CareerFoundry in a Nutshell
Years operating
10
Tuition
$690-$8,705
Variety of courses/programs
20 courses divided into three types: introductory, advanced, and career-change
Suitable for
Those seeking a guaranteed job placement within six months of graduation
Online experience
- Streamlined application process
- Extensive blog
- Free live events
- Helpful FAQ
- Transparent tuition fees
- Pre-recorded classes
Overview
Established in 2013, CareerFoundry is a tech bootcamp offering six introductory and eight advanced courses alongside six career-change programs. According to CareerFoundry statistics, its programs have achieved an average graduate salary increase of $15,082. In addition, the average time for a CareerFoundry graduate to secure their first post-graduation job is 75 days.
CareerFoundry’s career-change programs include UX Design, UI Design, Full-Stack Web Development, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Product Management. Its short introductory courses offer introductions to these programs (and are similarly named), while the advanced courses let you specialize in niche topics such as Machine Learning with Python.
What is CareerFoundry?
CareerFoundry’s six self-paced career-change courses are designed for busy individuals aiming to improve their career prospects in the tech industry. It’s also appealing to tech beginners looking to build their careers. The courses are hands-on and flexible, making it convenient to manage them with busy schedules.
Here’s more information about each of the career-change courses.
UX Design: This teaches you the foundations of user experience (UX) design and how to create sitemaps and wireframes, conduct research, build user personas, and more.
UI Design: In this course, you’ll choose Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch as your user interface (UI) design tool. You’ll learn how to use the tool and master its features to create brand interfaces. Plus, this course covers visual design principles and prototyping designs in InVision.
Full-Stack Web Development: This course teaches you how to code and design web applications using HTML, CSS, Javascript, React, and Python.
Data Analytics: With this course, you’ll get a well-rounded education in data analysis, testing, dashboarding, and querying using tools like Tableau, Excel, Python, and more.
Digital Marketing: This program teaches you campaign launching, strategizing, and branding skills to excel as a marketer. You’ll learn best practices for using WordPress, Canva, MailChimp, and more within a marketing context.
Product Management: Through this course, you’ll acquire skills in conducting research, documentation and roadmap creation, prototyping, and team management.
These courses are primarily project-based, equipping you with the necessary skills to become job-ready. CareerFoundry graduates have landed roles at Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Netflix, and other well-known companies.
Below is the complete list of CareerFoundry’s advanced courses.
Voice User Interface Design
UI for UX Designers
Frontend Development for Designers
Animation for UI Designers
Python for Web Developers
Cloud Computing for Web Devs
Machine Learning with Python
Data Visualizations with Python
Is CareerFoundry Safe and Reliable?
CareerFoundry is a safe and reliable online tech bootcamp, with a Trustpilot rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. Among the positive reviews, there’s consistent praise for CareerFoundry’s affordable and transparent tuition, comprehensive student support, and strong community through its Student Slack network.
Regarding security, CareerFoundry protects students’ personal and sensitive data, such as credit card details, by following Standard Contractual Clauses with online payment systems. These safety precautions ensure secure payment processing.
Although CareerFoundry programs don’t hold accreditation from specific boards, each course undergoes quality assurance by the Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht (ZFU), Germany's state body for distance learning.
How CareerFoundry Works
CareerFoundry courses are 100% online, and you can choose from part-time, full-time, and flexible learning schedules.
The career-change programs incorporate three interim deadlines—for the curriculum's intro, immersion, and specialization sections—to keep you on track. The remaining journey is self-paced, and CareerFoundry offers a dual mentorship program for regular support as you study.
How to apply to CareerFoundry
Applying for a CareerFoundry course is hassle-free and took me under five minutes.
You’ll start by visiting the CareerFoundry website. On the homepage, click on the Courses tab, which displays all the programs open for enrollment.
Once you select a course, you’ll be directed to a webpage with information about what to expect from the course, its demand within the job market, the curriculum overview, the course fee, and portfolio examples. Here, you can contact a program advisor to discuss whether your preferred course matches your career aspirations and get answers to any other questions you may have.
Next, scroll down to Price and Payment Options and click Enroll Now. You’ll first create a student account by entering your name, email address, and password. Then, select whether you’d like to pay the tuition upfront or in installments.
Finally, choose your preferred course start date from the drop-down menu before entering your card details and completing the payment.
Prerequisites
You don't need an educational background or professional experience in web development, coding, or tech to enroll in a CareerFoundry course.
However, the CareerFoundry website specifies that you must:
Be self-motivated
Have a basic interest in web development
Have written and spoken B2-level English proficiency
In addition, the site advises that you dedicate at least 15-20 hours per week to studying. You’ll also need a computer with a stable internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone. Some courses, such as the Digital Marketing program, require a smartphone as well.
To be eligible for the job guarantee after you complete a CareerFoundry course, you must:
Be at least 18
Have a high school diploma or equivalent
Have completed the Job Prep Course, part of CareerFoundry’s career services, that becomes available halfway through your career-change program
Cost
CareerFoundry’s career-change programs cost between $6,555 and $8,705. You can pay tuition upfront (saving 5%) or in installments. Below is a breakdown of the course prices.
Career Change Course
Payment in 10 Monthly Installments
UX Design
$7,505
$7,900
UI Design
$7,505
$7,900
Full-Stack Web Development
$8,705
$8,500
Data Analytics
$7,505
$7,900
Digital Marketing
$6,555
$6,900
Product Management
$6,555
$6,900
Meanwhile, CareerFoundry’s introductory courses cost $690 (paid upfront), while its advanced courses cost either $1,900 (upfront payment) or $2,000 (three monthly installments).
