The Tech Academy
The Tech Academy is a trade school headquartered in Portland, Oregon that offers full-time and part-time bootcamps online and in-person at their Portland campus. The Tech Academy offers part-time and full-time bootcamps in computer programming, website development, cybersecurity, game development, mobile development, data science, front-end development, tech marketing, and tech sales. The immersive experience aims to create well-rounded technology professionals, and also gives students the option to take the course at their own pace. There are also no set starts dates or rigid scheduling. Students can enroll at any time, study from home, and choose whatever study schedule they would like.
The Tech Academy’s bootcamps cover topics including computer science fundamentals, programming basics, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, C#, Python, Bootstrap, jQuery, React.js, project management, Agile, Scrum, MVC, version control, Java, and more. Each bootcamp also includes a Live Project, where students gain real-life experience to add to their resume as well as job placement assistance.
None of The Tech Academy's bootcamps require any tech background or experience. To apply, applicants need to take an IQ test with logic-based questions (to ensure applicants can read, write and perform basic math), followed by an admissions interview.
The final part of every The Tech Academy bootcamp is the Job Placement Course which covers interviewing skills, resume writing, where to find tech jobs, and gives students access to job placement staff who assist students in landing technical positions.
421 The Tech Academy Reviews
- AndySoftware Developer in Test • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • DenverVerified by LinkedInMar 07, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Worth it
I joined the Tech Academy after having worked on an indie game project by myself for 2.5 years. The game alone was not enough to get me a job in software; I didn't get a single interview despite applying all around.
After a couple months of intensive online coursework I understood how computers work a lot better, plus added a lot more programming languages and frameworks to my resume. This allowed me to finally start getting interviews from software companies in Denver and guess ...
I joined the Tech Academy after having worked on an indie game project by myself for 2.5 years. The game alone was not enough to get me a job in software; I didn't get a single interview despite applying all around.
After a couple months of intensive online coursework I understood how computers work a lot better, plus added a lot more programming languages and frameworks to my resume. This allowed me to finally start getting interviews from software companies in Denver and guess what? I nailed my very first one and received a job offer with an excellent salary for an entry level position before I even finished the live project exercise.
Tech Academy was absolutely worth it for me. Does that guarantee it will be worth it for you too? If you only do the minimum amount of coursework and have no background in software to begin with then maybe not, but if you're motivated enough to go the extra mile and put the skills they teach you to use then it will serve you well. They teach everything you need to know to get started in IT.
- JustinJunior Developer/Support Engineer • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • SeattleVerified by LinkedInMar 05, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Successful career shift thanks to the Tech Academy
The Tech Academy brought me from knowing essentially nothing about programming to landing a junior developer job in NYC in a matter of months.
One of the best parts about the academy is lifetime access to the learning modules. To prepare for recent interviews I revisited the SQL course, did some JavaScript review and went over a large portion of the C# course long after I completed them. This helped tremendously to keep my knowledge fresh so I could perform strongly during interv...
The Tech Academy brought me from knowing essentially nothing about programming to landing a junior developer job in NYC in a matter of months.
One of the best parts about the academy is lifetime access to the learning modules. To prepare for recent interviews I revisited the SQL course, did some JavaScript review and went over a large portion of the C# course long after I completed them. This helped tremendously to keep my knowledge fresh so I could perform strongly during interviews.
The most valuable thing I learned is the ability to find the answer to pretty much anything. I have a totally different mindset when presented with a problem, both inside and outside of technology. Due to the way the course is set up in preparing us to "think like programmers," I am much more adept at solving issues than previously.
It took longer to land a job than I anticipated. I guess I was one of the late bloomers, having graduated just over 6 months ago. Nevertheless, I didn't despair but kept moving forward, continuing to gain knowledge and experience. It has sure paid off!
If I had the chance to do it again and the full Software Developer Bootcamp (with 4 live projects) was available, I would definitely choose that one. There is absolutely no substitute for producing your own code and contributing in a team environment.
- Dani AmsalemWeb Developer • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • PortlandVerified by LinkedInFeb 21, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Time to Boot Up
I recently graduated from The Tech Academy's C# Bootcamp and today I received my first job offer in NYC!
