2020 Best Paying & Most In Demand

The Best Paying and Most In-Demand Programming Languages in 2020

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At Code Platoon, we track national demand for programming languages so that our Veterans and military spouses are trained with the best tools for a career in software development. When you’re deciding which programming language to learn, the following demand-based insights complement a much broader strategy.

We first wrote a version of this article in 2018, which can be found here.

This article attempts to answer which programming languages command the highest salaries and are most frequently targeted in job postings.

We updated the statistics for 2020, and here are our primary findings:

Python and Javascript developers continue to be in demand, commanding the highest salaries. Python in particular commands the top spot in both salary and number of open jobs. SQL developers are also widely sought after, although they get paid quite a bit less than other developers. Java saw a large drop in open jobs, and both Ruby and iOS developers have seen a similar trend.

How we identified the current top programming languages

To answer our questions, we conducted simple searches on Indeed.com, one of the largest job listing sites.

For the question of compensation, we started by searching for the top 15 most popular languages in a recent Stack Overflow survey and mapped the average salary for job listings with those languages. For demand, we tracked the number of total job postings targeting those same languages. 

Ranking programming languages by pay and number of openings

Top Coding Jobs

Python: This coding language holds the #1 position in both surveys. Python is an interpreted, multi-purpose programming language. It is often used to build web applications and seeing exploding growth due to its use in data science, machine learning, cybersecurity, and dev ops.

Javascript: Often called ‘the language of the web,’ Javascript took #4 in Job Postings and #2 in Average Salary. Javascript is an indispensable language to know for writing web applications, as it works in the browser and on the server-side.

C++: Once a premier top-level programming language and now used primarily in gaming and high-performance applications, C++ stands at #5 in Average Salary and #5 in Job Postings.  The common and useful language C++ was designed for application and systems programming. Since its creation, it’s often been used for office applications, games, and advanced graphics. C++ is very fast and stable, but difficult to learn relative to the other languages in this list (except possibly C).

Java: Integral to large-scale legacy business applications and gaining new relevance through its adoption by Google for Android, Java drops to #3 in Job Postings and #3 in Average Salary. Originally developed by Oracle, Java is extremely popular because it can be used for mobile, web, and desktop app development, and more. Reasonably stable and fast, it is very popular at the enterprise level.

C#:  Similar to Java with Android, C# maintains a solid user base through its adoption in the Unity gaming engine, standing at #6 in Job Postings, and #6 in Average Salary. C# was specifically designed by Microsoft as a competitor to Java. Often used to build desktop apps and video games, as well as web apps, C# remains very popular in the enterprise. It runs on Microsoft’s .NET platform.

PHP: The language that powers WordPress, PHP is #8 in Job Postings and #8 in Average Salary. PHP is a general-purpose scripting language used for the development of web applications. One of the earliest languages for web development (released in 1995), it remains widely popular today.

C: C is one of the oldest and most widely used programming languages in the world, and holds #4 in Average Salary, and #9 in Job Postings. It is used to program everything from operating systems to hardware. What makes this language so difficult to learn is in part why it is so powerful: a lot of concepts that are hidden to users in scripting languages like Python, Ruby, and even Java are exposed in C, so that the programmer has more flexibility and complexity available.

SQL: SQL (or Structured Query Language) is the standard language for relational database management systems. It ranks #8 in Average Salary and #2 in Job Postings. SQL is not exactly a programming language, but rather it is a query language, which allows users to draw information from databases.

What will be the most popular programming language in 2020?

It’s difficult to speculate how these programming languages will fare in the future because the supply of qualified applicants affects the number of open positions. However, Python’s growth will probably continue as companies increase their adoption of data analytics tools and infrastructure software development, two areas where Python shines. Typescript, a statically typed version of Javascript continues to grow in popularity, and Go and Kotlin continues to gain fans.

If you’re looking for more information on the usefulness of various programming languages, the TIOBE Index and Stack Overflow provide two of the most authoritative reports. Both reports consider industry demand as well as additional perspectives and incorporate different approaches in determining the usefulness of programming languages.

If you’re a military Veteran or military spouse interested in learning to code, you can apply for one of our cohorts now.

Rod Levy is the Founder and Executive Director of Code Platoon. Rod spent 20+ years in finance and entrepreneurship. He was a Partner at G-Bar Limited Partners, where he co-founded and managed their volatility-arbitrage trading desk (BBR Trading) and was one of the founders of Cerrio, an internal software start-up. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in engineering from Cornell University, and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he graduated with honors. Rod has also completed Dev Bootcamp’s web developer program.

