on campus every day” rather than doing everything from home.

Pros & Cons

While researching tech programs and certificates, you’ll find that all schools come with positive and negative factors. Use the pro and con lists below as a supplement to your search.

Pros of Kenzie Academy Courses

Full career preparation in high-demand fields (software engineering, web development, and UX design)
Remote courses; learn from anywhere!
Customizable schedule built to fit around your availability and other commitments
Numerous financing options including monthly payments and deferred tuition
Open to beginners without coding/design experience

Cons of Kenzie Academy Courses

Subjects limited to coding and UX (no other specialties like graphic design, data science, etc)
Courses are online only; no in-person options for those who prefer to learn that way
High cost; even with financing, $20,000 may be more than some are able to afford

Top Courses at Kenzie Academy

Find the perfect course for you at Kenzie Academy. We’ve selected 2 of Kenzie Academy’s most popular courses. View the course catalog at kenzie.academy

Software Engineering Program Full-Time
Kenzie’s Software Engineering program is a 9-month full-stack certification program. The first 6 months of the program are focused on front-end development and the final 3 months center on back-end development. Students learn essential coding languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MongoDB, Django, and SQL. New cohorts begin every January, April, July, and October. Program graduates currently work as Software Engineers, Mobile App Developers, and Front-End Designers.
Locations:
- Indianapolis
- Live Online
- $20,100
- 9 Months, 36 hr/wk
- Weekdays
- Beginner
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UX Design Career Program Part-Time
In Kenzie’s UX Design program, students learn how to design functional, beautiful websites and applications. Over the course of 6 months, students go through a project-based curriculum and learn essential principles of user interface and user experience design. The collaborative nature of the program gives students a taste of what it’s like to work on a product design team. New cohorts begin every January, April, July, and October. Program graduates currently work as Web Designers, UX/UI Designers, and Mobile App Designers.
Locations:
- Indianapolis
- Live Online
- $11,000
- 6 Months, 12 hr/wk
- Weekdays
- Beginner
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showing 2 of 2 courses

Subjects Taught at Kenzie Academy

Front-End Web Development

Websites are created by writing code. Web browsers read that code, and in turn create a webpage like this page you're currently reading. The code which affects what you see in the browser is called front-end code. People who write that code are called front-end developers.

In-Person Front-End Web Development Classes Live Online Front-End Web Development Classes

Software Engineering

Software engineering is the process of creating applications for operating systems, as well as writing operating systems themselves. Software Engineers use a strong knowledge of coding and development to create and modify computer programs.

In-Person Software Engineering Classes Live Online Software Engineering Classes Software Engineering Bootcamps

UX Design

User experience (UX) designers work on creating functional, meaningful, and enjoyable user experiences. UX design focuses on ease of use, navigation, and functionality of products (which are commonly digital products such as websites and apps).

In-Person UX Design Classes Live Online UX Design Classes UX Design Bootcamps

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Kenzie Academy

School Locations

Subjects Taught at Kenzie Academy

What Classes Are Available?

Class Formats

Admissions Process

Pricing & Payment Options

Career Support Services

Alumni Outcomes

What Do Students Say?

Pros & Cons

Top Courses at Kenzie Academy

Software Engineering Program Full-Time

UX Design Career Program Part-Time

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Subjects Taught at Kenzie Academy

Front-End Web Development

Software Engineering

UX Design

Map of Kenzie Academy Locations