Like you, I read a ton of reviews before deciding to go with Tech Academy. But I was fortunate to also have friends who had attended and gotten jobs. In other words, I had a handful of personal referrals.
Sure, The Tech Academy is typically more affordable than other bootcamps, but don't make that your reason to attend.
I chose The Tech Ac...
I recently graduated from The Tech Academy's C# Bootcamp and today I received my first job offer in NYC!
Like you, I read a ton of reviews before deciding to go with Tech Academy. But I was fortunate to also have friends who had attended and gotten jobs. In other words, I had a handful of personal referrals.
Sure, The Tech Academy is typically more affordable than other bootcamps, but don't make that your reason to attend.
I chose The Tech Academy because:
- The staff are friendly, supportive, and typically, very knowledgeable.
- The program is broad and provides a lot of valuable information giving you a solid foundation to learn more as a developer.
- You can attend on a hybrid basis (study in one of their many campuses AND online).
Sure, it was still a risk. I didn't know if results were typical. I read one review stating that the bootcamp was pretty darn tough. So I went in expecting complexity, grueling work, and little social interaction.
I was fortunate to have a mother-in-law who lives right by the HQ in Portland who offered to let me stay at her place. She showed me how to get around and so I was able to take advantage of all the HQ has to offer (highly recommended).
Getting started felt slow. In fact, I felt like I was dragging my behind. Chatting and connecting with other students who were ahead of me incentivized me to push on and get through. You actually start programming on the second course, and doing that felt incredible.
I have experience in HTML and CSS, so that course was relatively easy for me. But JavaScript was a bit tough for me. The course was easy. But retaining the concepts was tough.
The final course was C#. I got halfway through the course before I finally understood what object-oriented-programming was. Let me give this advice now, comprehend that concept before and during the course. If you can get the relationship between objects and classes, you'll have a much better time on it.
I actually saw one student leave while at the very end of C#, her final course. Wow! What a waste of time and effort. She was so close to completing and getting to job placement. I'm willing to bet she didn't understand the concept, "object-oriented-programming".
The funny thing is, the bootcamp was the easiest part for me. Finding a job took massive amounts of persistence. Here are some statistics:
- I used 6-7 of the top job search websites
- I sent out at least 495 resumes (those were the ones I kept track of)
- I got my job from on the 415th resume I sent out. But, it wasn't the resume that did the trick, I followed up and that got the Tech Lead's attention.
Once I got the Tech Lead's attention, I was immediately given a coding challenge: Convert a PSD into a WordPress Theme. Wuuuuuut...
I spent the next 3 days researching and trying it out. I watched loads of YouTube videos and read a ton of instructional articles.
That's what The Tech Academy does, it sets you up so you can do the research and coding by yourself. It sets you up so you can learn.
That weekend I completed the coding challenge.
A few days later I had a face-to-face interview. My new boss said I passed the challenge with flying colors!
I followed up a few days later with some references (as instructed by the Job Placement course). I had recently completed an additional coding project and added that to my resume giving him a link.
And here I am today. I can confidently say, I would not have gotten this job or even known how to find this opportunity without The Tech Academy.
They will help you put on your developer boots. But you have to be a big boy (or girl) and take your own steps as a developer.
You'll be scared while sending out resumes. You'll get turned down. I've had at least 15 interviews, and I failed 14 out of them!
But I learned from each and got better. I was constantly testing and improving. I'm not the smartest guy. I don't have a ton of experience.
But if I can do it, you can too.
Jeffrey PadgettJunior .NET developer • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • PortlandVerified by GitHubFeb 16, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceAmazing bootcamp.
I am 32 years old. Within 6 months, I went from not knowing much to landing a job on my 2nd job interview with a starting salary of 50k a year as a junior .NET developer. They are great and will do whatever it takes to help you accomplish what you need. Listen to their advice, and apply it. The boot camp really is what you make of it, and you get what you put into it. I highly recommend this Bootcamp for its support and interview assistance. I literally emailed Tyler the day before my inte...