Life after Graduation

Preparing for Life After Graduation

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Motivation. Strength. Resilience. These character traits are vital to success in a coding Bootcamp. They also provide the foundation for a successful career in software development. As the Career and Partnership Lead for Code Platoon, my goal is to help every student combine their individual character traits with their new technical skill set and find their dream job!

My role is dedicated to one outcome — collaboratively working with our alumni to help them get their first job after Code Platoon. I am a bit biased but that is the coolest part of joining Code Platoon. You get a career coach whose sole function is to identify job opportunities and help you secure them.

Resume building, interest and skill-based job sourcing, interview preparation, networking, and career coaching are important aspects of any career services program. The career placement success of Code Platoon stands out because of our passion for developing a pure connection with each student. The connection is built on consistent engagement and accountability, which are vital to any working relationship.

Our career readiness journey actually begins while you are still in class. We connect with each student weekly to best understand their career goals, strengths, and areas of opportunity. This allows us to develop a customized plan of attack for their upcoming job search, immediately upon graduation. It is my priority to spend time listening, learning, and understanding your goals and expectations, and establishing a respectful and trusting team approach.

Through weekly on-call support including video check-ins, personalized job search assessments, and one-on-one career readiness workshops, Code Platoon is committed to enhancing your candidacy as a software engineer. We are focused on fostering a genuine support system that will always be in your corner, helping you navigate this new career path

Job searches can be hard, especially in a shifting economy. My priority, along with the team at Code Platoon, is to remove that barrier of entry for each of our students. If you have any questions about the career readiness and job placement parts of our program, reach out to me! I’m available at rich@codeplatoon.org

Rich Luby has more than fourteen years of experience in disability and inclusion training, initiative development, and workforce development for healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and Fortune 500 companies. Rich recently leveraged these experiences to build out career development programming for national startups in tech education. He leads with an empathetic nature and attains results through collaborative approaches. Follow Rich on LinkedIn. 

Are you a good fit for Coding Bootcamp?

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Many people are considering jobs in the high tech industry. And to get there, rather than pursuing traditional computer science degrees, more and more people are enrolling in Coding Bootcamps – intensive courses in programming, design, and data science.

Immersive Coding Bootcamps give students the opportunity to learn by doing in a collaborative environment. Many hours are spent coding and applying the principles taught in the lectures; working on teams to solve complex code challenges that simulate real-world work experience.  This type of environment has resulted in some coding bootcamps having demonstrated placement rates comparable to top four-year colleges.

But are these programs right for you? We’ve come up with three “Are you ready..” questions for you to ask yourself and three “Right fit” questions to ask about a Bootcamp to determine if a program works for you.

Three “Are you ready…” Questions to ask yourself if a Bootcamp is a good fit for you.

  1. Are you ready for an accelerated, high-intensity learning experience? If the idea of learning the intricacies of Full-stack development for 10 to 12 hours a day for 15 weeks sounds a bit crazy, that’s because it is. You have to be mentally prepared to challenge yourself in a Full-time learning environment. (Sound a little intimidating? Consider Evening and Weekend options.)
  2. Are you ready to make a commitment to coding?  There will be moments when it’s going to be much easier to give up than to continue. If in the back of your mind you’re thinking, “It is not that serious,” you may have already sabotaged yourself.
  3. Are you ready to learn with others? One of the best reasons to attend a Coding Bootcamp is that you get to learn and network with a bunch of committed people who are also smart, hard-working, and dedicated to becoming skilled software developers. A huge benefit to the Coding Bootcamp model is that many employers will require you to pair program, or at the very least collaborate with other team members to complete projects and resolve issues, so a collaborative education will prepare you well for the workplace.

Three “Right fit” questions to ask about a Bootcamp program.

  1. Do they provide internships and career placement assistance? Many Coding Bootcamps do not, or their placement assistance is weak and lacks connections with employers – most particularly connections within the IT department and HR/hiring managers of employers.
  2. Is the Course Curriculum the right fit for your career needs and what employers are looking for? You want to ensure that when you are done you have the skills employers are seeking. Comprehensive Bootcamps focus on Full-stack development. Most sophisticated web applications can be thought of as being composed of two parts: the front-end, and the back-end. The front-end of the stack revolves around what the end-user sees, which is the web page. HTML, CSS, and Javascript are some of the important technologies which are used to build and manipulate web pages. React.js is a very powerful library for working on the front-end. The back-end of the stack is where data gets stored, manipulated, and analyzed. Our tools-of-the-trade for backend development is Python and SQL.
  3. Is the Bootcamp the right fit for you? A good Bootcamp will pre-screen you and require you to pass an assessment to determine your readiness level for success in their program. Otherwise, you could end up in a program that is far too intense and “above your head”; a terrible situation to find yourself in given the cost in both time and money.