CareerFoundry offers tuition discounts to veterans and active US military personnel. It also occasionally provides partial scholarships but no full ones. You’ll need to speak to a CareerFoundry team member for more information about these financing options.
CareerFoundry Student Resources
You can reach out to CareerFoundry by filling out a contact form on the website. Or, you can contact a team member via one of CareerFoundry’s social media profiles, which include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
You’ll also find student resources at different stages of the learning journey.
Pre-admissions
During the pre-admissions phase at CareerFoundry, contact options are limited to a chatbot and a pop-up box. There’s no phone support or direct email option. The chatbot immediately responds to queries related to course content. You can use the pop-up box for specific questions and wait for a program advisor to respond via email.
Additionally, CareerFoundry has a blog with articles about its courses and insights into the fast-paced tech industry. Each course page includes a dedicated FAQ section, too. You can also join CareerFoundry’s live online events to gain new skills and broaden your professional and educational horizons.
Studying
When you enroll in a career-change program, CareerFoundry connects you with a student support team, which includes a mentor, tutor, and student advisor.
Your mentor provides detailed feedback on your portfolio projects, and your tutor guides and provides feedback on your assignments. Your student advisor serves as a study companion to support your learning journey.
Upon enrollment, students in career-change programs also get free view-only access to a program library to study other tech programs independently. Plus, you can join CareerFoundry’s Slack community for peer support and networking opportunities.
Post-graduation
Halfway through the program, you can commit to taking the Job Prep Course to access career services for six months post-graduation. CareerFoundry will also pair you with a career specialist.
In my opinion, the Job Prep Course is a must for students—and an offering that makes CareerFoundry stand out. Completing the course makes you eligible for CareerFoundry’s job guarantee program, where career specialists ensure you land a tech position within six months of graduation.
Furthermore, CareerFoundry’s comprehensive career services include personalized coaching and help crafting resumes and preparing for job interviews.
CareerFoundry Alternatives
How CareerFoundry compares with other tech bootcamps
CareerFoundry
Kenzie Academy
General Assembly
Flatiron School
Years operating
10
6
12
11
Tuition
$690-$8,705
$10,000-$20,000
$950-$16,450
$16,900-$17,900
Variety of courses/programs
20
5
20
4
Student resources
- Academic support
-Contact form
- Student community
- Free live events
- Program library
- Career support
- Academic support
- Phone & email support
- Online Helpdesk ticketing
- Mental and physical health support
- Career support
- Career coach
- Technical support
- Free workshops and events
- Student Services
- Phone & email support
- Mental and physical health support
- Career counseling
Online experience
- Streamlined application process
- Extensive blog
- Free live events
- Helpful FAQ
- Transparent tuition fees
- Pre-recorded classes
- Smooth admissions process
- Flexible learning options - Live classes and on-demand recordings
- Transparent pricing
- Useful FAQ page and educational blog
- Dedicated Learning Success Advisor
- Straightforward signup
- Blogs
- Detailed FAQs
- Transparent pricing
- Live video instruction
- Streamlined but long application process
- High-quality learning resources
- Transparent pricing
- Live and self-paced learning
CareerFoundry vs Kenzie Academy
Kenzie Academy and CareerFoundry are leading bootcamps that help individuals build a career in the tech industry. However, while CareerFoundry boasts multiple affordable courses, Kenzie Academy is more expensive and offers only five courses. Therefore, I’d recommend CareerFoundry for those on a tighter budget who don’t want to sacrifice quality for affordability.
CareerFoundry vs General Assembly
General Assembly’s part- and full-time tech courses are available online and on campus, whereas CareerFoundry offers self-paced online courses. General Assembly’s fees are also almost double CareerFoundry’s for the immersive bootcamps. While I suggest checking out General Assembly if you’re interested in in-person learning, CareerFoundry may be the better choice for budget-conscious students.
CareerFoundry vs Flatiron School
Flatiron School is another well-rated bootcamp, but unlike CareerFoundry’s flexible deadlines, it has a fixed course schedule. Also, Flatiron School’s courses are confined to four options at a premium price. In contrast, CareerFoundry offers 20 low-cost bootcamps and courses. You might opt for Flatiron School if you prefer following a pre-set study schedule over self-paced learning. If not, CareerFoundry could be the right choice for you.
Bottom Line
CareerFoundry’s self-paced, 100% online bootcamps help students switch careers and enter the tech industry. Its student support offers guidance through every step—from applying to studying to landing a job after graduation.
Moreover, CareerFoundry’s programs undergo quality assurance testing, and there’s a six-month job guarantee for students who complete the Job Prep Course. I appreciated that the application process is seamless and straightforward, there are minimal prerequisites for enrollment, and the pricing structure is transparent.
All in all, CareerFoundry is an appealing option for anyone wanting to change careers and have professional support in finding their first job in tech.
FAQs
Is CareerFoundry worth the money?
Yes, CareerFoundry is worth the money. It provides continuous student support, including dual mentorship, extensive career support, and free live events. There’s also a six-month job guarantee after graduation. What’s more, CareerFoundry courses are self-paced, fully online, and more affordable than other bootcamps.
How much does the CareerFoundry program cost?
CareerFoundry’s six introductory courses cost $690 each, and its eight advanced courses cost $1,900 or $2,000 each, depending on whether you pay upfront or in three monthly installments. Its career-change programs cost between $6,555 and $8,705, and there are options to pay upfront or in 10 monthly installments.
Where is CareerFoundry based?
CareerFoundry is based in Berlin, Germany. It offers flexible online learning so students worldwide can gain new tech knowledge, grow their existing skills, and kickstart a new career.