Bootcamp break-even calculator

Why Opportunity Cost Outweighs Coding Bootcamp Tuition

When evaluating the cost of an intensive coding bootcamp (such as General Assembly, Flatiron School, or Springboard), prospective students focus almost exclusively on advertised tuition figures ($14,000 to $22,000).

However, in financial economics, opportunity cost — the earnings you forfeit by stepping out of the labor force — regularly exceeds the cash tuition fee.

The True Cost Formula

$$\text{All-In Investment} = \text{Tuition} + (\text{Months Out of Work} \times \text{Monthly After-Tax Salary}) + \text{Financing Interest}$$

For example, a prospective student earning $55,000 annually ($3,575 monthly take-home):

• Enrolls in a 4-month full-time immersion program.
• Spends an average of 5 months post-graduation building portfolios, completing take-home assessments, and interviewing before receiving an offer.
• Total time without income: 9 months.
• Forgone after-tax income: $32,175 ($3,575 x 9 months).

Added to a $17,000 cash tuition fee, the student's true economic investment is $49,175 — nearly triple the sticker price of the bootcamp.

Income Share Agreements (ISAs) vs Cash Upfront

Many bootcamps market Income Share Agreements (ISAs) where students pay $0 upfront in exchange for pledging 10% to 15% of gross monthly salary for 24 to 48 months once placed in a tech job earning above a minimum salary threshold (e.g., $50,000).

While ISAs limit downside risk if you fail to find employment, students who land lucrative $95,000+ software engineering roles frequently hit the maximum ISA payment cap (often 1.5x to 2.0x base tuition), paying $28,000 to $35,000 for a program that cost $17,000 cash upfront.