Article
2025 Year in Review: Coding Bootcamp News
Written By Mike McGee
Edited By Liz Eggleston
Last updated January 6, 2026
Written By Mike McGee
Edited By Liz Eggleston
Course Report strives to create the most trust-worthy content about coding bootcamps. Read more about Course Report’s Editorial Policy and How We Make Money.
Course Report strives to create the most trust-worthy content about coding bootcamps. Read more about Course Report’s Editorial Policy and How We Make Money.
With AI reshaping education and workforce development throughout 2025, coding bootcamps continued to evolve their offerings while navigating significant policy changes. The year saw the passage of Workforce Pell, new accreditation pathways for short-term programs, and a surge in AI-focused training initiatives, with bootcamps positioning themselves in an AI-driven economy. From federal funding expansions to the rise of "vibe coding," 2025 marked a pivotal year for alternative education pathways. Let’s rewind!
We added 50 new schools to the Course Report directory and expanded it beyond bootcamps to include certificate courses, certification prep courses, and more.
We matched over 30,000 of you with coding bootcamps via our Get Matched tool
We published ~85 new articles on our blog, including many in-depth YouTube videos.
Over 5,000 of you came to Course Report to leave a review of your bootcamp experience.
Workforce Pell became law – After years of advocacy, "Workforce Pell" was finally signed into law as part of The One Big Beautiful Act in July 2025, opening federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term training programs. This represents a major funding breakthrough for accredited bootcamps and workforce training providers.
AI education went mainstream across all levels – from K-12 through professional development – by 2025, AI literacy had become a core educational priority. Over 250 CEOs signed an open letter urging states to make computer science and AI education available for every student. At the same time, bootcamps rapidly integrated AI-native curricula and "vibe coding" approaches into their programs.
Alternative pathways gained institutional recognition – Regional accreditors began launching formal processes to recognize noncredit and microcredential providers, including bootcamps and certificate programs. This shift toward institutional recognition signals growing acceptance of alternative credentials in higher education.
The tech hiring landscape evolved – while concerns about AI's impact on coding jobs persisted, bootcamp graduates continued to find opportunities as employers increasingly valued practical skills over traditional degrees. The conversation shifted from "learn to code" to learning to work effectively alongside AI tools.
Certificate program enrollment grew for the fourth consecutive year, now 28.5% above 2019 levels.
Lighthouse Labs, which has been teaching technical skills for over 10 years, was acquired by Uvaro. Lighthouse Labs continued to operate independently, but students gained access to new career services from Uvaro – by the end of 2025, Uvaro/Lighthouse Labs had closed.
2U announced that Kees Bol, the former CEO of Boundless Learning, became the company's new CEO effective January 27th.
Coursera also announced that Greg Hart stepped in as the company's new president and CEO. By December, Coursera announced its acquisition of Udemy.
After releasing inaccurate data at the end of 2024, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released updated enrollment data showing postsecondary enrollment has surpassed prepandemic levels.
The tech talent market ended 2024 on a high note, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with employers adding more than 165,000 new job postings in December, bringing the total to 434,415 active tech job postings.
Merit America announced new training in areas such as healthcare and semiconductors and partnered with Austin Community College.
StackRoute announced a partnership with the University of North Dakota to offer online bootcamps. Springboard partnered with Wake Forest University to offer online bootcamps and with the University of South Florida to offer a short course on Generative AI for Business.
General Assembly launched its new Information Technology Bootcamp, which includes preparation for the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications.
Quickstart announced that it acquired Career Development Solutions in Austin for an undisclosed amount.
With the Trump administration dismantling the Department of Education, Technical.ly's Holly Quinn posited whether this would mean nontraditional education paths like coding bootcamps and tech apprenticeships would go mainstream. "Community-based programs and non-profits like Zip Code Wilmington have partnerships with hiring companies and good track records – always check their track records – and they're more than ready for a potential increase of students if federal financial aid is disrupted."
As Illinois built out its PsiQuantum quantum hub in Chicago's South Side, a brief from QuantumInsider recommended building an inclusive talent pipeline for technical and manufacturing roles through apprenticeship programs and coding bootcamps. The report suggested that Illinois could develop workforce training programs that create opportunities for motivated individuals at all educational levels, including coding bootcamps for software engineers specializing in quantum algorithms.