Being able to answer these questions is a great start to deciding if a Coding Bootcamp is a good fit for you.

Code Platoon was created to connect members of the Veteran community with career opportunities in the technology field while helping to facilitate the transition into civilian life.  Code Platoon teaches Veterans and military spouses marketable skills that leverage core competencies, transforming them into software developers through an immersive, hands­-on, educational process and paid internship program. Over 80% of people who attend a Code Platoon Bootcamp find a job within six months with an average salary increase of $25k.

Traditional boot camps cost $10,000 or more. Code Platoon’s sponsors and corporate partners help to make this an affordable option for veterans and military spouses through scholarships. Code Platoon also is also GI Bill and VET TEC approved for eligible applicants. Code Platoon is a Department of Defense approved Skillbridge program, in accordance with DODI 1322.29 and NAVADMIN 222/15.

Jim Hennessey is Code Platoon’s Director of Marketing. Jim brings a strong background in no-profit marketing and start-up enterprises to the mission of Code Platoon. Jim is a graduate of Clemson University and currently lives in Chicago. Follow Jim on LinkedIn.

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Milspouse coders use hackathons to break into the tech space

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This article is a guest blog by milspouse coder Kerri-Leigh Grady

I’ll never forget the look of horror on a neighbor’s face when I told her I was participating in a hackathon.

She gasped, and her eyes darted around a bit, like she was waiting for us both to be cuffed and dragged off. Her concern was understandable since we were both military spouses who lived on a military base, down the street from the brig, and to the uninitiated, hackathons sound like a hard pass for law-abiding citizens.

It took some convincing before she understood that the “hack” wasn’t nefarious, but more like the super popular life hacks on Facebook. The difficulty wasn’t surprising. It always takes some convincing for people who’ve never heard the word “hackathon” before to get comfortable.

Hackathons and tech jobs shouldn’t sound discouraging to milspouses, though. The tech industry, with a growing population of distributed workforces and remote-ready jobs, paves a solid path away from the drastic unemployment and underemployment numbers we see in the milspouse community and offers numerous opportunities for milspouses who don’t want to sacrifice another job to a PCS.

Hacking a path into the tech industry

At MilSpouse Coders, we are shining a light on the opportunities for spouses in tech by hosting an annual hackathon. In 2018, our modest but successful one-day hackathon took place in Virginia Beach, and the winning team designed a product that would allow military families to scan boxes during a PCS and know exactly where Grandma’s treasured silver pitcher is, from end to end. 

Other projects included an app that maps out military lodging and local sights during a road-trip PCS, a database that tracks special knowledge in a membership group, and an Alexa skill that reports on military news of interest. 

Details for the 2019 hackathon

For 2019, our hackathon is hosted by Microsoft’s Military Spouse Training Academy on the Microsoft campus in Redmond. While the in-person event is open to anyone, regardless of military affiliation, we know military life makes travel hard, so we’ve opened the ability for vets and family members to join remotely.

Last year, Code Platoon offered a popular code-along to participants who were curious but didn’t feel like they were knowledgeable enough to participate, and we’re very excited that they have generously offered to lead another code-along this year. Those who coded with us last year can learn something new this year, as the project—and even the language—will be different.

Here’s the great news: you don’t have to be a coder to participate, and you don’t have to code to have a tech career. Projects need project managers, product owners, testers, user experience specialists, marketing professionals, and more. In other words, hackathons are a life hack for military spouses seeking a portable, flexible career. 

No matter your skillset, you bring value to a software product, and hackathons are an excellent place to learn what you can bring to the industry.

You, too, can hack a career that will survive military life.

Click the link to read more about the upcoming 2019 hackathon or to sign up for the event.

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What sets Code Platoon apart from other coding bootcamps?

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As a coding boot camp, Code Platoon provides more than just basic training on software programming for our students. We want to provide the best possible coding boot camp experience a veteran, service member, or military spouse can have, bar none.

