The Slow Path for Studious Learners to a Career in Software Development

Structured Curriculum from First Principles

Our program is about slowly building up mastery of fundamentals, so you understand how higher level abstractions truly work from the bottom up. Our goal isn't to teach you how to use React or Rails, but to show you how to construct accurate mental representations of first principles in order to tackle fundamental engineering problems. Our goal isn't to help you find a job, but help you launch a career. Our goal isn't to teach you to code, but to teach you how to deconstruct and problem solve like an engineer.

By Software Engineers for Future Software Engineers

Launch School was founded by experienced software engineers. We know what it takes to not only break into software, but to build and grow a career as an engineer in the software industry. Our objective is to increase your lifetime earnings by millions of dollars. This is what makes Launch School unique and why we focus on the long-term results of a career. Our curriculum was created by software engineers for future software engineers — you.

From the perspective of mastery based learning, not only have I learned the fundamentals of a couple of languages quite thoroughly, but I've learned so much about how to learn programming concepts well. In this field that changes as rapidly as it does, this is perhaps the most valuable skill I've been able to hone since enrolling at Launch School.
Luke Carlson
What I still enjoy most is that Launch School is not just teaching me web development but helps me to grow as a developer. I see this in every day work not related to Launch School.
Christina Unger
The step by step, slow progression in this course is excellent. The student is able to focus in on one problem at a time. Overall pleased with the presentation of the course - the assignments were difficult enough to stretch my abilities but not overwhelm or confuse.
Alex Soloviev
I have grown to be a more conscientious learner, a more capable problem solver, and a more adaptable person all-around. It sounds hackneyed to say, but working through the core-curriculum has shifted my view of myself and my capabilities, and reinforced my confidence in myself.
Kyle Ledoux
I can't overstate how much of a life lesson the concept of "mental models" (MM) is. I don't know how to explain it, but after hearing and thinking in terms of MMs I really never consider something out of reach, just maybe not within my time budget. It makes so many possible life paths feel reachable if you just wanted to spend the time to go down them, if that makes sense. "Mental model" is definitely a term that people around me are going to get used to hearing a lot.
Benjamin Boinay
Launch School is an incredible place to be. I built a few applications, got to make videos to help other students, make a lot of friends and truly grow as a human being in this field that I never thought was possible. Launch School gave me hope for a better future, that I didn't have before.
Felicia Bacon
"We're one of the oldest and largest coding schools in the world."

Our Learning Goals

The key to unlocking higher level understanding and skills that last a career is focusing on fundamentals. We designed our curriculum with the following learning goals.

  • Fundamentals first, fundamentals throughout
  • A focus on learning things that don't change
  • Learn slowly and deliberately
  • Learn to be proficient, not just build awareness
  • Learn to understand problems, not solutions
  • Learn in a circular fashion

Our students love us, and if you are committed to building a career in software development, you will too

  • Sienna Wood
    Denver
    Software Engineer

    Experts always return to fundamentals because they are the foundation on which everything else is built. Launch School’s core program embodies this principle by emphasizing mastery of fundamentals through purposeful individual study.

  • Steve Kolock
    New York
    Front-end Developer

    I got a different role making significantly more than twice what I had been making as a 'web specialist', putting me firmly in six-figure

  • Letladi Sebesho
    Johannesburg, South Africa
    Full Stack Developer at Co-Foundy

    This programme opened possibilities for me that would have taken me years to reach

  • Sunny Beatteay
    New York City
    Software Engineer

    From the first glance, it was apparent that Launch School had been founded by industry veterans. I have never encountered a curriculum more in-depth and rigorous

A Serious Training Curriculum That's Designed to Launch a Career

Core Curriculum

Mastery of Fundamentals

Capstone

Launch Your Career

Complete the Core Curriculum courses and pass their assessments, and you'll have mastered the fundamentals. Participate in our Capstone Program, and you'll launch a career.

The Proof is in the Results

The average starting salary for 2023 Capstone graduates is

$116,763

(See Results & Outcomes for more details.)

Our graduates have been hired by industry leading companies and some of the most competitive startups

Start our preparatory courses now for free. When you’re ready for the real courses, it’s just

$199/month

Standard Program

$299/month

Deferred Payment Program More information

Continue reading about how our pedagogy works and why we're able to produce such amazing results. This is how we're different. You should really read this.

Our Pedagogy