Written By Lauren Stewart
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Overview
While “coding bootcamps” initially focused narrowly on web and mobile development, the bootcamp model has expanded to other digital skills like UX/UI Design, Data Science, Product Marketing, Digital Marketing, Sales and Cybersecurity. This category of bootcamps will graduate over 4,000 students in 2016.
Wondering where to start? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Coding Bootcamp!
Key Findings
In the second market sizing study of this category, Course Report found:
- In 2016, the Data Science, UX/UI Design, Sales, Product Management, Digital Marketing, and Cybersecurity Bootcamp market will grow to an estimated 4,058 graduates from 55 different courses, up from 2,475 in 2015.
- As a point of comparison, we estimate that Web & Mobile Development Bootcamps will graduate17,966 developers in 2016.
- Average tuition price of qualifying courses is $12,147, with an average program length of 13.5 weeks.
- We estimate that tuition revenue from qualifying US/CA schools will be $49.3MM in 2016 (up from $31.5MM in 2015), excluding scholarships.
- UX/UI Bootcamps are the most common of this bootcamp category. UX/UI is taught in 50% of courses, followed by Data Science with 42% of courses.
- New to this sector in 2016 are Cybersecurity Bootcamps– while this still a new and small category, the emergence of Cybersecurity Bootcamps is notable.
Results
Subjects
As the bootcamp model has been applied to new fields, UX/UI Design has emerged as the most popular new subject, accounting for 50% of graduates, followed by Data Science bootcamps with 42% of graduates. Digital Marketing/Sales and Product Management bootcamps account for 6% and 1% respectively. In 2016, Cybersecurity bootcamps have emerged in this category, but do not yet account for a significant percentage of graduates. More information about each of these digital skills is included below.
|
Bootcamp Focus |
#2016 Grads |
% |
| UX/UI Design | 2,044 | 50.38% |
| Data Science | 1,717 | 42.31% |
| Digital Marketing | 242 | 5.96% |
| Product Mangement | 52 | 1.28% |
| Cybersecurity | 3 | 0.07% |
|
Bootcamp Focus |
2015 Grads |
2016 Grads |
| UX/UI Design | 1,621 | 2,044 |
| Data Science | 569 | 1,717 |
| Digital Marketing/Sales | 248 and 164 | 242 total |
| Product Mangement | 264 | 52 |
| Cybersecurity | n/a | 3 |
UX/UI Design
While User Experience Design (UX) and User Interface Design (UI) are separate fields and roles, they are often taught together. UI and UX refer to the visual components, interactions and experience when using a product. UX/UI Bootcamps teach skills like user research, interaction design, prototyping, wireframing, and testing.
UX/UI Design bootcamps account for 50% of graduates in this category. There are UX/UI Design bootcamps in cities like New York, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.
Data Science
Data Scientists manipulate and explore big data from multiple sources to solve complex business challenges. Whereas a traditional coding bootcamp generally requires little to no programming background in students, data science bootcamps often require some knowledge of a programming language like Python or R.
In the category of Data Science training programs, we recognize a distinction between Data Science fellowships and Data Science bootcamps. Data Science Bootcamps follow the traditional immersive bootcamp model. These are generally three-month, intensive, full-time programs in which most students have some programming experience, but a PhD is generally not required.
Data Science Fellowships are generally 6-8 week programs intended for PhD students/grads looking to transition out of academia and into a corporate environment. They are generally free to the student (some even offer a stipend) and these bootcamps generate revenue through placement fees with partner companies. The Data Incubator is an example of this type of fellowship.
Data Science bootcamps account for 42% of graduates in this category. There are Data Science Bootcamps in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Denver.
Digital Marketing/ Sales
Digital Marketing bootcamps like Startup Institute teach skills that include performance and content marketing with a focus on generating actionable insights from data analytics.
Sales bootcamps like Tradecraft and GrowthX Academy teach skills that include Customer Development, Business Operations, Pipeline Management, Deal Crafting, and Business Theory.
Digital Marketing/Sales bootcamps account for 6% of graduates in this category and teach primarily in San Francisco, New York, and Boston.
Product Management
Product Management bootcamps like General Assembly teach skills that include building an MVP, technical project management (e.g., Agile & SCRUM), user-centered design, and team communication. Although there are only a few full-time product management bootcamps, there are several part-time options like Product School.
Product Management bootcamps account for 1% of graduates in this category and there are Product Management bootcamps in cities like Seattle, Boston, and New York.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity bootcamps like Evolve Security Academy teach skills in information technology security, focusing on protecting networks, and data from unintended or unauthorized access.
Cybersecurity bootcamps account for .07% of graduates in this category, but we do expect this sector to grow in 2017.
