Top 10 Los Angeles coding bootcamps and colleges to learn to code

The average base salary range for a software engineer in Los Angeles is $130,791- $151,128.

Los Angeles has a large and active tech industry for job seekers and its expanding technology landscape continues to raise the demand for software engineers in the United States.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the demand for software engineers will increase by 13% between the years 2020 and 2030, surpassing all other industries.

So, if you are interested in a career in tech, researching educational programs will be crucial to help you find the right program that will help you become competitive in the job market.

There are a couple of options.

First, there's always a 4-year degree program you can attend at a college or university.

You can also attend a coding bootcamp where each specific program only teaches the narrow, specific skills you need for a specific technical role.

There's also the self-taught route, which some can do. However, more than half never finish.

What's most important is that you choose the path that's right for you.

Many companies are dropping their degree requirements, so depending on the career you want, you may not need to invest the time and money in a 4-year degree.

See our other blogs in the Los Angeles series on the most popular Los Angeles tech jobs, and the tech companies located there.

Some things to consider when making that decision are cost, time commitment, learning style, and the skills you want to acquire.

The below information can help you narrow down what career might interest you, then you can research the best path to gain the skills required for that career.

Top 5 Los Angeles Universities and Colleges Teaching Computer Science

Attending a university to earn a computer science degree offers students a chance to study full-time and on-campus. The following school are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology ABET.

1. The University of Southern California (USC): USC is a private university that offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in computer science and computer engineering. A computer science undergraduate program is four years and costs $61,503 per year.
2. The University of California-Irvine (UCI): UCI is a public university offering 3 computer science degree programs and is one of the most preferred in Los Angeles since its class of 2020 had 897 computer science graduates. Studying computer science at the institution costs $13,775 per year for in-state students.
3. California State University, Fullerton (CSUF): CSUF a public university that offers 2 computer science degree programs. Learning computer science at the institution costs $7,102 per year for for in-state students and the program lasts four years.
4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): Computer Science is the most popular major at Caltech and tuition is $77,718 per year.
5. The University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) – UCLA is a large public university and offers 3 computer science degree programs. Tuition is $66,541 per year.

Top Bootcamps Offering Computer Science Programs in Los Angeles

Coding bootcamps have either online, in-person, or hybrid options.

Here is a list of the best bootcamps in Los Angeles:

1. Nucamp: It is an online coding bootcamp focusing on DevOps, mobile app development, full stack web, backend, SQL, Python, and web development. The program lasts 4-22 weeks depending on the subject a student chooses. A student will pay under $500 for web development fundamentals, and under $2,500 for the more advanced frontend, full stack, and backend coding bootcamps. Nucamp has a career service that helps its graduates search for jobs in the tech industry.
2. Code Smith: It is an onsite and online bootcamp teaching software engineering. The full stack development course spans 13 weeks for full-time students and 38 weeks for part-time students. Tuition is $19,950.
3. LearningFuze offers online and in-person classes. Their full-stack web development bootcamp is full-time over 14 weeks and cost $15,995 for in-person and online. The 12-week part-time Web Development course is online and costs $4,695.
4. Sabio Courses offers in-person and online classes. Their full-stack development bootcamp is full-time over 13 weeks and costs $15,000 for in-person and online.
5. Coding Dojo is an online coding bootcamp that teaches software development. Its 14-week full-time course is $16,995 and its 16-week part-time course is $9,995.

Tips for Selecting the Best Technical Training Program

1. Length of the Program

Software Development programs vary in time commitment and length depending on the type and level of certification. If you work full-time, then a part-time online coding bootcamp will likely be the best choice. If the career you want requires a degree, then consider attending a university. Keep in mind that employers will often consider applicants who don't meet their stated degree requirements as long as they can demonstrate equivalent experience.

2. Cost

Research the tuitions of different institutions to find the program that is most affordable for you. If the program you want is expensive, consider financing options or find a more cost-effective alternative.

3. The Reputation of the Program

Read LinkedIn and other online reviews for people who graduated from the university or bootcamp and see what they say about the program.

4. Career Services

Look into what career services the program offers after graduation. The key benefits you will want are help with your resume, practice interviews, and guidance on how to efficiently conduct your job hunt.

Key Takeaways

Software engineering and computer programming can lead to some of the most lucrative careers in the technology industry.

In Los Angeles, the high demand for software engineers makes finding a job in tech feasible.

Whichever path you take, tell your friends and family your plans and find the support you need to accomplish your goal.

One last thing, taking a course in computer programming will help you improve your resume, gain in-demand technical skills, and get a tech job in Los Angeles.

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