That way, the veterans we serve have an option that is not only custom-fit to their needs, but is also the superior choice in every category as a coding boot camp.

Here’s what Code Platoon provides its students, in addition to the fundamental coding education, that sets us apart from other coding boot camps.

We help you land the job through career services

We understand that the vast majority of our students attend a coding boot camp because they want to start a new career in coding. The career services we offer take our graduates the extra mile and guarantee they have everything they need to land the job, in addition to the technical training.

Apprenticeships

This is a linchpin of our In Person program. Over 70% of our graduates get placed directly into a paid internship, which most of the time leads to a full-time job offer at the same company. 

With those for students for whom the apprenticeship is a short-term relationship, they now have specific job experience on their resume, which improves future job prospects. The first coding job is by far the hardest to get, and our apprenticeship program alleviates that.

LinkedIn prep

To get a job, you need to develop your ‘personal brand.’ LinkedIn is the primary platform to display your professional brand, and we spend many hours with our students getting this right. We provide students with examples of successful profiles and offer feedback as they develop their own, so they can have the digital presence required to look like a pro on day one.

Resume prep and coaching

Most veterans don’t know how to translate what they did in the service into terms that employers will value. Knowing this in advance, we help do it alongside them. 

Whether it’s for the resume, LinkedIn, or the interview, we help students communicate their military skills without the defense jargon that civilians won’t understand. In its place, students add the relevant civilian terminology needed to get the attention of resume-scanning software, HR professionals, and ultimately the hiring managers.

Interview prep

(whiteboard, behavioral, technical/algorithms)

Interviewing for software roles is different than most other types of interviews because they can get highly technical. Interviewers may even ask an interviewee to solve a coding challenge on a whiteboard or ask technical fact-based questions. Since these challenges are solved live and will throw off even an experienced coder with on-the-spot pressure, the only solutions are preparation and practice.

We help students prepare for all of the different types of interviews, down to the soft skills, professionalism, and confidence that potential employers in the tech industry are looking for.

We train and certify advanced academics beyond just coding

Cutting edge curriculum

The technology landscape changes frequently. We teach timeless fundamentals, but we are also laser-focused on teaching the tools that are in demand.

We even consult with corporate sponsors and partners and conduct our own independent research to determine the best paying and most in demand programming languages. That is why we currently teach Python and Javascript and React.js, an update to our old curriculum specifically tailored to create the best outcomes for our graduates.

We are an Amazon Web Services Training Academy and prepare students for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification

A tremendous amount of development now happens in the cloud. AWS is the leading cloud services provider. Certification on the AWS platform is well regarded and in demand, so whether your employer is going to use it or not, it’s a major bonus on your resume.

That’s not even to mention that it will make your job much easier if you do end up using this popular platform!

SAFe Agile Certification

Agile management is how modern teams work. This certification introduces you to the fundamentals of Agile management. You won’t just have the coding skills to do the technical side; you’ll have the project and task management insights that will make you an asset to your team and a rock star on your resume.

Industry best practices (Git, Pair Programming, Test Driven Development)

How do modern teams work? Collaboratively. We teach our students how to store code so that they can work in teams, and we teach how to code together, which is a widely-used programming methodology.

We also teach you to write low-error risk code so that what you create won’t become problematic for others working with your code.

Real World Projects

The best way to build up your skills is to put them into practice on hands-on projects. You’ll get experience working in teams throughout the program, and then finally in a team capstone project. 

You will be collaborating to solve complex problems, simulating a real professional environment. In addition, you will spend a good amount of time working on a personal project to showcase your new skills and put your learning into action.

We connect you with a network of other coding professionals

Veterans and military spouses cite a lack of a network as one of their top concerns when entering the job market. We create a personal network for you, by introducing you to:

Mentors

Every student gets an industry mentor that provides one-on-one support throughout the 15 weeks of instruction. 

Mentors work in the technology industry and help students learn more about working as a software developer. Mentors often have their mentee visit them at their office, meet for coffee, or join them at tech meetup events! 

Teaching Assistants

We have industry professionals who serve as evening teaching assistants every night. Teaching assistants are familiar with our curriculum and can expertly help problem solve as students are completing challenges and assessments. Many of our teaching assistants are former Code Platoon students, providing support as both coding professionals and veterans or military spouses.

Speakers

We bring in industry professionals as guests to talk about specific parts of technology, management, teamwork, and more.

Alumni

Our alumni are successful developers who want to see Code Platoon graduates succeed. Our alumni association meets bi-monthly to support each other and help Code Platoon grow to serve more students.

