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With increasing market globalization and diversifying consumer demands, products without innovative development and launch strategies may become easily overlooked. Product management bootcamps teach professionals how to effectively guide a product through its life cycle to make an impact on the end user.
Bootcamps typically feature accessible, accelerated, concentrated, and practical training for in-demand fields. According to an RTI International study, bootcamp locations generally correlate with areas that host the bulk of computer jobs, though some regions remain underserved.
A product management bootcamp's condensed format allows these programs to respond quickly to new technologies and field developments. This guide examines how product management bootcamps help professionals meet the requirements for the role and pursue employment opportunities in the field.
What Is a Product Management Bootcamp?
Product management bootcamps equip individuals with the skills to oversee a product's life cycle. While computer science bootcamps often focus on introductory coding skills, these programs delve into more specialized and advanced topics. Product management bootcamps can complement previous computer science and business training, teaching professionals how to blend these worlds.
Product management bootcamps teach participants how to roadmap and plan products, develop business models, and analyze markets. They provide training in product testing, data analysis, and leadership, ensuring graduates can take a product from ideation to realization.
While they may overlap with course content from degree programs, product management bootcamps offer more targeted and career-driven training. These programs typically last between 13-24 weeks, offering part-time, full-time, and self-paced study options. Students may pursue independent and university-affiliated bootcamps in online, in-person, or hybrid delivery formats.
Skills Learned in Product Management Bootcamps
The skills learned in product management bootcamps vary, but most programs provide training in a few common areas. Along with the following list, product management bootcamps offer problem-solving, business, and project management skills.
- Communication: Product managers need strong communication skills to plan, coordinate, and collaborate effectively. They facilitate meetings, organize and delegate tasks, and make presentations to other managers and stakeholders. Communication abilities help managers express their vision, process, and progress.
- Market Research: Product management involves various types of market research, including opportunity, competition, user, and testing research. This work occurs at every stage of the product life cycle, starting even before the planning stage. Product managers must know how to direct, conduct, and analyze market research.
- Data Analysis: Data analytics help product managers understand and pull insights from market research and user data. For example, they can track and analyze user actions, which then inform engineering and feature development. Analytics also informs business decisions, such as growth and sales strategies.
- UX: Product management involves knowing how users engage with and experience a product. UX includes strategy, research, design, and architecture. While product managers do not necessarily perform direct UX design duties, they should understand its principles and processes.
What Will a Product Management Bootcamp Cost?
Bootcamp costs differ based on length and intensity. According to RTI International's bootcamp survey, the median price for full-time immersive bootcamps or comprehensive career preparation programs was $13,500 as of June 2017. These programs lasted an average of 9-16 weeks, while the median price for shorter and lower-intensity programs was $8,500.
Along with product management bootcamp tuition, students may encounter application fees or prerequisite course expenses. They often need a personal computer, headphones, high-speed internet access, and the appropriate software and operating system. Students can also consider indirect expenses, such as housing, food, travel costs, and lost income due to time away from work.
To help students cover these costs, bootcamp providers offer financial aid through scholarships and loans. Learners may also encounter bootcamps that offer discounted upfront rates and programs requiring no upfront payments. Bootcamp providers may feature income share agreements or job guarantees, as well.
Learn how to pay for a coding bootcamp Can you use the GI Bill® to pay for a bootcamp? How do income-share agreements work? Learn to code for free
What Jobs Can I Get After a Product Management Bootcamp?
Product management bootcamps can help professionals pursue new fields or advanced positions within their current sectors. The occupations available to bootcamp graduates depend on the depth of training and the graduate's previous qualifications and experience. In addition to product management careers, bootcamp graduates may qualify for the following roles.
Software Developer
Software developers design and develop computer programs and applications based on client and user needs. They create precise plans to ensure the software is programmed, tested, and maintained on schedule. Product management training can help these professionals understand and organize the entire development process.
- Median Annual Salary: $120,730
- Job Outlook (2021-31): +26%
Systems Manager
Systems managers oversee organizations' computer operations or manage specific aspects of the computer systems. They may provide managerial input from a technological perspective or oversee the development of technological solutions. Product management bootcamps equip systems managers with business and development skills, along with pricing and general leadership abilities.
