How to Learn Python Programming at 11 Python Bootcamps

Table of Contents

• Why Should I Learn Python?
• How to Learn Python
• How to Learn Python for Free: 5 Free Python Courses
• 9 Python Courses for Beginners
• The 11 Best Python Coding Bootcamps
• 1. 4Geeks Academy
• 2. Berkeley Boot Camps
• 3. Byte Academy
• 4. Code Fellows
• 5. Coding Dojo
• 6. Coding Temple
• 7. DigitalCrafts
• 8. Hackbright Academy
• 9. Nashville Software School
• 10. Northwestern Coding Boot Camp
• 11. PDX Code Guild
• 3 Short Intro Courses to Python led by Coding Bootcamps:
• 1. Eleven Fifty
• 2. Code Fellows
• 3. Thinkful

Python is often hailed as one of the best programming languages for first-time coders to learn as they break into programming. It’s the main technology powering big data, finance, and statistics, and its clean syntax reads like English. Python developers are in demand, not to mention the average Python developer in New York City earns $140,000 per year! Companies like Amazon, Dropbox, and Dell are built on this powerful language, making it a great time to learn Python bootcamp. We’re breaking down Python bootcamps, across the country and online, for a range of price points and time commitments.

Why Should I Learn Python?

Python is a back end programming language, which is often used by data scientists, software engineers, and cybersecurity engineers. Python can be as a web programming languages and it can be used for creating data sets, web scraping, and scripting. Since Python syntax is very similar to English, it is a great first language for beginners to learn. Python is a well-documented language and the community is welcoming, which also makes it a great first programming language for coding newbies!

How to Learn Python

The best way to learn Python includes free online courses, building projects, and structured, expert-led classroom time. 

If you're new to coding, Python is a great first programming language! "Python is flexible in that you can use it to do just about anything. It's also forgiving! Python will try to interpret what you mean. Let's say we wanted to add together two words like school and house. In our minds, we would link these two words by using the plus symbol (school + house) which is exactly how you would do it using Python! Python is also one of those languages that leaves plenty of room for growth and ways to improve your code." - Kim Fessel, Senior Data Scientist and Metis Instructor

Step 1: For coding beginners, learn Python online with free courses so you can build a foundation in Python. A good free Python course should teach the fundamentals of Python through Python exercises and mini projects.

Step 2: Once you've got the fundamentals down, it's time to enroll in a coding bootcamp or a data science bootcamp! Learning more about Python with qualified instructors and an expert-created curriculum will help you build the knowledge you need for a software engineering or data role. We've made it easy to find a bootcamp that works for you through our GetMatched tool. 

Step 3: When you are an experienced Python programmer, it's time to specialize. With advanced Python knowledge, you can specialize in data science or machine learning.

How to Learn Python for Free: 5 Free Python Courses

These five, free Python courses are great for anyone just starting to learn Python:

9 Python Courses for Beginners

If you are looking to learn the basics of Python before enrolling at a coding bootcamp, check out these online resources:

1. Knowledge Pillars: Python Coding Specialist
2. Noble Desktop: Python Classes in NYC or Live Online
3. Codecademy: Python
4. Coursera: Python for Everybody Specialization
5. EdX: Start Programming with Python
6. Kim Fessel, a Senior Data Scientist and Instructor at Metis, suggests Check.io, which is a gamified way to learn Python. And Coding Bat, which has a ton of different practice problems.
7. Joel Carter, the Director of Curriculum at Coding Temple, suggests Real Python, GeeksforGeeks, and Pythontutor.

The 11 Best Python Coding Bootcamps

NOTE: All of these code schools are in-person coding bootcamps with at least one campus in the USA. There are also online coding bootcamps which may teach you how to learn Python, and many data science bootcamps teach Python.

