In dedication to transparency and accountability, we share our progress toward our goal of empowering people, regardless of their circumstance or background, to begin rewarding careers in technology.
In 2020, the world as we knew it changed drastically. As a novel, contagious, and lethal virus swept across the globe, millions of people got sick, and millions more mourned the loss of loved ones. Communities everywhere grappled with uncertainty, isolation, remote work, unemployment, the lack of childcare, and a global recession. In the U.S. alone, 22 million people lost jobs, including more than 110,000 jobs in the tech industry in April alone.
While we do not minimize these very real challenges, we also see this period as a chance to reevaluate, grow, and rise to the occasion. After all, the world has never depended so much on technology. Learners¹ and graduates from Bloom Institute of Technology (formerly known as Lambda School) are turning this opportunity into meaningful work.
I think of Amber Sorensen, who graduated from our full-time Web Development program. She used to work as a massage therapist—not a career that could easily transition to remote work during the pandemic. “I would have had no income,” says Amber, who is now a software engineer. “[Now] I get to work from home and I'm salaried. I don't have to worry about how I'm paying rent next month. That's huge.”
Stories like Amber’s show that it has never been more important to empower motivated learners to achieve upward financial mobility. That is why we designed BloomTech: to remove systemic barriers to rewarding careers in technology. Our model offers opportunity regardless of background, which is particularly important for the communities that have been most impacted by the pandemic.
We at BloomTech are committed to being part of an economic recovery forall by empowering learners to gain the skills needed to thrive in a changing market. We strive for transparency by continuing to report on our efforts and outcomes so that more people can succeed in a rewarding technology career—during the pandemic and beyond.
-Austen Allred
BloomTech CEO & Cofounder
Consistent with our commitment to transparency, we again worked with the accounting, audit, and advisory firm Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico, LLP to achieve an impartial understanding of BloomTech’s graduation and employment outcomes in 2020. This Outcomes Report shares how our learners have fared during an immeasurably difficult year, from time to job placement to the salaries of recently placed graduates.
In 2020, our total addressable population—the learners who met criteria to be included in this report*—increased more than 200 percent relative to our previously published H2 2019 report. This growth exceeds what we would expect by doubling the reporting time frame, and also reflects enrollment growth due to our additional program offerings and covered geographies in 2019 and 2020**.
Even though the reporting periods we share from year to year don’t match exactly, we believe comparisons help reveal informative trends. That is why we compare 2020 to H2 2019 data: It is only by measuring change that we can assess progress and position our learners for even greater success.
When we analyze the data, we see three key takeaways.
*This report covers learners who were scheduled to complete or graduated from a BloomTech program between Jan 1, 2020 and Dec 31, 2020. The report does not include learners who enrolled in 2021, or who enrolled in 2020 and were scheduled to complete a BloomTech program in 2021.
**Learners covered in this report were enrolled in a BloomTech program between 2019 and 2020. During this time, BloomTech expanded its program offerings to include iOS, Android, and UX courses. BloomTech also expanded geographically, offering courses to learners in the European Union and Africa.
The BloomTech model uniquely positions learners to achieve financial mobility through technology careers and to thrive in a changing market. Critically, our nimble model enables us to adjust to employer and learner needs, as well as industry trends. This is not a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic but rather a principle built into BloomTech. For instance, in September 2021 we launched our Backend Development program, jointly developed with Amazon, as they seek new sources of engineering talent. This program draws inspiration from Amazon Technical Academy, an internal Amazon re-skilling program that turns non-technical Amazon employees into SDE1s (Software Development Engineer Level 1, Amazon’s entry-level engineering role). Our Backend Development program provides learners with more than 1,440 hours of coding experience so learners graduate with the practical skills needed for this in-demand career—without a four-year degree.
The new program is just the latest example of our foundational values: We succeed when our learners succeed and employers find new hires that are just-right fits for fulfilling jobs.