I am 32 years old. Within 6 months, I went from not knowing much to landing a job on my 2nd job interview with a starting salary of 50k a year as a junior .NET developer. They are great and will do whatever it takes to help you accomplish what you need. Listen to their advice, and apply it. The boot camp really is what you make of it, and you get what you put into it. I highly recommend this Bootcamp for its support and interview assistance. I literally emailed Tyler the day before my interview and he followed up with me THAT day and we practiced a mock interview, anytime I would need it. I literally had ON CALL interview practice when I needed it most. I would highly recommend doing exactly what they tell you, and also working on personal projects as much as you can to apply what they are teaching you. Don't be scared of the time limit. Just go for it and learn as hard as you can. They are there for you, they are not going to let you fail as long as you are trying your best!
- Tyler McIntyreSoftware Developer • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • DenverVerified by LinkedInFeb 15, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Full Stack Developer Program
I graduated from the Tech Academy as of January 1st. I attended the Tech Academy for 3.5 months, I was in the Full Stack program which I believe is now called C# and .NET course. In that time a learned everything I needed to know to land myself a job in the tech industry. I attended the Tech Academy completely online. I think I only made it into the campus in Denver twice. I was working while I was attending the academy so it was difficult for me to make it to the campus since it wasn't cl...
I graduated from the Tech Academy as of January 1st. I attended the Tech Academy for 3.5 months, I was in the Full Stack program which I believe is now called C# and .NET course. In that time a learned everything I needed to know to land myself a job in the tech industry. I attended the Tech Academy completely online. I think I only made it into the campus in Denver twice. I was working while I was attending the academy so it was difficult for me to make it to the campus since it wasn't close by for me. However, this didn't matter. The Tech Academy made it very easy to get ahold of instructors when I needed them to help me through a difficult problem.
One reason I chose the Tech Academy out of the many boot camps available to me in the Denver area was first the cost. The Tech Academy was by far the cheapest coding boot camp but that does not reflect the worth of the education they've given me. The education was far more valuable than the price tag. This education was by FAR the cheapest I've ever paid for but is only education that actually paid off as well.
The second reason and most important was the flexibility. I was not in a position where I could completely stop working. While I was attending I was still working. The course I took was completely self-paced which allowed me to finish my education while still working. I also did not have to be at a campus every day which also would have been impossible with my work schedule so I completed it entirely remotely.
The third reason was the importance of building a good portfolio. I had no prior experience in the tech industry. My knowledge of coding was very limited and I do not have a degree which made having a great portfolio to show potential employers extremely important to me. I met with Denver's campus dean and we talked about what the Tech Academy does to help build a great portfolio. After attending the course I can assure you they will put building a great portfolio as one of their top priorities.
After graduating from the Tech Academy I spent about a month on the job hunt before landing my first job as a software developer.
Before you get too excited just a warning. This was NOT easy. I received a lot of rejections before getting my first offer. This was an absolute grind trying to learn all of the skills needed to be a software developer but the Tech Academy will help get you there.
- Jomar RumbawaGraduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • SeattleVerified by LinkedInFeb 15, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great Overall Experience
From the beginnining to the end of the curriculum, there wasn't a moment I wasn't learning. Even though I already have a background in technology and have taken classes in programming I learned a whole lot within my 20 weeks.
I was enrolled into the Seattle campus but I did all of my studying remotely at my home or at a nearby coffee shop. When I had any questions I was able to get ahold of an instructor quickly. Mike S, Lindsay and Zach were my instructors at the time and playe...
From the beginnining to the end of the curriculum, there wasn't a moment I wasn't learning. Even though I already have a background in technology and have taken classes in programming I learned a whole lot within my 20 weeks.
I was enrolled into the Seattle campus but I did all of my studying remotely at my home or at a nearby coffee shop. When I had any questions I was able to get ahold of an instructor quickly. Mike S, Lindsay and Zach were my instructors at the time and played in a big role for me finishing out strong.
At the time I enrolled there weren't any other courses except for the C# and .NET Framework course. I'm glad to see that they released three new ones and that Web Development is one of those.
My favorite part of the whole course that differs from other bootcamps is the Live Project. You work in a small team on a project that others have previously worked on. You use the SCRUM methodology which is widely used. Mike Strunk was my lead on that project and I couldn't thank him enough. He made the whole experience wonderful and got to know how it would be to work in the industry.
I would reccomend this to anyone who is looking to break into the tech industry.
