Updated September 29, 2022
So you’ve decided to make a career transition. You’ve done your research and have decided that attending a bootcamp is the best way for you to learn the skills required for a career in tech. You’re considering Nashville Software School, but wonder, “how do I pay for it?”
As the first non-profit coding bootcamp in the US, we strive to keep our bootcamps within financial reach of all who apply. We do this by keeping our tuition affordable; which as a non-profit is easier to do since we don’t have investors requiring a return. On a per-week basis, we’re one of the most affordable bootcamps in the country. As an example, our Web Development Bootcamp is a full-time, full stack program that runs for six months, or 24 weeks. At our current tuition of $13,125*, that’s about $550/week for full-time education! Some bootcamps may offer lower tuition, but often, they cost twice as much per week to learn only a portion of what we teach in 24 weeks.
Second, we offer students several ways to pay their tuition, including payment plans and student loans, as discussed below.
Third, we offer an innovative tuition program, where we “bet” on the success of the student and offer deferred tuition until they have a job in technology. We were the first bootcamp to offer a deferred tuition plan back when we started in 2012. We refer to this option as Nashville Opportunity Tuition.
Nashville Opportunity Tuition has been a key pillar of Nashville Software School since day one when all of our students were a part of this unique shared risk/deferred tuition plan. Currently, a little over half of our students are on this plan. So what is Nashville Opportunity Tuition and who is the program for?
Nashville Opportunity Tuition allows us to help individuals in economically disadvantaged situations pursue careers in tech. It also enables us to lower barriers for underrepresented groups in tech, such as women, Black people, Hispanics, and veterans.
The essence of the Opportunity Tuition is that both we and the student share the risk and co-invest in their career. Students selected for this program receive a $2500* scholarship and are only required to pay $1500 in tuition at the start of the program (“skin in the game money”). The remaining tuition balance of $9,125* is carried on our books until such time as the student a) graduates from NSS and b) secures their first tech job post-graduation." - John Wark, NSS Founder & CEO
*These numbers have been updated to reflect our current tuition of $13,125 for Web Development and Data Science Bootcamps for programs starting in February 2023 and later.
Read more about Nashville Opportunity Tuition.
Our goal from the beginning has been to find and nurture home-grown talent to fill Nashville’s need for tech talent. Nashville Opportunity Tuition graduates are encouraged to find jobs locally or work remotely from Nashville. Being a non-profit bootcamp focused on a single community has enabled us to adapt quickly to meet the needs of Nashville. With the shift to live online learning, we've been able to serve a wider population of students but still remain committed to the Nashville community, which is the foundation of Nashville Software School. Read What We Mean When We Say Community.
Not everyone can qualify for Nashville Opportunity Tuition, so we provide several payment options for regular tuition students.
Yes! Those who plan to pay full tuition out-of-pocket have two options (based on $13,125 tuition):
Other payment plans may also be arranged, but all of our payment plans require full payment by the time you graduate. For specifics on payment plans, visit the program page for the program you've applied for. If you need an extended payment option, you may want to consider the student loan options discussed below.
We never encourage students to take on debt, particularly more debt than they can afford. However, we understand that for some a third-party loan is the best option. We have partnered with three companies that offer loans for bootcamps, Climb Credit (available for all programs), Meritize (available for Analytics + Data Science programs), and Sallie Mae (available for Web + Software Development programs). All loan options are free to apply and we encourage students to look at the terms for both options available for their program and choose the option that is best for them. If you borrow less than the maximum allowed, your remaining balance is due by the first day of class. For specifics on each loan program, visit the program page for the program you've applied for.
We recommend that prospective students compare all of the financing options available to them, including savings, third-party loans from Climb Credit, Meritize, and Sallie Mae an NSS payment plan, assistance from your family, or other loan options.
If you have considered all of your financial options and come to the conclusion that you can’t quit your day job, we have yet another option for you.
We offer our Web Development Bootcamp, Data Analytics Bootcamp, and Data Science Bootcamp in a part-time, evening format. Students still experience our comprehensive bootcamps, just over a longer time period. It’s demanding to work full-time and be in school, but our part-time programs have allowed hundreds of graduates to start a new career. All of our financing options are also available to part-time bootcamp students, including payment plans, loans, and Nashville Opportunity Tuition.
Is your employer frequently hiring junior tech talent? Would one of our programs enable you to level up your skills and move into a new role within your company? If so, consider asking your employer if they would pay for part or all of your tuition in one of our part-time, evening programs.
Nashville Software School is NOT eligible for federal student aid, loans, or grants. In general, schools must be accredited in order for their students to be eligible for federal grants or loans. While Nashville Software School (like most bootcamps), is approved by its state’s higher education regulator, it is not the same as accreditation. In the coding bootcamp world, the vast majority of bootcamps are private, non-accredited schools and thus, ineligible for government loan/grant programs.
Every student’s financial situation is unique. While affording any bootcamp at Nashville Software School takes some planning, it’s a less expensive (and more vocationally relevant) alternative to a four-year degree in computer science and offers a more comprehensive program at half the cost per week than other bootcamps. Additionally, most students find our hands-on learning environment to take them further, faster than self-study options. Our students leave with valuable hands-on experience that is appreciated by hiring managers.
**All numbers in this post reflect current tuition for our Web Development and Data Science Bootcamps which takes effect February 2023**