As two of the leading technical course providers in the industry, Springboard and DataCamp both offer a variety of courses designed to help students find a job in everything from data science to data analysis. Both schools allow students to work towards certification and new careers via online learning, though there are some big differences in the courses offered and how students are supported throughout their journey.
Springboard offers bootcamps and short courses in UX design, data science, data analytics, software engineering, machine learning, tech sales and cybersecurity. All Springboard bootcamps are 100% online, self-paced, and take three, six, or nine months to complete.
DataCamp provides courses geared solely towards data-related professions such as data analyst, data engineer, machine learning engineer, quantitative analyst, Python programmer, and R programmer.
All of DataCamp’s courses are 100% online and, like most MOOCs, take a hands-off approach to instruction, with courses consisting of video lectures and coding exercises.
Springboard’s courses are around $10,000, with discounts and scholarships available if certain criteria are met. Springboard’s introductory courses, which give students a taste of a field at a fraction of the time commitment, start at $349.
DataCamp offers a tiered pricing structure—$25/month grants students access to all instructional videos and a community chat, while $33.25/month gives students access to instructional videos as well as assignments and priority customer support. There is also a free version that gives students access to the first lesson of each course.
Springboard offers a first-of-its-kind job guarantee for all graduates, with all-encompassing courses that prepare students for the workforce. If a student does not secure a job related to their field of study within six months of graduation, Springboard will offer a full refund on tuition.
DataCamp doesn’t publish data on how many of its graduates go on to secure jobs as data scientists. However, the platform is popular among businesses who use it to help employees upskill and fill in data-related skills gaps.