In partnership with Boston-based Resilient Coders, Maine sponsored an 18-week coding bootcamp for "racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse youth" in August. Applicants ages 18-35 also received a $500 biweekly stipend during the program.
IT Brew spoke with staffing experts about the frustration around today's tech hiring process, highlighting a HackerRank report that found that 74% of developers find it hard or very hard to get a job in tech today.
In an executive order signed on April 23rd, the White House set a new goal of reaching 1 million new apprentices per year through expanded apprenticeships and improved connections with the education system.
The 74 Million covered a report showing that recent high school graduates, especially male graduates, are more interested in on-the-job training (such as apprenticeships) than traditional degrees. To lean into this, Palantir launched a "Meritocracy Fellowship," a paid internship for recent high school graduates with Ivy League test scores that prepares them for AI jobs.
California released a final version of its Master Plan for Career Education, which emphasizes skills-based hiring and nontraditional learning pathways to careers.
Makers Academy partnered with the UK government to supply tech training to civil servants through the TechTrak Apprenticeship. The initiative kicked off with a hackathon attended by the Prime Minister.
Techademy named Subramanyam Reddy, the founder of UpGrad KnowledgeHut, as its new CEO. Justin Singh was appointed the executive vice president and general manager of Cengage Work, which includes Infosec Institute.
Lauren Feiner of The Verge reported that Prehired bootcamp (a tech sales bootcamp program that was ordered to shut down by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2023) is "relaunching its old pitch under a new name: FastTrack." On Course Report, we added FastTrack Careers to our directory to ensure that alumni have the opportunity to leave reviews of their experience.
According to the Economic Times, Le Wagon opened a new classroom in Bangalore – its first campus in India.
Cassandra Lopez profiled Resilient Coders in the Philadelphia Tribune in May. Resilient Coders has been training underrepresented Black and brown talent in software engineering since 2014. They offer students an intensive, stipended, 18-week full-stack engineering course, an AI/ML training program with immersive agile development cycles, professional development, mentorship, and ongoing career placement support. Lopez attended the Demo Day and described a few of the standout presentations.
HRDive reported that 1 in 4 employers say they'll eliminate degree requirements by year's end. Companies that recently removed degree requirements reported a surge in applications and a more diverse applicant pool. They also reported the ability to offer lower salaries. In the survey of 1,000 hiring managers, 84% of companies that recently removed degree requirements said it has been a successful move.
According to Delaware Live, Zip Code Wilmington announced a new partnership with Goldey-Beacom College that will allow graduates of its coding bootcamps to earn up to 12 college credits. Through the Credit for Prior Learning initiative, bootcamp alumni who enroll in Goldey-Beacom's associate or bachelor's degree programs can receive credit for their prior technical training – 12 credits for Software Development graduates and nine credits for Data Engineering and Analytics graduates.
Code.org and CSforALL announced they are combining forces to lead AI education efforts, with the White House Executive Order on AI directing federal agencies to prioritize grants for CS + AI teachers' training and create a national AI-education task force.
Non-profit bootcamp Turing School announced that it is closing its doors in June.
Code Platoon named Cecilian Partners as its 2025 Partner of the Year, recognizing the PropTech company's commitment to hiring veterans and military family members. Over the past two years, Cecilian welcomed five Code Platoon alumni into its engineering team, including Navy Veteran James Kelsey, who won the company's 2024 MVP Award.
The One Big Beautiful Act was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, and had two significant pieces of language that impact workforce/career training. The most impactful news from July is that "Workforce Pell" is now law. Whiteboard Advisors has the best summary of Workforce Pell, and accredited bootcamps are now eligible. However, Workforce Pell was ultimately passed without the provision that would enable an approval process for non-accredited actors.
According to The New York Times, the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" expanded 529 plans to cover vocational training, coding bootcamps, and certification programs. Previously, 529 accounts could only be used to cover expenses at a bootcamp that was eligible for Title IV federal student aid.
Lisa Larson wrote for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) that the passage of Workforce Pell creates a pivotal opportunity for short-term training providers if institutions, states, and employers rise to the implementation challenge. While the law opens the door for bootcamps and non-degree providers to serve more learners, Larson emphasized that colleges, states, and employers must now collaborate to build the infrastructure, governance, and outcome tracking needed to make it work.
The U.S. Department of Education's release of WIOA Title II funds included strengthened legal compliance measures – critical for bootcamps and training providers relying on federal grants.