We understand veteran needs and accommodate them

  • Veterans and military spouses are your classmates
  • We allow time off for drilling
  • We can refund your tuition if you are unexpectedly activated or deployed
  • We collaborate with other veteran nonprofits, like Road Home for mental health services
  • We have experience with VA benefits including GI Bill, Voc Rehab, VET TEC

If this sounds like a good fit for you, click here to apply for our next cohort!

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VET TEC will make you reconsider how (or if) you use your GI Bill®

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VET TEC is a new VA program to pay for technology education for veterans, and it can be used at coding bootcamps. The program is designed to skill up veterans and get them into in-demand, high paying technical careers like web development, cybersecurity and software development. 

If you’re a veteran or reservist and you want a career in technology, VET TEC is by far and away the best option, even if you have 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits with BAH.

Don’t waste your GI Bill benefits or miss out on additional benefits; read more about VET TEC and see if it’s right for you.

Eligibility

Veterans and reservists with at least one day of Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, or Selective Reserves (Chapters 33, 30, or 1606) are eligible for this program (spouses and dependents are not). This is a huge “increase” in benefits for Chapters 30 and 1606; those programs only pay a small monthly stipend. Through VET TEC, Chapter 30 and 1606 veterans and reservists can get full tuition and a housing allowance.

Type of Training

Coding bootcamps (code schools) are short term, intense, immersive, industry-based training that is designed to give you the skills for an entry level job in tech. These programs are lighter on theory and heavy on real world application compared with traditional college computer science degrees. The commitment is 40 to 80 hours a week, depending on the program.

This is not traditional higher education. The VET TEC program cannot be used at degree granting facilities, such as colleges, community colleges, and universities.

Purpose

VET TEC is designed to get veterans jobs. The school who trains the veteran gets paid on a pro rata basis: 25% on enrollment, 25% on successful graduation, and 50% when the veteran gains meaningful employment as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The school doesn’t get paid fully unless you get hired within 6 months. That means screening is critical. You have to be serious about getting a job in tech.

Application Process

Veterans apply to VET TEC here. Separately, most coding bootcamps have their own application process which a veteran must complete.

Only veterans may use this program (no spouses or dependents) and the veteran must have at least one day of benefits (Chapter 30, 33, or 1606). There are limited funds that the VA will apply to the program across all trainees: $15 million per year for five years.

Key takeaways: Veterans can use VET TEC funds to go to a coding bootcamp. Tuition is paid in full – in stages – and the veteran receives the housing allowance as well. While the veteran must have at least one day of benefits, the veteran will not use up any of their current GI Bill benefits for this program.

Who Should Consider VET TEC?

  • Any veteran who wants a career change into tech but wants to “save” their GI Bill should apply for VET TEC.
  • Chapter 30 and 1606 veterans – this program will cover full tuition and housing.
  • Veterans with less than 100% GI Bill benefits will also get full tuition and housing.

If you’re interested, here’s a list of approved VET TEC providers.

If you’d like to learn even more specifics about VET TEC before applying, read our VET TEC FAQ page.

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VET TEC remote program

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Software coding is a flexible, rewarding, and growing career field. Employers want new talent to fill these coding roles faster than a traditional degree will allow, and the highly-specific skills needed are arguably best taught in a coding boot camp experience.

As the “boot camp” descriptor implies, military veterans are uniquely qualified to train for new careers in the fast-paced coding boot camp environment. The success rate of veterans graduating from our coding boot camp indicates that substantial income and job security are accessible through this type of training.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agrees that vocational job training in coding boot camps is a worthy cause. The VET TEC program covers the full cost of tuition for veterans to train at approved coding boot camps and collect basic allowance for housing (BAH) without taking away from remaining GI Bill® benefits. There’s literally no risk to the veteran to accept the opportunity to train at a coding boot camp.

Code Platoon remote program and VET TEC

Code Platoon’s Live Remote Program already offered full tuition scholarships, but veterans who needed to collect BAH to cover cost of living while training were previously unable to do so while studying online outside our live classroom setting.

Our Live Remote Program, covered by VET TEC, offers several advantages over our Self-Paced Remote Program.

