The Future Looks Bright for Coding Bootcamp Graduates

For anyone who wants to learn to code, choosing a bootcamp that makes the esteemed Course Report list is kind of a big deal.

Now, Course Report is looking to students to provide the answers. Their latest report is the result of a survey of 3,043 graduates from 101 coding schools, with a further breakdown of responses from 2020, 2019, and 2018.

The 2020 Coding Bootcamp Alumni Outcomes & Demographics Report has a number of interesting findings with regards to employment outcomes, salaries, and the changing demographics of those who are learning to code.

Here’s a summary of some of the key findings.

Coding bootcamp graduates found employment in relevant fields

The report found that one of the key motivators for students enrolling in a bootcamp where they could learn to code was to gain employment as a programmer. With 91% of graduates reporting this as their reason for applying to a coding bootcamp, it is encouraging to see that 79% of graduates were successful in landing a job where they used the skills that they learnt at a bootcamp.

Employment outcomes were also good in terms of the percentage of graduates who were able to move into full-time work. While 57% of graduates reported working full-time prior to attending a coding bootcamp, it was found that 78% of respondents were working full-time after completing their course.

Bootcamp graduates saw significant boosts to their salary

Respondents to the survey reported a 56% average salary lift in their employment post-graduation. These positive outcomes continued, with the graduates from previous years reporting that their salary continued to increase as they moved into their second (23% lift) and third (19% lift) jobs after graduation.

Another positive outcome was that both women and men were reporting similar salaries after graduation with only a 6% difference in their salary lift. In the United States (where the majority of survey respondents reside and work) the average gender pay gap sees women’s earnings sit at 81.6% of men’s earnings in the computer, engineering, and science occupations.

Another interesting finding was that the length of the bootcamp did appear to show a correlation with post-graduation salary. Graduates of bootcamps that lasted sixteen weeks or more were found to be earning approximately $8,000 more than their peers who attended bootcamps that only lasted eight weeks. This bodes well for Australian graduates, with many of the main coding bootcamps currently running across Australia offering longer courses.

The demographics of those who learn to code are changing

Although the report suggests that there is a long way to go before the demographic make-up of students reflects the wider population, there is a definite sense that things are changing.

Overall, the majority (~69%) of respondents were White/Caucasian, with 17% of Asian ethnicity, and an underrepresentation of Black/African American graduates at only 6%. The results suggest that students do not represent the current population demography, but that this is beginning to change and to shift closer to US census data each year.

The percentage of female graduates who learn to code in a bootcamp setting has been gradually increasing each year. In 2020, 41% of graduates were female. In the last three years, the percentage of female graduates increased each year, while the percentage of graduates identifying as non-binary showed an overall increase.

READ: Improving Gender Diversity in Tech

It’s encouraging to see the report’s results pointing to positive alumni outcomes for so many students. This is even greater news for students considering the results covered years where many industries were struggling with the effects of COVID-19. In a time where many people are looking to upskill or re-train, the future for coding bootcamp alumni looks bright.