Also they do a good job of keeping in touch with you after finishing to make sure you find a job. Tyler Helm was done a wonderful job on making sure that I finished out and graduated!
- Krisztian TothWebmaster • Student • In-Person Software Developer Boot Camp (full-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInFeb 06, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
A necessary first step
I'll be honest. In hindsight I could have tried cheaper ways to become a programmer/software developer, but I don't think it would have made me dedicated enough to make it. So there is something to be said about investment of money and time correlating with dedication which is also stressed in the bootcamp.
The staff are very helpful and nice although doing the course online made me look things up more by myself, which is just as well, because that's what one will do anyway on th...
I'll be honest. In hindsight I could have tried cheaper ways to become a programmer/software developer, but I don't think it would have made me dedicated enough to make it. So there is something to be said about investment of money and time correlating with dedication which is also stressed in the bootcamp.
The staff are very helpful and nice although doing the course online made me look things up more by myself, which is just as well, because that's what one will do anyway on the job.
The live project was the best part for me of the experience because I actually had to make my hands dirty and prove myself that I can do it and I was working in a team.
The C# and .Net Framework course helped me also to get into PHP (being somewhat similar to C# in syntax), which is what is required of me right now on the job.
Overall it is a good bootcamp which gives you an initial push towards the world of software development. If you don't like this course because it is too hard and give up, you also won't like programming, where you might feel like giving up every day. But there is plenty of encouragement and practice interviews for newbies like me and it can be done and you too can find a job.
- RyanGraduate • In-Person Software Developer Boot Camp (full-time) • PortlandVerified by LinkedInJan 30, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Solid Bootcamp
The Good:
The curiculum The Tech Academy offers is a solid, self paced course broken up by subject to make sure you fully understand each skill before moving to the next. The course will cover the fundementals of front-end, how to use file sharing and version control such as Github to it's work enviroment potential, and ends with covering in depth on a backend language.The instructors are THE best resource The Tech Academy has to offer. They are knowledgable and almost alwa...
The Good:
The curiculum The Tech Academy offers is a solid, self paced course broken up by subject to make sure you fully understand each skill before moving to the next. The course will cover the fundementals of front-end, how to use file sharing and version control such as Github to it's work enviroment potential, and ends with covering in depth on a backend language.The instructors are THE best resource The Tech Academy has to offer. They are knowledgable and almost always available to help you when you have questions. But not only that, they do not just tell you the answer, instead help you work through the issue. This little piece is what creates good developers as you learn the skill of active problem solving.
Meetups and round tables! Every week, students are able to take advantage of workshop activites, such as practice interviews which help build student's confidence in answering interview questions, and solve whiteboard code questions. Along with that, every friday The Tech Academy has a different guest speaker to talk about different fields in the tech industry.
The Bad:
In all honesty, the hardware provided if you don't have your own laptop is a bit subpar. Each desk has a monitor if the student wishes to have a second screen. However, they are rather old and the resolution is not all that good.Conclusion:
I really do reccomend this bootcamp, and any faults that it has are minor and can be over looked. Especially with it's extra curicular resources like the instructors and workshops. While they don't guarentee a job or internship like some other bootcamps, they do give you all the tools you'll ever need and more to land a position if you are committed. - Carly LokareSoftware Engineer • Graduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • DenverVerified by LinkedInJan 25, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Software Engineer
The Tech Academy's C# and .NET boot camp was a fantastic program. This program is structured for people like me who had never coded to being able to construct real software applications. It was very organized and had exceptionally great videos that walked you through learning how to code. The Tech Academy staff is absolutely amazing. The teachers and advisors were always there to answer any questions I had throughout the duration of my program. Cole Dixon at the Denver Campus was an ...
The Tech Academy's C# and .NET boot camp was a fantastic program. This program is structured for people like me who had never coded to being able to construct real software applications. It was very organized and had exceptionally great videos that walked you through learning how to code. The Tech Academy staff is absolutely amazing. The teachers and advisors were always there to answer any questions I had throughout the duration of my program. Cole Dixon at the Denver Campus was an outstanding, helpful instructor that really went above and beyond for his students. I never had to wait for long for an answer to a question or feedback on code review. The job placement course really helped build your resume and truly prepares you for the interview process. Coming out of the the program I felt confident in my new found abilities and skills to succeed in the software industry. I am so happy that I chose The Tech Academy and I'm excited to start my new role as a Software Engineer here in Denver, CO!
