Jump to a List of all Full Stack Coding Bootcamps
A Full Stack Developer has knowledge of both front end and back end technologies. The front end is the visible part of the application that users interact with. The back end includes the server, database, and applications that power the front end. You may think of a ‘stack,’ in the term full stack, as the layers of technology used to create a complete application.
The three most popular ways of becoming a Full Stack Developer are attending a coding bootcamp, self-study, and earning a computer science degree.
Coding Bootcamp is the fastest, most streamlined way to become a Full Stack Web Developer. Coding bootcamps typically teach both technical skills and career success skills which help more than 80% of graduates secure jobs after bootcamp. Before attending coding bootcamp, you’ll want to prepare for their admissions process by taking a prep course, self studying beforehand, and considering interview questions. Bootcamps run anywhere from 8-16 weeks and on average cost $14,780 USD. Many bootcamps now offer deferred tuition, Income Share Agreements, and financing options.
Some self-taught programmers have founded insanely successful startups, including Instagram and Tumblr! Learning to code on your own using online resources, books, and free or paid for resources can take anywhere from 8 weeks if you have experience or multiple years if you don’t. Self study requires discipline, putting together a curriculum for yourself, and you’ll need to weather the job search on your own.
Earning a Computer Science (CS) degree might be the longest route to Full Stack Developer and the most expensive. This route will provide you with theoretical knowledge, mathematics, and exposure to more low level programming than a coding bootcamp. Critics say a computer science degree will not provide as much practical experience or tailored career counseling as bootcamp. If cost is a factor, then bootcamps certainly win. While coding bootcamps cost an average of $13,584, the tuition at top CS programs can be triple or quadruple that in just one academic year. Carnegie Mellon undergraduate tuition and tuition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is about $60,000-70,000 per year. In the past, most jobs required a CS degree. Now that they do not, the return on investment of a degree is not as high as a bootcamp.
The best coding bootcamp for you depends on your own learning style, career goals, availability, etc. Here's our advice for choosing the best web developer bootcamp:
Red Flags – instructors don't have real-world developer experience, the school can't tell you about past student career success, the school doesn't have dedicated career services, or the full-stack curriculum focuses too heavily on front-end languages.
Sales Job | Average Salary |
Coding Bootcamp Graduate | $66,964 |
Full Stack Developer | $75,057 |
Software Engineer | $97,950 |
From big tech companies to small startups, Full Stack Developer jobs are abundant and demand is growing. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software developers is expected to grow by 17%, “much faster than average” by 2024, which is about 200,000 more roles. The possibility to work in an office, work remotely, or freelance as a Full Stack Developer provides some of the most flexible and plentiful opportunities globally. But with so many different coding languages out there, it makes sense that each job description and job title is going to be unique. Common job responsibilities of Full Stack Developers include back end development, data engineering, mobile development, machine learning engineering, and/or front end web development.
Here is a list of the most frequent full stack development job titles for bootcampers:
Depending on the employer, Software Engineer and Full Stack Developer could mean exactly the same thing or two entirely different things. Some believe that Software Engineers are more concerned with back end development while Full Stack Developers work with every layer of a program. Others believe that Software Engineers work with computer programs that are not web applications or websites. Still, others believe that Software Engineers only do coding while Full Stack Developers are expected to do user experience research, front end design, and deployment in addition to writing code.
The Full Stack Developer is a generalist. A Full Stack Developer’s resume should show knowledge of both front end and back end technologies as well as an understanding of the user experience and user interface design process. Developers should also demonstrate transferable skills from their experiences before bootcamp. Full Stack Developers will need to learn multiple languages to be successful.
Here are some of the skills and technologies often taught in combination at Full Stack Web Development bootcamps:
A Full Stack Developer’s resume is not the only thing you’ll need to get a job. Fullstack Academy’s former Head of Career Success Ceren Depree says, “Anyone can build their own LinkedIn, resume, and Github.” Those three profiles are the most important things when it comes to the job hunt! For your LinkedIn profile, you’ll want to write a clear personal summary, feature any projects you’ve done at bootcamp, and dial in keywords to sprinkle throughout your profile. Your Github should feature all of your projects and you should follow any repositories you’re interested in.
Full Stack Developers must build and maintain an online portfolio. Showcase the projects you’ve built during bootcamp in your portfolio as well as on your resume. Here are some projects Developers built during bootcamp and added to their portfolios:
How Hackbright Academy helped Julie make a career change
Find out if Software Guild was worth it for this former dental hygienist!
A helpful guide for beginners with an expert from Tech Elevator!
Le Wagon offers 9-week full-time and 24-week part-time courses in Web Development and Data Science at over 40 campuses across the world. The 24-week part-time course meets on weekday evenings and Saturdays. With a community of students with various backgrounds...
Read our Full Review of Le WagonTacoma, Spokane, Bellingham, and 30 more...4 Courses
Nucamp is a coding bootcamp that offers part-time, online programs, including Back End, SQL, DevOps with Python (16 weeks); Front End Web & Mobile Development (17 weeks); and Full Stack Web & Mobile Development (22 weeks). Nucamp also offers a 4-week...
Read our Full Review of NucampOnline12 Courses
Springboard is an online learning platform that prepares students for the tech industry’s most in-demand careers with comprehensive, mentor-led online programs in software engineering, data science, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more. All Springboard...
Read our Full Review of SpringboardOnline5 Courses
CareerFoundry is an online bootcamp that offers flexibly paced programs for career changers in web development, UX design, UI design, and data analytics. Headquartered in Berlin but with a global student base, CareerFoundry has provided tech education since 2013....
Read our Full Review of CareerFoundryToronto, New York City, Online, and 3 more...36 Courses
BrainStation offers full-time and part-time courses in data science, design, development, marketing, cyber security and product in New York City, Miami, London, Toronto, Vancouver, and through an Online Live platform. BrainStation’s goal is to empower...
Read our Full Review of BrainStationSan Francisco, Online, New York City5 Courses
App Academy offers immersive web development courses both online and in-person on campuses in San Francisco and New York City. App Academy’s curriculum is largely based on a hands-on approach. Students spend about 90% of their time pair programming and 10% in lectures,...
Read our Full Review of App AcademyTampa, New York City, Miami, and 12 more...7 Courses
Ironhack offers full-time and part-time bootcamps in Web Development, UX/UI design, Data Analytics and Cyber Security in Miami (Florida), Madrid and Barcelona (Spain), Paris (France) Mexico City (Mexico), Berlin (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Sao Paulo (Brazil),...
Read our Full Review of IronhackOnline9 Courses
Thinkful, a Chegg service, provides every adult learner with a pathway to a rewarding career. This online bootcamp offers fast-paced, career-focused programs in Software Engineering, Data Science, Data Analytics, UX/UI Design, Digital Marketing, and Technical Project...
Read our Full Review of ThinkfulCareerist offers online courses in Manual QA, QA Automation, Tech Sales, and Systems Engineering. Careerist's courses include a built-in internship, resume development and interview prep, so bootcamp graduates are eligible to land mid-level tech positions.
The...
Read our Full Review of CareeristOnline47 Courses
Simplilearn’s Masters Programs are intensive, online bootcamps for Full Stack Web Development, Data Science and Analytics, AI and Machine Learning, Big Data Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Project Management, Digital Marketing, among others. Simplilearn’s efforts are...
Read our Full Review of Simplilearn