Data science Bootcamps are intensive training programs designed to prepare students for careers in data science. DataCamp’s data science boot camps focus on providing practical, hands-on experience in various areas, including statistics, programming, machine learning, data analysis, and data visualization.
Interested in learning more about DataCamp’s bootcamps? We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide covering career tracks and salaries for data science professionals.
Keep reading to discover more about DataCamp’s offerings.
What Is DataCamp?
DataCamp is an online learning platform offering over 1,500 hours of self-paced courses covering AI, data science, machine learning, and non-coding essentials.
Their data science bootcamps cater to all experience levels, from beginners starting to code to seasoned professionals seeking new skills in a rapidly evolving industry.
Compared to full-time intensive programs, DataCamp’s bootcamps provide a more flexible and cost-effective alternative.
According to Forbes Advisor, the median upfront tuition cost for data science bootcamps is $9,500, though costs vary widely among providers.
At DataCamp, students can begin with a free basic membership. The premium membership, starting at approximately $150 per year (or $12.42 per month, billed annually), grants unlimited access to over 460 courses.
DataCamp organizes its course offerings into career tracks and skill tracks.
With self-paced coursework and subscription-based memberships, DataCamp offers a relatively affordable option for aspiring data science professionals with busy schedules.
What Does DataCamp Offer?
DataCamp offers a comprehensive array of resources in the field of data science, including 354 courses, 51 skill tracks, and 12 career tracks.
Through DataCamp, computer scientists can master Python, R, SQL, and more while enhancing their data science portfolio with real-world projects.
Students can engage with DataCamp in four primary ways:
- Courses: Individual data science courses like Introduction to Python, Introduction to SQL, and Introduction to R introduce students to specific concepts.
- Skill Tracks: Skill tracks such as R Programming, Importing & Cleaning Data, and Visualization offer multiple in-depth classes to broaden students’ knowledge base.
- Career Tracks: Comprehensive sets of courses within career tracks like Data Analyst, Data Scientist, and Python Programmer equip students with all the necessary skills for specific careers.
- Certifications: Certifications like Data Scientist or Data Analyst validate an individual’s proficiency in specific fields.
Both career and skill tracks are composed of courses, although students also have the option to take courses individually. Regardless of the approach, students can access and learn from DataCamp’s courses, skill tracks, and career tracks by subscribing to DataCamp’s monthly subscription service.
How Does DataCamp Work?
DataCamp offers practical, real-world lessons and scenarios designed to impart knowledge about specific skills, strategies, or technologies.
When you start a lesson, you’ll encounter an exercise along with a compiler on your screen. You’re tasked with solving the exercise, but the system provides guidance along the way.
Through this interactive, real-world approach, DataCamp cultivates essential skills necessary for a successful career in data science.
Online Bootcamps Offered by DataCamp
DataCamp offers a variety of online bootcamps designed to help you develop job-ready skills and pursue a career in the tech industry. In this guide, we consider DataCamp’s career tracks as bootcamps.
Check out the list below to find the option that aligns best with your career aspirations. The following details are accurate as of January 2024.
- Data Analyst
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 36 to 48 hours
- Overview: The data analyst boot camp features five career tracks: data analyst in SQL, data analyst with Python, data analyst in Power BI, data analyst with R, and data analyst in Tableau. Each track comprises nine to 17 courses, along with projects and skill assessments. Completing any track leads to a data analyst certificate at either the associate or professional level.
- Data Engineer
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 57 hours
- Overview: The data engineering track offers 18 courses and projects to equip you with the skills needed to become a data engineer. You’ll learn Python, SQL, and Git, gaining hands-on experience in code optimization, writing, and validation. Upon completion, you can take the exams required to earn DataCamp’s associate data engineer certificate.
- Data Scientist
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 88 to 116 hours
- Overview: DataCamp provides four data scientist career tracks: data scientist with Python, data scientist professional with Python, data scientist with R, and data scientist professional with R. These tracks cover fundamentals and lead to associate-level certificates, while professional tracks require additional courses and projects for professional-level credentials.
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 44 hours
- Overview: Machine learning engineers identify data patterns and develop programs to enable computers to learn independently. This bootcamp requires prior knowledge of data manipulation, training, and evaluating machine learning models using Python. It caters to aspiring junior machine learning engineers.
- Machine Learning Scientist
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 65 to 93 hours
- Overview: Choose between two tracks: machine learning scientist with Python or machine learning scientist with R. Each track builds on prior Python or R experience, teaching skills for machine learning application using either language.
- Python Developer
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 71 hours
- Overview: Progress through 20 courses and projects to transition from a Python novice to a proficient Python developer. Interactive exercises help you write and test code while learning to manipulate and analyze complex data. Upon completion, you receive a statement of accomplishment.
- Quantitative Analyst
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 65 hours
- Overview: Learn to use R for financial tasks, including portfolio balancing, trading exploration, and asset price evaluation using mathematical models. Courses cover manipulating and analyzing time series data, forecasting, portfolio analysis, bond valuation, and credit risk modeling. Completing the 15-course track earns you a statement of accomplishment.
- R Developer
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 52 hours
- Overview: The R developer Bootcamp teaches software development and data analysis in the popular R programming language. With no coding experience required, you complete 13 courses, one project, and two skill assessments, earning a statement of accomplishment upon completion.
- SQL Server Developer
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 41 hours
- Overview: This bootcamp covers database design basics and SQL data types. Courses introduce SQL server and relational databases, time series analysis, database design, transactions, error handling, and query performance enhancement. Graduates receive a statement of accomplishment.
