So, you want to be a quality assurance (QA) engineer?

I get it. To others, it might not sound like the most glamorous job. You might not specifically dream of running the same test over and over (and over) again until it feels like your brain starts to short-circuit, but when you get into the thick of it, it’s pretty cool. Besides, someone has to make sure our favorite apps work how we need them to and when we need them to.

Think about it—QA engineers are behind the scenes making sure Tiktok’s “infinite scroll” feature works so we can spend hours doom scrolling instead of being productive. And yes, I’m definitely included in that “we.” QA engineers probably also worked on Kindle’s highlight feature to make sure our notes don’t vanish between devices. (I will need to see those highlighted quotes from the three times I’ve re-read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo on my iPhone and iPad, thank you very much.) QA engineers are a necessity, from building massive tech companies to making sure your banking app doesn’t crash when you try to transfer money.

If testing apps and software sounds like your thing, QA engineering might be your new calling. No matter how much tech experience you might already have, before you get started, you’re probably going to want to figure out which bootcamp can help you get the dream gig. So, let’s figure it out! Here’s everything you need to know about how to pick the right QA engineering bootcamp.

Table of Contents

• Benefits of a QA Engineering Bootcamp
• Factors to Consider When Choosing a QA Engineering Bootcamp
• How to Find a QA Engineering Bootcamp
• QA Engineering Bootcamps to Look Into

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Benefits of a QA Engineering Bootcamp

For a long time, it felt like getting a four-year degree was the only way to land a job. Fortunately, it’s no longer required. Colleges pump us with courses to make us “well-rounded,” but that’s definitely not the only path to being well-rounded. And frankly, a four-year full-time college path doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle. Because, tell me, who needs to spend an entire semester—four long months— learning Ancient to Medieval Art when they’re a computer science major?

On the flipside, QA engineering bootcamps are completely focused on giving you the skills you need to land a job as a QA engineer. These programs offer a lot of value, whether you’re making a career change or branching out into the job market for the first time. Some of the benefits QA engineering bootcamps have to offer include:

• Lower costs. QA engineering bootcamps don’t come with the tuition (or debt) of a traditional four-year degree.
• Saved time. Most bootcamps can get you “job ready” in months, not years (although the nice part is you can do some of these in your own time).
• Job support. Most bootcamps offer career counseling, resume reviews, and job-search assistance.
• Clear curriculums. Unlike the mystery of a college syllabus—which you might not see until you’re already enrolled in the course—bootcamps let you see exactly what you’ll learn before you sign up.
• Hands-on learning. Bootcamps focus on practical, job-specific skills, so you’ll work on relevant projects from day one.

The bottom line is that QA engineering bootcamps are less fluff and more focused. You don’t have to take random electives (unless you want to) to hit your goals. At the end of the day, a QA engineering bootcamp will help you learn QA engineering and all the necessary skills to do that job.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a QA Engineering Bootcamp

Don’t just settle for the first bootcamp that shows up in your search results. Chances are if you’re reading this article, you weren’t going to, but we had to say it anyway. And definitely don’t just pick the one with the most flashy ads or promises of instant success. This is your career and future we’re talking about! You deserve to invest your time and hard-earned coins in a program that actually delivers. Before you get sucked in by all the marketing, you’re going to need some standards. So, we’ve come up with a list of things to look for.

When picking a QA engineering bootcamp, you need to consider:

Learning Style

How do you learn best? Do you want the structure and community of a classroom? Or are you more of a solo learner who wants to tackle everything from the comfort of your own home, say, maybe in your pajamas—no judgment from me!

In-person QA engineering bootcamps can be great if you need that face-to-face interaction with your instructors (and peers). You’ll get hands-on experience and can ask questions in real time, which is ideal if you’re scratching your head over things like test automation. On the other hand, online bootcamps offer the freedom to learn from pretty much anywhere—your couch, a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or, if you’re able to stay awake during class, your bed. But if you’re the type to get distracted by an incoming text message or the latest season of Squid Game, you’ll need some serious self-discipline. Sure, you can learn from your couch, but can you focus from your couch? That’s for you to figure out.