We navigate by this “north star” in several important ways.
BloomTech is designed to train learners in precisely the skills employers want. The result is that both learners and hiring companies succeed: learners by getting fulfilling jobs, and companies by finding the workers they need. That might seem obvious, but it’s hardly education-as-usual. The market focus informs our entire model—from hiring technologists as teachers and commissioning employer surveys, to offering mock interviews and holding weekly job search support sessions.
We partner directly with employers to understand their workforce needs and use these insights to design curriculum offerings. For example, teams of learners virtually work in sprints to design, build, and ship real solutions. The experience prepares learners for the rigor of their future careers. What’s more, BloomTech has always been remote, in contrast to other schools that had to build an online educational experience from scratch. We have spent years honing our online education and support so learners will graduate prepared for remote-hybrid jobs.
Focusing on employer needs helps our graduates thrive in fast-growing, in-demand jobs.
Morgan Peterson had no technical background before joining BloomTech, but that didn’t get in the way of her entering a new field. “BloomTech and the Web Development program prepared me for this position,” says Morgan, who is now a product advocate. She also discovered that the ability to learn on the job—a skill she honed while enrolled at BloomTech—is equally important as technical know-how. Morgan adds, “A lot of what BloomTech taught me is how to find the answer. They give you the tools you need.”
There is incredible untapped talent outside the traditional education system, which is out of reach for many and too often fails students striving to reach their goals. Less than half of all students seeking a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. graduate within four years, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Many students who do not finish college end up with stifling debt—without the skills or credentials that a degree would impart. Even those who do graduate don’t always finish with the relevant skills or knowledge to kickstart their careers.
By streamlining education and focusing on the essentials for career readiness, BloomTech decreases the time and money needed to launch a rewarding, lucrative career. Our approach makes technology education more accessible for more people, including those who have historically been left out.
Both learners and businesses are best served when we efficiently develop learners’ potential through lower-risk, flexible education.
As a new dad, Nicholas Myers wanted a more secure financial future for his family. He says, “Before BloomTech, I was working hourly jobs. I thought I'd be working paycheck to paycheck the rest of my life.” BloomTech career support staff helped him find a job that offered health insurance for his whole family and negotiate his salary. He is now working as a programmer analyst and is making more money than he ever has. Nicholas continues, “More people need these opportunities. People like me.”
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically demonstrated how quickly market circumstances can change. Shifting trends do not only occur during worldwide health crises, though; the field of technology, and the economy as a whole, is in constant flux. That is why BloomTech emphasizes flexibility, both in how the company operates and how we educate our learners.
BloomTech stays responsive to the market by fine-tuning existing programs, designing new programs (such as the Backend Development program developed in partnership with Amazon), and updating career services support—all based on what we gather from employer insights and learner feedback.
We also underscore a growth mindset for learners, which helps keep them on track to graduate. By encouraging self-motivation and independent learning, we prepare them for the fast pace and autonomy required in many workplaces.
Finally, traditional education paths have shown that a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t work for many learners. In contrast, we encourage learners to take advantage of asynchronous practice and resources, attend supplemental technical instruction, use wraparound support services, and work on projects according to their schedule. We also know that demonstrating technical competence can take several attempts to achieve, so learners can repeat a unit. We believe that accommodations such as these allow learners, regardless of background and life circumstance, to make the most of their education.
The flexibility of BloomTech’s model enables learners to succeed in an ever-evolving market.
When first interviewing for jobs after graduating from BloomTech, Catherine Kim felt frustrated. She didn’t always know the answers to questions hiring managers asked. Then Catherine remembered to lean on not only what she learned during the part-time Web Development program but also the mindset she practiced. Catherine, who is now a technical customer success manager, remembers, “BloomTech staff helped me push forward, be more confident. I have this mentality that… I don’t know everything, but I can do this.”