- Statistician
- Cost: $12.42 per month (billed annually)
- Program Length: 52 hours
- Overview: The statistician with R bootcamp consists of 13 courses teaching real-world problem-solving using statistics. Topics include probability, regression, sampling, hypothesis testing, experiment design, and data analysis with R. Advanced courses cover factor analysis and inference with R. Upon completion, you receive a statement of accomplishment.
How to Open a DataCamp Account
Accessing DataCamp’s introductory courses is hassle-free as they are often available for free. You don’t even require payment information to create a DataCamp account.
You can sign up for free using your Google, LinkedIn, or Facebook account, or simply create an account using your email address.
If you attempt to access premium content, the platform will prompt you to start a subscription.
Is DataCamp Free? (DataCamp Pricing and Plans)
DataCamp offers six courses for free, but access to additional content requires payment.
DataCamp offers multiple tiers of service. While you can access a significant amount of learning material for free, eventually, you’ll need to subscribe.
For example, while you can complete a course under the basic tier, certification requires payment.
Following are the DataCamp Pricing and Plans:
| Basic Plan | Free | Six free courses The first chapter of every premium course |
| Premium Plan | $25/month | Access to all the content All certificates and projects Top programs |
| Teams Plan | $25/month per user | Multiple teams within an organization |
| Enterprise Plan | Ask for pricing | A personalized, adaptive system for a given company |
How to Find the Best Courses on DataCamp
Unlike Coursera or Udemy, DataCamp develops and presents its courses internally, ensuring consistent quality across all offerings. This is a significant advantage of DataCamp, as highlighted in reviews.
DataCamp’s courses are praised for being easy to follow and hands-on, regardless of students’ prior knowledge of Python or R.
To find the best courses suited to your needs, determine whether you require a specific class, skill track, or career path. DataCamp typically offers only one choice for a given discipline.
For example, there is only one lesson plan available for “Introduction to Python.”
DataCamp Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Hands-on learning with a built-in environment Focused solely on data science, analytics, and engineering Easy to use and affordable | Not a lot of guidance for those who get lo |
According to numerous reviews, DataCamp stands out as one of the most popular platforms for learning data science and data engineering.
However, as the field of data science rapidly evolves, it remains uncertain how most employers will perceive certifications or career paths obtained through DataCamp.
On TrustPilot, DataCamp boasts a high rating of 4.2 out of 5, surpassing many similar programs.
This positive rating is attributed to DataCamp’s focused approach, stringent quality controls, and commitment to providing a top-notch learning experience.
In short:
- DataCamp serves as an excellent platform for learning data science and data engineering.
- However, the recognition and value of DataCamp’s certifications and credentials may vary among employers.
DataCamp Alternatives
DataCamp shares similarities with platforms like Codecademy and other code-teaching platforms. It emphasizes hands-on learning where users compile code and learn through practical application.
However, DataCamp, particularly its skill tracks and career paths, can also be viewed as a bootcamp-style learning experience.
| Alternatives | DataCamp | Codecademy | FreeCodeCamp | Udacity |
| Classes | 350+ | 1,800+ | 8,000+ | 187 |
| Students | 350,000 | 45 Million | 110,000 | 160,000 |
| Cost | $39/month | $39/month | Free | Variable |
Codecademy
Codecademy offers a broader range of courses compared to DataCamp, but their overall approach is similar.
If you’re looking for a larger selection of free courses, Codecademy provides many introductory courses that you can compare to those offered by DataCamp.
While DataCamp maintains more rigorous quality control, its course library is more tightly curated and defined.
FreeCodeCamp
FreeCodeCamp primarily serves as a repository for tutorials, but it also offers a range of skills tracks and interactive courses.
It’s often best utilized to complement your learning experience at platforms like Codecademy or DataCamp.
By engaging with exercises on FreeCodeCamp, you can enhance your understanding and proficiency in computational sciences.
Udacity
If you’re in search of a data science bootcamp, Udacity offers a suitable option. Their lesson plans are known to be more rigorous, albeit at a higher cost.
Udacity features the School of Data Science, along with various other “nanodegree programs,” which essentially function as bootcamps.
While these programs typically exceed $1,000 in cost, they provide valuable real-world knowledge and skills.
Conclusion: Is DataCamp Worth It?
DataCamp serves as an exceptional resource for those aiming to enter the field of data science.
Whether your focus is on mastering Python, SQL, or R, or delving deeper into machine learning, DataCamp provides a starting point at no cost.
Moreover, the platform’s skill and career paths offer the flexibility for continuous learning, while new certificates enable you to demonstrate your expertise.
However, the key aspect highlighted in our DataCamp review is that the platform operates on a self-paced and self-driven model. It may not be the ideal choice for individuals requiring extensive guidance.
Frequently Asked Question
Is DataCamp really worth it?
Yes! DataCamp can be worth it depending on your learning needs and preferences. It offers interactive courses focused on data science and programming.
Which is better udemy or DataCamp?
The better platform depends on your learning style and the specific courses you’re interested in. Udemy offers a wide range of courses on various topics, while DataCamp focuses primarily on data science.
Which is better DataCamp or Coursera?
The choice between DataCamp and Coursera depends on your learning goals and preferences. DataCamp specializes in data science courses with hands-on coding exercises, while Coursera offers a broader range of courses across various subjects and disciplines.