Next, think about how you prefer to be taught. Some bootcamps are self-led so you can get through the material independently. If you need flexibility and don’t mind figuring things out through trial and error, this could be more your speed. However, if you’re new to QA and would rather have someone show you the ropes—like walking you through creating test cases step-by-step—it might be worth considering a QA engineering bootcamp with more structured, instructor-led support.

Don’t forget to consider your time and energy! Are you already working full-time and need to keep your lessons to evenings and weekends, or do you have the time to commit to a full-time bootcamp? QA engineering programs generally last anywhere from three to six months, but part-time programs can stretch out longer—think six to eight months. Of course, if you’re doing a self-directed course, a bootcamp can take as long as you need it to. Shorter bootcamps might get you “job-ready” faster, but the longer programs usually go deeper into more advanced topics.

In the end, you need to choose a QA engineering bootcamp that fits your learning style: in-person vs. at home, self-led vs. instructor-led, and part-time or full-time.

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☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

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Your Background and Experience Level

When you sit down to pick a QA engineering bootcamp, be (brutally) honest with yourself about your existing skill set and knowledge of quality assurance testing. If you’re just getting started, you can’t simply jump into topics like test automation. Learning scripting languages, like Python and JavaScript, for testing can be a recipe for disaster—or extreme frustration—if you’re starting from scratch and don’t know what to expect. You need to get a handle on the basics first—things like the software development life cycle (SDLC) and testing methodologies and tools that’ll help you execute basic manual tests. Once you’ve learned the basics, then you can move on to the more complicated stuff, like designing test cases.

If you’re a beginner, look for a QA engineering bootcamp that starts with the fundamentals. No one’s going to let you play with advanced test automation tools like Selenium or JMeter if you don’t understand the concepts that make those tools work in the first place (and frankly, you won’t want to). That’s the knowledge you need to make the advanced topics feel like a natural step instead of a giant, confusing leap into the unknown.

Essentially, choose a QA engineering bootcamp that matches your current level, not the level you wish you were at, and be real with yourself about it.

Related: 15 High-Paying Entry-Level Tech Jobs—No Experience Required [2025]

Curriculum and Projects

Does the curriculum cover the SDLC? Check. White box and black box testing? Check. That’s great, but don’t just skim the curriculum and check off the topics.

If you need some help figuring out what the topics should look like, check out our guide on QA engineering or start here:

It’s important to know that they cover these things, but how are they going to teach you all of them? The answer should never be, “Here’s a 200-slide PowerPoint. Good luck!”

A good QA engineering bootcamp will teach you with real-world projects. You can memorize all the QA theory that you want, but your employers won’t care unless you’ve put that knowledge into practice, so a project-based curriculum should be the standard.

For example, a QA engineering bootcamp can set up a situation where you’re working on a food delivery service software like Grubhub or UberEats. You can practice end-to-end testing—from a user opening the app and placing an order to tracking delivery and leaving a review. And what if there’s a bug where a customer orders a pizza, but the system accidentally records it as sushi? You’ll need to test for that, too.

Working on realistic projects like this will not only help you understand the tools and processes, but you’ll also get actual experience that you can showcase. You’ll end the bootcamp with a portfolio filled with projects that prove you’re ready for a job.

So ask yourself, is the bootcamp setting you up for real QA engineering work or are they just checking boxes?

Cost and Financing Options

Let’s talk about the price tag on QA engineering bootcamps—because yes, while they are generally cheaper than four years of college, there can still be some sticker shock. On average, you’re looking at anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 for a bootcamp, depending on the program and whether you’re signing up for in-person classes. Spoiler alert: in-person classes are usually pricier. And that’s before you factor in any ‘hidden’ costs—like tools (a proper laptop, for example) and materials. QA engineering is pretty hands-on, so you’ll need the right tools to learn the job. Sure, an automation tool like Selenium is free, but if you’re using the beginner-friendly Katalon and want more advanced features, you’ll have to shell out money for the premium version.