Tuition
Tuition ranges from $5,000 to $20,000 for a course, with an average tuition of $12,147, which is slightly lower than 2015’s average tuition of $12,585. Courses range from 4 to 36 weeks, but most courses are in the 8 to 15-week range with an average of 13.5 weeks. Our study focuses on full-time programs, where students typically commit at least 40 hours per week, between classroom and programming time.
|
Tuition |
% |
|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 9.3% |
| $5,000-$10,000 | 18.5% |
| $10,000-$15,000 | 48.1% |
| More than $15,000 | 24.1% |
Based on our estimate of 4,058 students in 2016, we estimate tuition revenue at $49.3MM in 2016, excluding rebates and scholarships. Some schools also collect placement fees from employers for students accepting full-time jobs after graduation. Many schools offer job placement rebates, ranging from a few thousand dollars to the entire tuition. Typically, rebates are offered to students who receive a qualifying job through the school’s job placement program.
Location
As of December 1, 2016, there are UX/UI Design, Data Science, Product Management, Cybersecurity and Digital Marketing/Sales bootcamps in 15 US and Canadian cities.
|
City |
# Courses |
|---|---|
| New York | 10 |
| San Francisco | 7 |
| Boston | 5 |
| Chicago | 5 |
| Denver | 4 |
| Los Angeles | 4 |
| Seattle | 4 |
| Washington | 4 |
Market Size
After surveying school representatives from the 19 qualifying US/Canada-based bootcamps, Course Report estimates a 64% growth rate for the Data Science, UX/UI Design, Sales, Product Marketing, and Digital Marketing bootcamp market in 2016.
|
Self-Reported |
# |
|---|---|
| 2015 Graduates | 2,475 |
| 2016 Graduates | 4,058 |
| Estimated Growth Rate | 64% |
Among the respondents, 4 schools reported zero graduates in 2015, but expect to graduate 104 students in 2016. Among the schools operating in 2015, all schools expect to grow.
Our 2015 Rise of the Bootcamp Model Study projected the 2015 market size to be 2,475 graduates. Our 2016 study finds that the actual market size in 2015 was 2,866 graduates. Thus our 2015 report underestimated year-over-year growth by 15.8%.
Participating Schools
Participating Schools
The following 16 bootcamps participated in this year's report:
1 Bit Bootcamp participated in our 2015 report, but was unresponsive to the 2016 survey. However, as the school continues to operate, we applied the average growth rate from responsive schools to Bit Bootcamp's reported 2015 graduates.
2 Data Science for Social Good was unresponsive to our initial survey. However, data about their 2015 graduates and 2016 graduates was obtained from their website.
3Shillington School participated in our 2015 report, but was unresponsive to the 2016 survey. However, as the school continues to operate, we applied the average growth rate from responsive schools to Shillington School's reported 2015 graduates.
Missing from 2016 Study:
Closer Academy, Insight Data Science, and SecureSet Academy.
About Course Report
Course Report, founded in 2013 by Adam Lovallo and Liz Eggleston, operates https://www.coursereport.com/, which helps potential students find and research coding bootcamp programs. Course Report offers a directory of schools, course schedules, reviews, and interviews with teachers, founders, students, and alumni.
Methodology
Methodology
In Course Report’s 2nd annual research into UX/UI Design, Data Science, Product Management, Digital Marketing/Sales, and Cybersecurity bootcamps, we surveyed a total of 19 US/Canada-based schools, commonly referred to as “bootcamps” or “accelerated learning programs.” Of the 19 schools surveyed, which had to meet the set of criteria described below, 16 completed the survey, for a response rate of 84% percent. The surveys were sent to school representatives and graduation figures are self-reported by the respondents.
Criteria. To qualify for inclusion in the survey, a school must (a) offer full-time, in-person instruction of 40 or more hours of classroom time per week, (b) be non-degree granting, (c) provide curriculum with a focus in UX/UI Design, Data Science, Product Management, Sales/Business Development, Digital Marketing/Growth, or Cybersecurity and (d) be based in the United States or Canada. Many schools offer courses at multiple campuses across a wide range of curricula. Respondents were asked to only report on courses meeting the above criteria (full-time, in-person, non-accredited, programming-specific, United States/Canada).
Response. Surveys were sent to school representatives and graduation figures are self-reported by the respondents. In 3 cases, school representatives were unresponsive, but in those cases, data was either available publicly on the school’s website or the school participated in the 2015 study, and we applied the average growth rate.
2016 forecast. All respondents reported the number of students who graduated in 2015 and all respondents provided estimates of their expected, 2016 graduate total.
Course analysis. In addition to survey responses, we utilized the Course Report database of individual course sections to identify a sample of 55 courses (used in Table 2 and Table 3). For this study, digital marketing and sales courses were categorized together. To qualify for our sample, the course needed to meet all of the above criteria and have a start date in 2016.