Feature

Self-Paced Remote

Live Remote
Completed online
 Yes Yes
Full curriculum
 Yes Yes
Tuition
 Free Covered by VET TEC or full scholarship
Mandatory attendance
 No Yes
Full-time instructor
 No Yes
Progress testing
 No Yes
Certificate Upon Completion
 No Yes
Collect BAH
 No Yes, with VET TEC

With VET TEC, students can now train online at Code Platoon tuition-free while collecting BAH. The Code Platoon Live Remote Program offers the same instruction, lessons, and timeline as our In-Person Program, but it’s available from wherever you can train.

To apply for the Code Platoon Remote Program, click the button below.

APPLY NOW

You will also need to apply for your VET TEC benefits with the VA in order to get tuition and BAH. To apply for VET TEC, click the button below.

VET TEC

VET TEC, including BAH, is also available for those applicants who would like to attend our In-Person Program.

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VET TEC frequently asked questions

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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is now offering a program that will pay for veterans to get training in technology jobs without consuming their GI Bill® benefits. This program is called Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC.)

What is the VET TEC program?

VET TEC is a government program to fund veteran job training in the technology field.

It’s an alternative to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, with a focus to get veterans into flexible, in-demand, high-paying careers in things like software coding and information security.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill program for veterans is intended to grant enough benefits to finish a traditional college degree, or any program shorter than that. While the expectation is that the GI Bill education and retraining would be used to start a new career, the VA believes VET TEC might be a better path to that end for some veterans.

VET TEC is made to focus specifically on the result: whether or not the veteran gets a good job doing the thing for which they trained.

There’s a mutual benefit for both the veteran and the VA. The VA, on one hand, can better serve its mission of helping veterans build a successful post-service career. Veterans, on the other hand, can get vocational tech training even if they don’t have enough GI Bill benefits left, or want to try the training without sacrificing future education options.

How is the VET TEC program different from the GI Bill?

There are several main differences between the GI Bill and the VET TEC program:

  1. Using the GI Bill subtracts from your remaining benefits and VET TEC does not.
  2. VET TEC only provides training in concentrated technology boot camps and trade schools. The GI Bill can be used for traditional college degrees as well.
  3. Eligibility for the two programs differ. For example, active duty service members, Transfer of Entitlement [TOE] spouses, and some others, are not eligible for VET TEC.
  4. The VET TEC program has limited funding, up to $15 million per federal fiscal year.
  5. A veteran must be a full-time student in order to be eligible for and continue in a program approved to receive reimbursement through VET TEC.
  6. A student veteran must graduate and secure meaningful employment (as defined by the VA) in order to initiate full tuition and fee reimbursement to the training provider.

Other than that, their functions are very similar. Specifically:

  • You still receive a form of housing allowance (MHA) while training with VET TEC.
  • You can still use your GI Bill benefits after graduating from a VET TEC program if you choose.

How do I know if VET TEC is a good option for me?

A few simple questions will get you on the right track.

  1. Are you a military veteran?
  2. Are you eligible for the GI Bill?
  3. Do you still have any GI Bill benefits time remaining? (Even one day is enough!)
  4. Are you seeking a new career?
  5. Are you interested in working in technology?
  6. Are you willing and able to do what it takes to get the education and employment?

Answering “yes” to all of these questions means that the VET TEC program can certainly work for you. Once you’ve decided that VET TEC is a better option than your alternatives, the only real barrier is getting accepted into a VET TEC approved program you’d like to attend.

This is great for veterans who have already used most of their GI Bill benefits with traditional college but haven’t gotten a career from it.

Can I use VET TEC to attend Code Platoon?

Yes, Code Platoon is listed as a VET TEC training provider and the VET TEC option is offered with every one of our training cycles.

The Code Platoon training you’ll receive through VET TEC is the same experience you’d get when attending via GI Bill, scholarship, or self-funding. You’ll be in the same classrooms learning the same things with the rest of our students; the only difference is how the VA pays for your attendance.

To join the Code Platoon program, apply here.

APPLY NOW

Within the application, please note your interest in VET TEC.

You can also learn more about attending VET TEC in our remote program by clicking here.

What do I do on the VA side to secure my VET TEC benefits?

Click here and apply to the VET TEC program with the VA.

Since Code Platoon can actually help you navigate the VET TEC system, and you’ll eventually be required to name a place of training, it’s best to start the Code Platoon application right away.

If I’m a veteran with less than 100% eligibility on GI Bill benefits, can I still apply and receive full VET TEC benefits?

You sure can! If you’re eligible, VET TEC pays at the 100% rate for both tuition and housing even if you wouldn’t receive 100% with other GI Bill programs.