All that being said, try not to let the price scare you off. I’ve seen plenty of QA engineering bootcamps offer financing options that can make it more manageable—whether that’s paying in installments, deferring payments, or managing the full, upfront payment (if you’ve saved up). There are scholarships and grants available from a variety of sources that you can apply for to offset the cost. Trust me, you don’t want a ton of debt hanging over your head before you land your first job as a QA engineer. Take the time to explore all the financial options and make sure you’re not overpaying or overextending yourself for your education.

Is Tech Right For you? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

Career Support and Job Placement Success

While you shop around for a QA engineering bootcamp, also consider whether or not the program offers career support. You’ll learn how to write test cases and automate scripts, but can they help you land a job once you’ve got those skills? Look for bootcamps that include career coaching—real people who’ll help you polish your resume, prep for interviews, and even build a QA-focused portfolio. For example, if you were learning UI/UX design or full stack development with Skillcrush’s Break Into Tech + Get Hired Program, you’d work with our career coaches on job search strategies and interviews. They’d even help you negotiate when that first job offer comes in.

And if you’re really serious about making sure you’re set up for success, bonus points if the bootcamp offers a job placement guarantee. Take Careerist—they back up their QA engineering program with a 100% money-back guarantee if you don’t land a tech job within a year. Basically, they’re saying, “We’ll teach you the skills and help you get hired, or you get your money back.”

Reviews and Alumni Success

Can you really trust what companies have to say about their own products? Definitely not 100%. These bootcamp companies have whole marketing teams whose only job is to make their program sound like the key to unlocking your new life. “This one bootcamp is the thing you need to conquer before you can have the career you want!” Of course, they’ll tell you how excellent their program is—they stand to gain a lot if you sign up. The people who’ve actually gone through the program usually have nothing to gain, so these are the opinions you’ll want to pay attention to.

That said, while alumni reviews are a great resource, they shouldn’t inform your whole decision. This entire process—picking a bootcamp, deciding what matters to you, figuring out if it’s a good fit—is fairly subjective. What works for one person might not work for you, and that’s okay. What’s important is that you understand what you need. Do you care most about job placement rates? Or maybe the teaching style? Are you juggling a job and need a QA engineering bootcamp where you can still manage your day job? What matters to you? Figure this out and go from there.

How to Find a QA Engineering Bootcamp

When you’re looking for the right QA engineering program, the first thing you need to realize is that not every program will slap “QA engineering” in the title. That’s because all industries need quality assurance, not just tech. You need to be a little more strategic with your search.

Don’t just google “QA bootcamp.” To zero in on the right bootcamp, focus specifically on software QA.

Try searching for keywords like:

• QA engineering
• QA testing
• Software QA
• Software testing
• Software testing life cycle
• Test automation
• QA automation
• Manual QA

While there are likely more keywords you could use to get you to the right place, start here. These keywords will help you avoid the generic, catch-all QA bootcamps and get you to the bootcamps that focus on the software side of things.

Is Tech Right For you? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

QA Engineering Bootcamps to Look Into

If you thought I was going to leave you hanging, think again! Sure, I’ve given you the tools to find a QA engineering bootcamp, but I went a step further and found a few worth looking into.

• Careerist’s Software QA Engineering Bootcamp
• Udemy’s The Complete 2025 Software Testing Bootcamp
• TripleTen’s Quality Assurance Bootcamp
• TestPro’s Manual QA Bootcamp
• Codemify’s Manual QA Engineer and QA Automation Engineer Bootcamps
• Astoria Lab’s QualityAssurance Engineer Program
• Chroma’s QA Analyst (Manual Testing) and Software Test Automation Courses
• DevMountain’s Software QA Online Bootcamp

No matter where you are in your career, learning never really stops. And the same is true, especially in tech. Tech is constantly evolving. Just look at Pinterest. It started as a platform to share pictures, but now—with Pinterest Lens—you can snap a photo of anything in the real world and find similar items or ideas.

As tech evolves, so should your skills. So when picking a QA engineering bootcamp, ask yourself: Will this program give me the foundation I need to keep learning and growing as a QA engineer? Because let’s be honest. If it’s not setting you up for the long haul, it’s probably not the one you want. But…with the information above, that should be a lot easier to figure out!