Coding Bootcamps vs College Degrees: Which Path is Right for You?

A common question we receive here at Code Platoon is a variation of “Should I go to Code Platoon, or get a degree in computer science at a university?”

This is of course a valid question when attempting to decide your future. But instead of simply comparing the raw numbers, I want to offer a few thoughts that will act as a way to compare this serious choice. 

To start with a popular phrase and apply it to this context, all coding bootcamps and colleges are not created equally. While this may seem obvious, we often forget to account for some of the variables when comparing. 

For example, we can’t simply ask whether any coding bootcamp is better or worse than any college – that’s immediately problematic from an analytical perspective. It would be better to start, at the very least, with a question like “Which is better, the best coding bootcamp, or the best college program?”

That starts to level the playing field, but only a bit; it doesn’t account for several other factors. For example, is the best college accessible to us? 

To use a personal example, I completed an MA in history a few years ago. When looking at potential schools, Harvard was considered the top choice by many, but that mattered very little from the practical cost perspective.

So, the practical must always factor in: “What is the best program that is accessible?”

And yet we can still further refine that. Let’s imagine that a highly-ranked college and a highly-ranked coding bootcamp are both accessible, and let’s suppose that the college has an edge in its graduate outcomes. That means it’s the smarter choice, right?

Not necessarily. First, when does the college program start, and second, how long does it take?

If we keep things equal in our hypothetical and say that they start at the same time, a coding bootcamp is much shorter in length by at least a few years. That has to be accounted for when doing a comparative analysis.

To put a fine point on it and contextualize the numbers, let’s suppose that a computer science degree holder from a good school lands a starting salary of $90,000/year, and the coding school graduate gets an offer of $80,000/year to begin a new role. While the CS degree path seems more profitable, it’s not that simple.

If a coding bootcamp takes 4-6 months and a degree takes 3.5-4 years, the coding bootcamp grad is earning that salary at least three years sooner than the college student who is still in school. By the time the college student graduates, they are roughly $210,000 behind in their earnings.

How does that look over a lifetime of earnings? How does it translate into further career development? Will one put us in more debt than the other? 

All of these are valuable and relevant questions, and it’s worth noting that even my hypothetical comparison can be altered based on numerous factors. The point is not to come up with a direct answer, but rather to offer a more robust method of comparison that goes beyond simply asking which one is better.

The short answer is, it depends. The longer answer is that it depends on a lot of factors, some of which are neglected and not taken into account, often because we don’t consider relevant qualifiers that offer a solid foundation for comparing. 

What is your current situation? How much time can you devote to training? What are the practical options based on these factors?

Be sure you are taking into account what matters to you, as no one knows your situation better than you. We are here to help you walk through those options and make the smartest, most informed choice possible. 

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional military blogger, and Code Platoon’s Student Outreach and Recruitment Manager. He holds a BA and MA in history and an MS in organizational psychology. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy, and he is passionate about helping Veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.