Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo Comparison

All the information provided in this article is published in good faith and for comparison purposes only. It is accurate as of October 2021.

As the cost of higher education continues to rise, online courses and bootcamps have in recent years become a viable alternative for those who want training in highly technical and well-compensated fields—without the steep price tag or years-long time commitment. 

Spurring the e-learning revolution is the growing demand across all industries for software engineers, designers, data scientists, and cybersecurity professionals, which has resulted in courses and bootcamps that promise to prepare students for those roles—often from the comfort of their home and at the student’s own pace.

The rise of online bootcamps has been a good thing, with The New York Times reporting that virtual learning has been a “great equalizer” for adults and has made training and upskilling more accessible. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, the research found that e-learning has the potential to close a longstanding skills gap and democratize user engagement. 

Many courses, designed specifically with a bootcamp-to-workforce pipeline in mind, have also optimized their programs to focus on the skills students need in order to land the job they want, thus maximizing efficiency and giving graduates a competitive advantage. 

• Not ready to pick a bootcamp just yet? Head over to our bootcamp criteria guide.
• Want to find out how Springboard stacks up against other bootcamps? Check out our bootcamp comparison guide.

What Is Hack Reactor?

Hack Reactor is a San Francisco-based coding school that offers in-person and online bootcamps in software engineering. Unlike other bootcamps, which teach courses across multiple disciplines and professions, Hack Reactor only offers a software engineering program that students can take full-time in-person or online (12 weeks), or part-time online (9 months). Regardless of course format, all classes are synchronous, which means students are expected to attend live lectures, webinars, participate in real-time coding exercises, and collaborate with peers.

Hack Reactor’s courses are administered in three phases: a “Precourse” period in which students do 90-120 hours of prep work to develop a foundation in Javascript, HTML, CSS, and more; a “Junior” phase of five weeks where students are taught computer science fundamentals; and a “Senior” phase of seven weeks where students work on capstone projects and portfolios.

The school has physical campuses in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and New York City.

What Is Coding Dojo?

Coding Dojo is a Bellevue-based coding school that offers in-person and online classes in software development, cybersecurity, and data science. Its software development course is offered both full-time (14 weeks) and part-time (28 weeks), in-person and online, while its cybersecurity and data science courses are only offered part-time (12-24 weeks) and online.

Most of Coding Dojo’s courses are synchronous and require students to be logged on from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for web lectures, class discussions, group activities, code reviews, and project development. Only a few courses offer an asynchronous learning format: the online, part-time, “flex” software development course, which is spread across 28 weeks and includes recorded lectures, optional office hours, and around 10 hours of self-study a week; and a completely self-guided, self-paced software development bootcamp that can be completed in 2-4 months and is reserved for those who have programming experience.

Coding Dojo has physical campuses in Bellevue, Boise, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Jose.

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: What Are the Main Differences?

There are a few fundamental differences between Hack Reactor and Coding Dojo.

If you’re interested in a bootcamp that comes with a job guarantee, individualized mentorship, flexible asynchronous classes, and more course options, Springboard offers comprehensive, mentor-supported bootcamps in data science, UI/UX design, software engineering, cybersecurity, machine learning engineering, and tech sales.

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: Learning Format

• Hack Reactor offers synchronous classes in-person, online full-time, and online part-time. A full-time Hack Reactor course in software engineering can be completed in 12 weeks, with classes taking place Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. During those hours, students can expect to participate in live coding sessions, attend lectures, program in pairs, work on class-based projects, attend presentations, and do coding sprints. All students are given access to one-on-one career coaching, portfolio and CV-building support, and mock interview practice.
  
• Coding Dojo also offers synchronous classes in-person at one of its five campuses, online full-time, and online part-time. Students who attend Coding Dojo’s courses full-time can expect to complete the software development course in 14 weeks, with classes taking place Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, and additional time required outside of classes for homework and study. During those hours, students can expect to attend live lectures and Q&A sessions, program in pairs, perform group reviews of code, and complete practice assessments. Students are given access to one-on-one career coaching, mentorship, assistance with contract negotiation, and lifetime career support.

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: What’s on the Curriculum?

Hack Reactor and Coding Dojo each focus on a limited number of disciplines. Hack Reactor teaches only software engineering, with additional professional development short courses related to coding. Coding Dojo offers courses in software development, cybersecurity, and data science.