- Median Annual Salary: $159,010
- Job Outlook (2021-31): +16%
Hardware Engineer
Hardware engineers create computer hardware to solve problems for individuals and organizations. They can manage many or all aspects of the research, design, and development processes. A product management bootcamp can help engineers think beyond these processes, delving into the user experience, launch, and marketing phases.
- Median Annual Salary: $128,170
- Job Outlook (2021-31): +5%
Computer Information Researcher
Computer information researchers create new and improved technologies. They look for solutions to researched problems, such as inefficient technologies and computing limitations. These researchers can complete product management bootcamps and learn to incorporate the consumer and business sides of product development.
- Median Annual Salary: $131,490
- Job Outlook (2021-31): +21%
Other Computer Science Education Options
While product management bootcamps can stand on their own, they also complement other educational programs. Product management combines technology and business, and bootcamps in this field can help professionals from both sides understand each other's work.
The following programs pair well with product management bootcamps and can increase the number and type of jobs available.
Associate Degree in Computer Science
Typically two years in length, an associate degree in computer science prepares graduates for various entry-level computer occupations. Students learn the foundations of programming, development, and systems management.
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
A four-year bachelor's in computer science offers a comprehensive look at the field. Enrollees study programming, networking, and databases at the basic and intermediate levels. Many programs include practical training and specializations to better prepare graduates for entry-level occupations in computing.
Master's Degree in Computer Science
A master's in computer science typically lasts two years and covers advanced concepts in computer science theory, engineering, and leadership. Students complete academic and applied research, with specialization options in many computing disciplines. Master's graduates qualify for research, development, and management roles.
Ph.D. in Computer Science
A Ph.D. in computer science typically lasts 4-5 years and involves extensive applied research in a specialized area of the field. In addition to research, development, and management careers, Ph.D. graduates can pursue postsecondary teaching positions.
Explore Other Coding Bootcamps
Bootcamps are available in many other fields, including project management, coding, and data science. Graduates from coding bootcamps can access entry-level or advanced careers depending on their previous education and experience.
Best Bootcamps for Product Management
The following alphabetical list of bootcamps features the most popular product management courses for intensive career training. Interested individuals should note that these programs are rigorous and demanding. They may require several weeks of full-time commitment to remote or on-campus learning. Keep reading to learn more about these bootcamps and what they offer.
Digital skills training school BrainStation offers certificate courses and bootcamps in over 100 locations worldwide. Classes occur remotely or on-campus in Toronto, Vancouver, London, and certain cities in the U.S.
Product Management Course
This part-time certificate course covers key product management skills, including customer-centric product development strategies, application of Lean and Agile development methodologies, wireframing and prototyping techniques, and efficient product launch plans.
Enrollees can complete courses online and at select campuses, with evening and weekend schedules available. The expert-led program culminates in a portfolio project highlighting the student's newly learned skills.
- Cost: $3,250
- Format: Online/on-campus; part time
- Length: 5-10 weeks
- CIRR Member: No
Other Courses Offered by BrainStation
Cybersecurity Data science Social media marketing
BrainStation's Job Placement Assistance
BrainStation maintains a hiring partner network of over 6,500 companies. The school has a consistent placement record within 180 days of graduation.
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Technical education center Fullstack Academy, formed in 2013, now maintains campuses in Chicago and New York City. This organization was also a founding member of the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR).
Online Product Management Bootcamp
The product management bootcamp provided by Fullstack Academy includes focus areas in product management fundamentals, user experience design, product marketing, and software development and metrics. The modules also include business models and fundamentals, hypothesis validation, and how to work with and hire teams.
Students learn to use product management tools such as Balsamiq, Google Analytics, and Figma, as well as popular software programs like Adobe, Hugo, and Sketch. Graduates can access Fullstack Academy's career services — its graduates have joined companies like Google, Spotify, and LinkedIn.
- Cost: $12,495
- Format: Online; part time
- Length: 25 weeks
- CIRR Member: Yes
Other Courses Offered by Fullstack Academy
Coding bootcamp Cybersecurity analytics bootcamp Data analytics bootcamp
Fullstack Academy's Job Placement Assistance
Over 840 companies have hired Fullstack Academy grads, with a median starting salary of $85,200. Students get career coaching and interview prep to pursue employment after graduation.
