Top 5 Coding Languages that will Get You a Job in Atlanta

This blog post is one of four in the series Learning to Code in Atlanta. 

With a relatively good cost of living, Metro Atlanta is attracting both start-ups and established tech companies. What’s more, Atlanta is attracting talent and retaining those who may have headed to Silicon Valley in the past. If fact, it has become among the top 10 cities in the nation for tech growth in recruitment and growing talent, according to Metro Atlanta CEO.

Then came COVID-19. As with the rest of the nation, the pandemic cooled consumer spending, tourist and business visitors, and special events.

The good news: from a fiscal perspective, Georgia was among the “least exposed” states to the coronavirus in the nation, according to Curbed Atlanta. New construction in Atlanta has continued, real estate values are on the rise, and parks and other public states have stayed open as other cities went on lockdown.

For a city its size, Atlanta also had a relatively small number of cases. Also, the pre-COVID economy was booming and  is slowly recovering so experts are hopeful the economy will soon bounce back.  Even better, some heavy hitters like Microsoft will soon have a presence here.

Still, the unprecedented job cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic – and the threat that some of those jobs in Atlanta will never come back – made many consider what skill sets are a safe bet for next steps in their careers. If you’ve considered exploring something in the tech field, but can’t afford – or don’t want  to go back to school, or learn online, a bootcamp in computer coding might be just the ticket.

Coding Bootcamps in Atlanta

There are a number of boot camps available - with a range of curricula and prices - in Metro Atlanta. And many more “virtual” options. The price range of bootcamps is as varied as what you’ll learn there. If cost and value are important to you (and who doesn’t want the best deal?), consider a “hybrid” (online and in-person) bootcamp.

So how do you know what coding languages to take to land you that first great job? Let’s look at the top five. 

Top Five Coding Languages at Atlanta Bootcamps

1.) Hypertext markup language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS)

2.) JavaScript

JavaScript is a programming language that is sometimes compared and confused with CSS. Both are visually focused and give you transferrable skills you can build on later. While CSS, however, is used to create static and permanent web pages, JavaScript is dynamic and you’re able to do more sophisticated features like animations and page “sliders.” 

Since It’s so versatile, interactive and widespread, mastering JavaScript is likely to land you a good job.

The average salary for a JavaScript Developer in Atlanta is $124K, according to Indeed.

3.) React

While we’re on the subject of JavaScript, a coding language that is based on JavaScript is React, which allows developers to create attractive, dynamic, functional user interfaces without having to reload (React Native does everything the original platform does on mobile).

The pair, which are a great way to reach people on iOS and Android platforms, allow you to package an entire website into a mobile app.

The average pay for this expertise varies from $92K to $165K, according to Glassdoor.

4.) Bootstrap

How about if you want to incorporate all of the above? Bootstrap is a free, open-source, interactive repository for HTML, CSS and JavaScript code. This web development framework is a front-end developer’s dream! With Bootstrap, you don’t have to create code from scratch; you can “steal” freely available blocks of code. This powerful tool enables developers and designers to build websites quickly and easily, giving them more time to focus on the interface.


Average income in Atlanta for Bootstrap proficiency: $85K to $159K, according to ZipRecruiter.

5.) Learning Full Stack 

If you’ve got the basics down and want to take your skill set and experience to the next level, consider becoming a full-stack expert, which is someone who can develop a web application from front end (appearance and aesthetics, the part of a website that developers interact with and the user experiences) to back (the “server side”), and the software code that connects them.   

With the broad expertise comes good pay. The average salary of a full-stack engineer in Atlanta is $115,000, according to ZipRecruiter. 

Tech Growth Expected in in Atlanta

There you have it: the top five languages to help you get a job in the tech sector. And you’re living in one of the best cities for tech-job growth – regardless of the pandemic. 

One place where you can learn all of these languages is Nucamp. With an eye to costs and value, and a commitment to quality instruction, Nucamp curriculum is designed to help coding students get a job in the tech sector. This community focused bootcamp has a hybrid approach: online and immersive (live) study. Given social distancing policy, for now bootcamps are remote. But you’ll still have access to live, hands-on, instructor-led classes. It’s the next best thing to being there! 

There are myriad other languages to learn but any of these will get you started in a new career with a bankable future.