If I apply for VET TEC benefits and use them, how will that affect my current GI Bill benefits that I have not used yet?

You will keep every last GI Bill benefit you currently have even if you use VET TEC. The VA does not take away or subtract from any of your GI Bill entitlement because of VET TEC.

If I already work in the tech industry at an entry-level position, am I allowed to use VET TEC to further my tech education faster than self learning or college education?

Yep, absolutely. If you are eligible for VET TEC and you are able to get into a program with an approved provider, then you’re allowed to use a VET TEC training institution to help you advance your career. The VA does not exclude participants who are already in their target industry.

For which programs is Code Platoon listed as a VET TEC training provider with the VA?

Our Live Remote and In-Person programs are both listed as options where Code Platoon is a training provider with VET TEC on the VA website.

If I attend the Code Platoon Live Remote Program using VET TEC, what does a ‘normal’ day in this program look like?

Class times usually go from 9:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST, Monday through Friday. Students often work after class until around 7:00 PM to complete the assignments for the day, and also study on weekends at their own pace. You’ll work alongside the same instructors and classmates daily, even in the remote program!

Is there a part-time option for VET TEC and Code Platoon?

No. Our Self-Paced Program can be done any time you want, which includes part time, but it is not a VET TEC program. 

Is it feasible to work a job while in a full-time Code Platoon program through VET TEC?

Our full-time classes (Live Remote and In Person) are very demanding, making it unrealistic for you to do other work or school during the 14-week session.

What is the difference between the Self-Paced Program and the Live Remote Program?

The Self-Paced Program contains our current curriculum and corresponding videos. It is free to any veteran or military spouse. There are no grades, no certificates, no career services, no live instruction, and no instructional support. It’s just our entire program, free to use. You cannot use VET TEC with our Self-Paced Program in order to collect BAH while training.

The Live Remote program is attached to the In-Person Program. While our instructor lectures and demonstrates, classes are streamed live to our remote students every day. Remote students complete classwork and homework on the same timeline as the students who are in the physical classroom. Students in our Live Remote Program can collect BAH while attending through VET TEC.

The Live Remote Program is a full-time 14-week program requiring 10 to 12 hour from students every weekday. It includes live support, career services, and assistance with job placement. The full cost of tuition is covered in the VET TEC program. We also offer full remote scholarships for students without VET TEC benefits.

What are the differences between those who are listed as VET TEC training providers?

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The Best Paying and Most In Demand Programming Languages in 2019

The Best Paying and Most In Demand Programming Languages in 2019

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At Code Platoon, we track national demand for programming languages so that our veterans and military spouses are trained with the best tools for a career in software development.

But whether you’ve never coded before or you’re a veteran looking to pivot, when you’re deciding which programming language to learn, the following demand-based insights can help inform your strategy.

This article attempts to answer which programming languages command the highest salaries and are most frequently targeted in job postings.

How we identified the current top programming languages

To answer our questions, we conducted simple searches on Indeed.com, one of the largest job listing sites.

For the question of compensation, we started by searching for the top 15 most popular languages in a recent Stack Overflow survey and mapped the average salary for job listings with those languages. For demand, we tracked the number of total job postings targeting those same languages.

Ranking programming languages by pay and number of openings

The Best Paying and Most In Demand Programming Languages in 2019

Python: Possibly the best coding language according to the data, Python is tied for #1 in Average Salary with Ruby, which ranks lower on total job listings available. Python, by contrast, takes the #2 position for Job Postings, and holds an enormous lead in that category before third place. Python is an interpreted, multi-purpose programming language. It is often used to build web applications, and seeing exploding growth due its use in data science, machine learning, cybersecurity, and dev ops.

Javascript: Often called ‘the language of the web,’ Javascript tied with C++ for #3 in Job Postings and #5 in Average Salary. Javascript is an indispensable language to know for writing web applications, as it works both in the browser and on the server side.

Ruby: Highly-valued, Ruby ties for #1 for Average Salary and #6 for Job Postings. Like Python, Ruby is an interpreted, multi-purpose language that is relatively easy to learn. Its popularity stems largely from its web development framework, Ruby on Rails, which is very powerful, widely used, and relatively easy to get up and running.

C++: This was once a premier top-level programming language and is now used primarily in gaming and high-performance applications. C++ stands at #4 in Average Salary and tied for #3 in Job Postings.  The common and useful language C++ was designed for application and systems programming. Since its creation, it’s often been used for office applications, games, and advanced graphics. C++ is very fast and stable, but difficult to learn relative to the other languages in this list (except possibly C).