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Established in 2011 in New York City, General Assembly has since expanded to over 30 campuses around the world with in-person and remote classes. The school has placed 12,000 graduates to date.
Online Product Management Course
General Assembly's product management course suits beginner and intermediate learners. The curriculum includes key product management concepts and tools such as Agile best practices, data analysis, and stakeholder management. Learners are encouraged to start with the self-paced prep lessons to set them up for the rest of the course.
The program ends with a capstone project requiring each enrollee to develop a product or feature and give a stakeholder presentation.
- Cost: $3,950
- Format: Online; part time
- Length: 10 weeks
- CIRR Member: Yes
Other Courses Offered by General Assembly
Data science Front-end web development Software engineering
General Assembly's Job Placement Assistance
General Assembly has a dedicated career coaching team to help graduates in their job search efforts. Per its 2020 outcomes report, 74.4% of students found a job within 180 days of graduation.
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Founded in 2014, Product School is a leading product management training school with 14 global campuses and a community of about one million professionals.
Product Manager Certification
This product management course suits individuals who are trying to break into the industry, along with professionals looking to sharpen their skills. Designed by Silicon Valley product managers, this program covers the process of building a product with practical experience and career coaching. Classes feature synchronous online lectures, Q&A sessions, group activities, and a student forum.
The program is available through full-time or part-time enrollment with blended learning options. Each learner completes a product presentation at the end of the course.
- Cost: $4,499
- Format: Online; full time/part time
- Length: 5 days full time, 8 weeks part time
- CIRR Member: No
Other Courses Offered by Product School
Senior product manager certification Product leader certification
Product School's Job Placement Assistance
Product School features a job portal with the latest product manager openings. The organization also hosts a career fair where individuals can register to meet and network with industry professionals.
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Created in 2012 by education company Chegg, technical training school Thinkful maintains its headquarters in New York City. Thinkful offers fast-paced, flexible, and career-focused programs with opportunities for personal mentorship and career coaching.
Product Management Bootcamp
This flexible product management bootcamp program suits working professionals who want to elevate their careers. Students explore business etiquette and fundamentals, the product life cycle, product management tools, and industry best practices. Each module includes an assignment where students complete real-world product manager tasks in a controlled setting.
Enrollees receive one-on-one guidance from industry mentors, as well as networking opportunities and career coaching.
- Cost: $4,900
- Format: Online; part time
- Length: 6 months
- CIRR Member: Yes
Other Courses Offered by Thinkful
Digital marketing bootcamp Software engineering Bootcamp Technical project management bootcamp
Product School's Job Placement Assistance
According to Thinkful's 2020 outcomes report, over 80% of grads landed a job at a top tech company within 180 days of program completion. The school promises a refund if students do not find relevant employment within six months of graduation.
Visit WebsiteBootcamps offered in partnership with Trilogy Education Services
The following programs are offered in partnership with Trilogy Education Services, a technology education provider that runs tech bootcamps through various universities. Trilogy aims to bridge the digital skills gap industries by making tech education accessible to all.
- Columbia University
- Georgia Tech
- Louisiana State University
- University of California, Los Angeles
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at Dallas
Frequently Asked Questions About Product Management
What training do you need to become a product manager?
Product management credentials vary by the individual and employer. According to O*NET OnLine, 54% of these professionals possess a bachelor's degree. The ideal discipline depends on the product, but computer science or business programs may be the most relevant.
How do I get into product management with no experience?
Accessing a product management role with no experience may prove challenging, but highly educated and credentialed professionals may qualify. Professionals with graduate degrees in business or computer science who complete bootcamps in product management may have the best chances of employment.
Is product management a good career?
Yes. Product management careers offer a strong outlook and financial rewards. According to Product School's Future of Product Management Report, 43% of companies are hiring more product managers, with an average salary of $110,916.
Do project managers need a degree?
Typically, a project manager needs a bachelor's degree, per O*NETOnLine. Professionals with lower levels of education may still qualify for these roles if they have relevant experience and training.
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