Interested in a tech career that isn’t offered by Hack Reactor or Coding Dojo? In addition to software engineering, Springboard’s comprehensive bootcamps include cybersecurity, data analytics, UI/UX design, machine learning engineering, data science, data engineering, and tech sales.

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: How Much Does It Cost?

When it comes to online courses and bootcamps, the adage that you get what you pay for often rings true. Free or low-cost courses can be accessible, but often lack personalized support from instructors and mentors. Higher-cost courses can have a higher barrier to entry, but typically come with a comprehensive support system.

• Hack Reactor’s full-time course cost around $17,980 upfront, with a higher cost for deferred tuition and income share agreements.
• Coding Dojo’s full-time course cost around $16,245 upfront, with a higher cost for deferred tuition and income share agreements.

Looking for a more affordable but still rigorous introductory course to dip your toes into a subject before committing to a bootcamp? Springboard’s introductory courses start from $349 and come with both mentor and career coach support from day one. Most introductory courses can be completed in four weeks, and the cost of an introductory course can be applied toward a full bootcamp at a later time. 

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: Job Outcomes

One of the indicators of an effective bootcamp or online course is whether students land an industry job upon graduation.

• Hack Reactor has a 75% success rate at placing students in jobs within six months of graduation.
• Coding Dojo reports that 81.9% of its graduates are employed in a related field within six months of graduation.

Looking for a course that offers a job guarantee? Springboard’s programs guarantee that graduates will land a job in a related field within six months of graduation or they’ll issue a full tuition refund. 

Hack Reactor vs. Coding Dojo: Pros and Cons

In the saturated e-learning market, both Hack Reactor and Coding Dojo have emerged as significant players because their courses offer many benefits. But what works for one student may not work for another.

Hack Reactor

• Pros: Hack Reactor’s synchronous nature may be beneficial for students who want real-time accountability from instructors and classmates, and who have the time to commit 50-60 hours a week to live classes. The school’s range of financing options—including upfront payment, split payment, deferred payment, and income share agreements— also offers flexibility to students, allowing people to enroll in courses even if they can’t afford an upfront payment. Mentors, tutors, and careers coaches support students through course projects, classwork, and job searches to best prepare graduates for job interviews and the workforce. Hack Reactor’s support network is similar to that of Springboard, although Springboard offers more courses and specializes in more career tracks. Springboard also offers scholarships to those facing financial hardships or from historically underrepresented groups. 

• Cons: One of Hack Reactor’s strengths— that its courses are synchronous with rigid start and end times and the expectation that students engage with coursework and classes 50-60 hours a week—is also one of its weaknesses. The synchronous nature of its courses means students lack flexibility and are unable to go at their own pace. In comparison, other mentor-led bootcamps such as Springboard help students meet similar outcomes (skills training, career support, job guarantee) while offering greater flexibility and programs optimized for self-paced learning. 

Coding Dojo

• Pros: Similar to Hack Reactor, Coding Dojo’s synchronous nature can be useful for students who want the accountability of attending live classes and collaborating with peers. Its part-time courses also lend themselves to flexibility because lectures are recorded and the bulk of students’ time is spent in self-study. A completely self-guided, self-paced option is also available for students who already have experience with programming. Coding Dojo’s support network is similar to that of Springboard, although Springboard offers more courses, specializes in more career tracks, and also offers scholarships to students from historically underrepresented communities.

• Cons: Coding Dojo’s in-person and full-time offerings are limited to its software development program—students interested in its cybersecurity and data science courses can only take them online and part-time. And although there is some flexibility to Coding Dojo’s part-time courses, most of its classes are synchronous, which means some level of online attendance during set hours is required and students are not able to go at their own pace.

Interested in a bootcamp that offers customized career counseling, regular calls with industry mentors from day one, and a flexible program that allows you to go at your own pace? All of Springboard’s courses are built from the ground up to be fully online and asynchronous. To ensure you get the support you need while you learn at your own pace, every student is paired with an expert from Springboard’s vast network of mentors to give them guidance and support for projects, job hunting, and career decision-making.

Not ready to enroll just yet? Read more about the factors you should consider while picking a program in our bootcamp criteria guide.

Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to ensure the information in this comparison guide is accurate and up-to-date. However, mistakes happen. If you spot an error, please get in touch with us at hello@springboard.com and we’ll correct it right away.

Since you’re here…
Thinking about a career in data science? Enroll in our Data Science Bootcamp, and we’ll get you hired in 6 months. If you’re just getting started, take a peek at our foundational Data Science Course, and don’t forget to peep our student reviews. The data’s on our side.