Java: Integral to large-scale legacy business applications and gaining new relevance through its adoption by Google for Android, Java maintains #1 in Job Postings and #6 in Average Salary. Java’s rankings were an exact flip of Ruby’s in each category. Originally developed by Oracle, Java is extremely popular because it can be used for mobile, web, and desktop app development, and more. Reasonably stable and fast, it is very popular at the enterprise level.

C#:  Similar to Java with Android, C# maintains a solid user base through its adoption in the Unity gaming engine, standing at #5 in Job Postings, and #8 in Average Salary. C# was specifically designed by Microsoft as a competitor to Java. Often used to build desktop apps and video games, as well as web apps, C# remains very popular in the enterprise realm. It runs on Microsoft’s .NET platform.

Swift/iOS: The biggest jump in salary from 2018 to 2019, Swift owes its rankings of #3 in Average Salary, and #8 in Job Postings to its dominance in the mobile market. Created by Apple, Swift is now often the default language for writing iOS apps (Objective C preceded it). If you want to write apps for the iPhone, look no further.

PHP: The language that powers WordPress, PHP is #7 in Job Postings, and #9 in Average Salary. PHP is a general-purpose scripting language used for the development of web applications. One of the earliest languages for web development (released in 1995), it remains widely popular today.

C: C is one of the oldest and most widely used programming languages in the world, and holds #7 in Average Salary, and #9 in Job Postings. It is used to program everything from operating systems to hardware. What makes this language so difficult to learn is in part why it is so powerful: a lot of concepts that are hidden to users in scripting languages like Python, Ruby, and even Java are exposed in C, so that the programmer has more flexibility and complexity available.

What changed from 2018 to 2019?

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For those making a career, the direction the market is going matters as much as where it is now, so we wanted to look at some of the changes from 2018 to 2019. Since we used the same methodology for similar research in 2018, it will be helpful for a comparison.

Python and Swift developers saw the largest increases in average salary ($9,000). Python climbed the most in number of jobs posted in 2019, posting an additional 3,000 jobs. Ruby saw the largest drop in popularity, posting 5,000 fewer jobs in 2019.

What will be the most popular programming language in 2020?

It’s difficult to speculate how these programming languages will fare in the future because the supply of qualified applicants affects the number of open positions. However, as the Stack Overflow survey points out: “Python has risen in the ranks of programming languages on our survey, surpassing C# in popularity this year, much like it surpassed PHP last year.”

Python now has the largest Google search traffic of any programming language, recently passing Java. Java and Javascript come next.

If you’re also looking for more information on the usefulness of various programming languages, the TIOBE Index and Stack Overflow provide two of the most authoritative reports. Both reports consider industry demand as well as additional perspectives, and incorporate different approaches in determining the usefulness of programming languages.

If you’re a military veteran or military spouse interested in learning to code, you can apply for one of our cohorts now.

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Army Reserve and Code Platoon

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Want to build your civilian-side career while serving in the Army Reserve?

Software coding is one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand jobs available. Plus, it’s compatible with the specific needs of Army Reserve soldiers:

  • Coding jobs are available almost anywhere you move during service.
  • Tech companies are able to adapt to drill and deployment schedules.
  • The schedule and physical demands of coding won’t compromise your Reserve duties.
  • Code Platoon’s program is flexible with drill and deployment schedules for Reserve students.

Code Platoon is a coding boot camp designed specifically for military veterans, including reservists. In 15 weeks, you’ll have the skills you need to begin your coding career.

The Code Platoon program is excellent for Reserve soldiers for several reasons:

  • We are GI-Bill eligible and offer very generous scholarships to Army Reserve applicants
  • The length (15 weeks) and location (Chicago) of our program is accessible to many reservists
  • Most of our graduates are placed directly into paid apprenticeships after the program
  • Our career prep training translates your military experience into a coding career

One of our graduates, Jyn Kim, tells her story about attending Code Platoon as an Army Reserve soldier in the video below.

The first step on your journey to a software programming career while in the Army Reserve is to apply to our program.

APPLY NOW

While Code Platoon seeks to meet the specific needs of Army Reserve soldiers, our program is open to all branches of military service, as well as Active Duty and National Guard, and all service members’ spouses.

If you’re not ready to apply, but want to learn more, let us know a good email address to reach you by subscribing to our newsletter below.