The Department of Labor's $84M investment in apprenticeship expansion presented significant opportunities for bootcamps and training providers to align with state workforce initiatives in traditional trades and emerging tech sectors.
The U.S. Department of Labor also announced $30M in Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grants to support employer-led training in high-demand fields such as AI, advanced manufacturing, and shipbuilding, offering states a new incentive to scale innovative, outcomes-based workforce programs.
HyperionDev expanded its coding and data bootcamps across South Africa, offering Software Engineering, Data Science, and Web Development programs with one-on-one mentorship.
Jobs for the Future announced that Illinois became the first state to regulate Income Share Agreements, passing legislation to establish consumer protections, including payment caps, minimum income thresholds, and APR limits.
According to Inside Higher Ed, two regional accreditors – NECHE and the Higher Learning Commission – are launching formal processes to recognize noncredit and microcredential providers, including bootcamps and certificate programs. Short-term programs have exploded in popularity but vary widely in quality and outcomes. Accreditation could soon serve as an important trust signal – primarily as federal Workforce Pell dollars flow into the space.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged Congress to create a federally backed "AI horizon fund" – supported by tech companies like Anthropic – to reskill displaced workers through apprenticeships, infrastructure investment, and public-private training programs.
Built In reported that 52% of college graduates are underemployed a year after graduation, while 1.4 million jobs could soon open to non-degree workers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced $30 million for 70 apprenticeship programs that will benefit 11,000+ apprentices, earning an average of $50.29 per hour in healthcare, education, and high-tech.
Chegg announced it will remain public and restructure to focus on the $40+ billion skilling market, with Dan Rosensweig returning as CEO.
New York State announced an AI pilot program for state employees featuring a proprietary generative AI sandbox powered by Google Gemini.
Howard University announced an AI certificate program and OpenAI partnership, emphasizing that AI should enhance rather than replace teaching and learning.
Fast Company profiled Bob McDonough, who went from bar work to a salaried design studio position within three months of completing a University of Pennsylvania full stack bootcamp in 2019.
The Haitian Times reported that graduates of Akademi, a six-month tech bootcamp in Port-au-Prince, built AI tools to address real national challenges – from breast cancer detection to predicting food insecurity. Despite limited resources, 71 students completed intensive training in AI, cybersecurity, and software engineering.
EIN Presswire reported that General Assembly Singapore overhauled its software engineering, data analytics, and UX design bootcamps to be fully AI-native, embedding AI into every foundational skill rather than treating it as an add-on. The refreshed programs align with Singapore's National AI Strategy and aim to prepare mid-career changers to think and work alongside AI as a default part of modern tech workflows.
Network World reported that while most IT skills are seeing declining pay premiums, AI certifications are bucking the trend with nearly 12% pay growth over the past year. Non-certified AI skills still command higher bonuses overall, but they're far more volatile – reflecting employers' shift toward task-based hiring and rapid skill evolution.
Atlanta-based Vets Who Code has helped more than 300 military veterans transition into software engineering careers since 2014, generating over $20 million in graduate salaries and achieving a 97% job placement rate.
In Phoenix, Coding in Color rolled out its second annual Day of Compute, bringing hands-on computing experience to students within the Phoenix Union High School District. The event included workshops in coding and artificial intelligence, and provided a glimpse into various technology careers.
Northwestern Computer Science leaders discussed how generative AI is transforming computer science education. According to Deloitte's analysis, generative AI will likely be embedded in nearly every company's digital footprint by 2027. Northwestern responded by generally prohibiting AI use in introductory courses to ensure students master fundamentals, while encouraging sophisticated AI integration in advanced coursework.
Mike McGee, Content Manager
Mike McGee is a tech entrepreneur and education storyteller with 14+ years of experience creating compelling narratives that drive real outcomes for career changers. As the co-founder of The Starter League, Mike helped pioneer the modern coding bootcamp industry by launching the first in-person beginner-focused program, helping over 2,000+ people learn how to get tech jobs, build apps, and start companies.
Liz Eggleston, CEO and Editor of Course Report
Liz Eggleston is co-founder of Course Report, the most complete resource for students choosing a coding bootcamp. Liz has dedicated her career to empowering passionate career changers to break into tech, providing valuable insights and guidance in the rapidly evolving field of tech education. At Course Report, Liz has built a trusted platform that helps thousands of students navigate the complex landscape of coding bootcamps.
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