Both Springboard and Codecademy are 100% online and deliver most of their educational materials through video lectures and readings. However, differences in pricing, support, and course curriculum mean that the student experience is quite different between the two providers.
All Springboard bootcamps are self-paced and take three-nine months to complete. During each bootcamp, students are matched with an industry mentor who guides them throughout the program through regular one-on-one video calls. A Student Success Manager is also available to handle logistics queries, create study plans, and help students stay accountable to their learning goals.
All of Codecademy’s courses are 100% online and, like most Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), take a hands-off approach to instruction, with courses consisting of video lectures and coding exercises. In lieu of personalized mentorship and career coaching, students have access to community discussion boards and group chats where they can communicate with their peers.
Springboard offers bootcamps and courses in software engineering, data science, tech sales, data analytics, cybersecurity, and UI/UX design.
Springboard follows a bootcamp model, which means all classes are capped to ensure a manageable mentor-to-student ratio and follow a structure that ensures that students understand the fundamentals of each profession before they advance to more challenging skills.
Codecademy hosts dozens of MOOCs focused on skills and professions that involve coding. Its courses are arranged by programming language and subject, which means students can sign up to learn specific languages such as Python, Java, SQL, or C++, or enroll in subject-specific courses such as data science, web development, cybersecurity, or computer science. Within each course are hundreds of individual lessons that teach students the fundamentals of the topic.
Springboard’s courses are around $10,000, with discounts and scholarships available if certain criteria are met. Students who aren’t able to pay the Career Track tuition cost upfront have access to a deferred tuition financing option where they pay a fixed amount only after getting a job.
Codecademy’s courses can be trialed free for seven days, after which students are charged $39.99/month to access course materials. Those who pay for a full year upfront are given a discount where the monthly price for Pro access drops to $19.99.
93% of all Springboard students received an offer within twelve months, with 53% of students overall receiving a job offer prior to graduating. If students don’t secure a position within six months, Springboard refunds 100% of tuition.
Codecademy doesn’t publish data on how many of its graduates go on to secure jobs in a field related to their studies. They do not provide students with career counseling or job placement assistance upon graduation, however, the platform is popular among businesses who use it to help employees upskill, with clients such as DailyMotion, Reverb, and Lincoln Financial Group.