- Seth JohnsonQA Lead • Graduate • In-Person Software Developer Boot Camp (full-time) • PortlandVerified by LinkedInJan 21, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Fantastic, comprehensive program
Over the past 5 years I've done a number of free and paid coding programs including Codeacademy and Team Treehouse. Most of my learning was incomplete because I didn't have a good foundation in computer science or programming in general. This program helped fill most of the gaps that I had in the fundamentals of programming. By the end of the program I was able to quickly stand up a working web application in C# using the MVC framework and troubleshoot my code and others' code very efficie...
Over the past 5 years I've done a number of free and paid coding programs including Codeacademy and Team Treehouse. Most of my learning was incomplete because I didn't have a good foundation in computer science or programming in general. This program helped fill most of the gaps that I had in the fundamentals of programming. By the end of the program I was able to quickly stand up a working web application in C# using the MVC framework and troubleshoot my code and others' code very efficiently. The most helpful part of the program was that every course flowed and tied into the next, aiming to paint a holistic picture of each discipline within programming as it's related to the whole. Now employed on a large team of engineers, I feel confident that what I learned during my time in the program gave me the best foot into software I could hope for without coming from a formal CS/engineering background.
- Trisha SaldanhaGraduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • PortlandVerified by LinkedInNov 28, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great courses and staff
The Tech Academy C# & .NET Framework bootcamp was a great way to get started in the tech industry. The course starts with the most basic computer information which is great for someone like myself with no prior knowledge. The exercises you are given along the way are not only a great tool to show real life application of what you are learning, but they also serve as great experience to use toward your personal portfolio.
I would definitely recommend The Tech Academy!
- Colby LeeGraduate • In-Person C# and .NET Boot Camp (full-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInNov 28, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Worth Every Penny
The schools staff and instructors are easily approachable and eager to help. It's obvious they want you to succeed, which is very encouraging when working through some of the more techinical courses. As a remote student there was never a time my call wasn't picked up by one of the remote instructors, and the job placement directors were constantly emailing me lists of open positions to apply for.
The Tech Academy Alumni Outcomes
| Employed in-field | 70.1% |
| Full-time employee | 70.1% |
| Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 0.0% |
| Short-term contract, part-time, or freelance | 0.0% |
| Started a new company or venture after graduation | 0.0% |
| Not seeking in-field employment | 11.2% |
| Employed out-of-field | 2.8% |
| Continuing to higher education | 4.7% |
| Not seeking a job for health, family, or personal reasons | 3.8% |
| Still seeking job in-field | 8.5% |
| Could not contact | 10.2% |
Recent The Tech Academy News
The Tech Academy Alumni Reviews Summary
How much does The Tech Academy cost?
The Tech Academy costs around $14,000. On the lower end, some The Tech Academy courses like Self-Paced Front-End Web Developer Boot Camp cost $1,800.
What courses does The Tech Academy teach?
The Tech Academy offers courses like Online C# and .NET Framework Boot Camp (full-time), Online C# and .NET Framework Boot Camp (part-time), Online Cyber Security Boot Camp (full-time), Online Cyber Security Boot Camp (part-time) and 35 more.
Where does The Tech Academy have campuses?
The Tech Academy has in-person campuses in Portland. The Tech Academy also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.
Is The Tech Academy worth it?
The data says yes! The Tech Academy reports a 72% graduation rate, a median salary of $54,000 and 85% of The Tech Academy alumni are employed. The Tech Academy hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 421 The Tech Academy alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed The Tech Academy on Course Report - you should start there!
Is The Tech Academy legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 421 The Tech Academy alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed The Tech Academy and rate their overall experience a 4.83 out of 5.
Does The Tech Academy offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like The Tech Academy offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.
Can I read The Tech Academy reviews?
You can read 421 reviews of The Tech Academy on Course Report! The Tech Academy alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed The Tech Academy and rate their overall experience a 4.83 out of 5.
Is The Tech Academy accredited?
We are a licensed trade school through the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (and other state licensing bodies), authorized to certify students in coding and other technical professions.