(in alphabetical order)

1. 4Geeks Academy

• Why: 4Geeks Academy offers a part-time coding bootcamp teaching students via a flipped classroom model. Students learn concepts at home via video and documentation, then class time is used for practical exercises, projects, debates, and mentoring. The program has a focus on JavaScript and Python.
• Where: Miami, FL; Venezuela
• Cost: $6000
• Bootcamp Length: 16 weeks (part time)

2. Berkeley Boot Camps

• Why: As part of UC Berkeley's Extension offerings, Berkeley Bootcamp offers full-time and part-time courses in full-stack web development which covers JavaScript, Python, Django and more. The program includes career services, events, and workshops, and graduates receive a certificate of completion from UC Berkeley.
• Where: San Francisco, CA, Berkeley, CA, Belmont, CA
• Cost: $11,995
• Bootcamp Length: 12 weeks (full time) or 24 weeks (part time)

3. Byte Academy

• Why: Anyone who wants to break into FinTech or programming in general should take a long look at Byte Academy, where the team teaches both. Students get a chance to learn about the dominant technologies in finance like Python, as well as the financial concepts that make those technologies useful. Instructor Greg Piccolo explains the advantages of Python in Finance: “Python has the best numbers library of any modern scripting language. Python also has the best plotting libraries and these are all important in FinTech right now.”
• Where: New York, NY
• Cost: $10,000 (Course Report readers get an exclusive Course Report scholarship to Byte Academy!)
• Bootcamp Length: 3 months (full time)

“Byte Academy has devised a great finance and technology programming bootcamp. I went from having no programming experience to completing a kickass fintech project in three months. Highly recommend.” - Anonymous via Course Report

4. Code Fellows

• Why: It can be easy to forget that the West Coast isn't just comprised of California. Go a little bit north and find Code Fellows in Seattle and Portland where they’re offering Development Accelerators to get you moving faster than you thought possible in a number of areas, including Python. Read an interview with Code Fellows instructor Beth Adele Long.
• Where: Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR.
• Cost: $12,000
• Bootcamp Length: 10 weeks (full time)

“If you have the desire, the money, the drive to learn (and keep learning), and you can afford a few months of life without making any money to fully jump into something, Code Fellows is a high-quality school offering a lot of potential growth. It was quite literally a life- and career-altering decision for me, and I'm thankful I got the opportunity to attend.” - Mark Palfreeman via Course Report

5. Coding Dojo

• Why: Students at Coding Dojo can choose to learn three out of five coding languages as part of the web development bootcamp. Those five languages include Python, Ruby on Rails, LAMP, MEAN, and iOS. Coding Dojo staff believe that all programmers should know multiple programming languages to be successful and versatile. Read our interview with ex-NASA developer turned Coding Dojo instructor Daniel Oostra.
• Where: Seattle, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Washington DC, Dallas, Tulsa 
• Cost: $7500 (online), $9995 (Dallas), $11,995 (LA, Chicago), $12,995 (DC), $13,995 (Silicon Valley, Seattle)
• Bootcamp Length: 14 weeks (full time)

"Going to Coding Dojo was a game-changer for me...The immersive experience was just what I needed to get my hands dirty and get the wheels of a programming mind turning. Through the many hours I spent coding, I can say that it worked. The payoff was great as long as you put in the work. The teachers were kind and helpful" - Anonymous reviewer via Course Report.

6. Coding Temple

• Why: Coding Temple's full stack curriculum focuses on Python, and prepares bootcamp students for software engineering and data roles after graduation. Students will learn how to design, build, test, analyze, debug, and deploy functional web applications and data analytics. Read our interview with a Coding Temple graduate who became a Developer Relations Engineer.
• Where: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, DC and Online
• Cost: $13,995 (full-time), $10,000 (part-time)
• Bootcamp Length: 10 weeks (full-time), 12 weeks (part-time)

"My overall experience was great at Coding Temple. Prior to joining Coding Temple I had absolutely no experience in coding. What coding temple does is it provides the students with everything you need to succeed. They have great instructors... who are very knowledgable and open to questions during and after classes. You also have support from TA's after class and on weekends. I can confidently say that after graduating, Coding Temple has given me the skills and tools to enter the job market." - Ronald Ramirez vis Course Report

7. DigitalCrafts

• Why: DigitalCrafts offers full-time and part-time full-stack developer bootcamps via an intensive classroom experience and instructors who have real-world development experience. DigitalCrafts covers JavaScript, Python, React, NodeJS and other technologies.
• Where: Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX
• Cost: $13,950 (full time), $9500 (part time)
• Length: 16 weeks (full time), 24 weeks (part time)

8. Hackbright Academy

• Why: Hackbright Academy runs a quarterly engineering fellowship for women in San Francisco. It’s a 12-week program that covers the fundamentals of computer science and web development, including but not limited to Python. 90% of graduates receive full-time job offers, and it’s in no small part because of the impressive partnerships Hackbright has with companies like Facebook and Pinterest. Hackbright is a big supporter of Python because of its utility as a teaching language and its wide use at the commercial level. Check out this interview with Hackbright instructor Bonnie.
• Where: San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, CA
• Cost: $16,570 
• Bootcamp Length: 12 weeks (full time), 24 weeks (part time)

“I’m really happy that I went somewhere Python-focused and more focused on CS fundamentals than just learning Rails as a web framework.  Now, it’s going to be easy for me to pick up Ruby and Rails, whereas it might be less easy to go the other way. I think it’s probably likely that where I end up will be a Rails shop, but I’m glad that I learned Python first.” - Siena Aguayo via Course Report

9. Nashville Software School

• Why: This nonprofit vocational school is committed to growing diversity in tech, and provides hands-on, project, and team-based education to prepare students for software development roles. Students can choose between programs which teach C# + .NET, JavaScript + NodeJS, Ruby on Rails, or Python + Django.
• Where: Nashville, TN
• Cost: $11,900
• Bootcamp Length: 6 months (full time), 12 months (part time)

10. Northwestern Coding Boot Camp

• Why: Taught at the Northwestern University campuses, this coding bootcamp covers full-stack JavaScript, Python, and MongoDB. Students are taught the fundamentals by instructors and TAs, and learn how to apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems.
• Where: Evanston, or Chicago, IL
• Cost: $10,000
• Bootcamp Length: 12 weeks (full time), 24 weeks (part time)

11. PDX Code Guild

• Why: Students learn Python, SQL, and JavaScript in small classes with individual projects and group study.
• Where: Portland, OR
• Cost: $12,500
• Bootcamp Length: 12 weeks (full time), 16 weeks (part time)

3 Short Intro Courses to Python led by Coding Bootcamps:

1. Eleven Fifty

• Why: Eleven Fifty pushes students to make the most of their time in an intense coding environment. Their Python course is no exception as students will spend a focused 5 days learning how to build web applications and web servers and frameworks. Scott Jones is a proven name in the tech industry and Eleven Fifty is a proven name in tech education. A lot can happen in 5 days.
• Where: Indianapolis, IN
• Cost: $2500
• Bootcamp Length: 5 days

“The instruction was phenomenal and very hands on, I was typing my own code and editing images and actually understanding what was being taught. I felt comfortable asking questions at times when I didn't fully grasp certain concepts, but the course itself moved at a pace that kept me from feeling like I was drowning. I couldn't be happier with Eleven Fifty and the investment I made in this class. I will certainly be returning for more advanced classes in the future!” - Trevor Steele via Course Report

2. Code Fellows

• Why: In addition to their intensive Development Accelerators, Code Fellows also offers 4 week Foundations night courses. The Foundations course serves as an introduction to the Python language and its core concepts. Students will leave with the basic knowledge they need to excel in whatever their next Python endeavor is.
• Where: Seattle, WA and Portland, OR.
• Cost: $1500
• Bootcamp Length: 4 weeks (Monday/Wednesday)

3. Thinkful

• Why: Don’t want to commit to a bootcamp? Can’t find the time or the money, or just don’t want to leave where you are? Thinkful offers serious 1-on-1 online mentorship in a variety of subjects. Thinkful has both a general Programming in Python course as well as a Data Science in Python course. Students will build projects and learn to use relational databases in conjunction with Python. The general course covers the basics of data science as well.
• Where: Online
• Cost: $500
• Bootcamp Length: 3 months (10/15 hours per week)

“One could argue that you could find similar projects to work on and just use free tools. Maybe. But for me the bundle of the Thinkful curriculum, plus mentor, plus projects was really a winning formula. Different people learn in different ways. But if you're busy with a day job and family, and are serious about learning, I really would recommend Thinkful. It will save you time and maximize your learning. Good luck!” - Edoe Cohen via Course Report