Career preparation is an integral part of all BloomTech courses, with career development assignments distributed throughout the curriculum. During their program of study, learners complete career development assignments in service of defining a career path that aligns with their passions and rework their resumes to reflect their talents and experiences. Upon graduation, one-on-one career coaching and group mentorship fast-tracks their job hunt by expanding their network, practicing interview skills, and preparing for salary negotiations.
Our Hiring Partnerships team is in constant contact with our hiring network to point graduates toward job opportunities. In addition, graduates join an ever-expanding alumni community, where they can make connections, find job leads, encourage each other, and offer insights from their experiences. In this way, our graduates are ready to thrive in the realities of the job market.
Career coaches, mentors, and the BloomTech community of learners help learners and graduates secure a job that aligns with their goals.
Ashley Brooks, who lives in Illinois with her husband and two kids, graduated from BloomTech’s Data Science program. Career advisors helped her fine-tune her resume, practice interviewing, and write cover letters. She now works as an analyst and tripled her pre-BloomTech income. She says, “The job search… it’s challenging. And I would not have been able to do it without them [BloomTech].”
Closing the gap between learners’ potential and a rewarding career can transform their financial future—not just for their first job but throughout the lifetime of their career. We offer multiple payment structures and options to make this possible for motivated learners of any background. The Income Share Agreement (ISA)², for example, aligns the success of our learners with the success of our school because graduates begin making payments only when they have secured a job paying $50,000 or more on an annualized basis.
We continue to develop new tuition structures that offer choice and flexibility so more people can achieve upward mobility, find fulfilling and financially rewarding careers, and even disrupt generational patterns of economic instability.
BloomTech lowers financial barriers to success by taking on part of learners’ financial risk through tuition financing options such as Income Share Agreements.
Before Alexis Villaraza enrolled in BloomTech, she didn’t like her job at an insurance company, was racking up credit card debt, and worried about her financial future. Since graduating and securing a job as a software engineer, she increased her annual income by two and a half times. She also gained a newfound excitement and confidence about her finances. “I am feeling a lot more financially independent,” Alexis says. “I'm working towards paying off my credit card. I'm going to be able to put money into my 401(k) and be more financially set for when I retire. I'm able to help my family out with money. [BloomTech] definitely changed my life.”
In our last outcomes report³, we included six metrics important to understand BloomTech:
In data sets where it is relevant, we break down outcomes according to program (Full Stack Web, Data Science, and Other⁸) and/or program type (Full-Time and Part-Time).
This year, we are also including:
This report covers learners who were scheduled to complete or graduated from a BloomTech program between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
We, as management of BloomTech (the School), are responsible for the assertions made in preparing the BloomTech 2020 Outcomes Report (the Report) for learners who had an Original Expected Graduation Date⁹, and/or learners who actually graduated in the period from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Management’s assertions are included within the results of the Report and are based on the criteria as defined.
The Report is intended to provide readers with information about historical graduation and job placement statistics from the period from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. We confirm, to the best of our knowledge and believe, the following assertions:
Like people across the globe, our learners had to pivot to face new realities—the loss of income and jobs, illness, and childcare limitations, to name a few. The education industry was and continues to be directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; recent surveys indicate that the pressures of the pandemic will contribute to additional decreases to on-time graduation rates - already below 50% - from four-year colleges and universities. Despite this challenging climate, BloomTech continued to educate and support learners via our remote-first model as they pursued new skills and careers.
Some of the learners who did not finish their BloomTech program by their Original Expected Graduation Date continue to work toward completion. We remain committed to supporting all our learners, whether they graduate on time or need longer to complete their BloomTech program.
Graduation Rate Addressable Population
The addressable population for the Graduation Rate is the 2,527 Starting Learners¹¹ whose Original Expected Graduation Date fell in 2020, the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, regardless of when these learners actually graduated.
This population of 2,527 learners is comprised of 3 categories:
• Those who withdrew from BloomTech
• Those who are still enrolled at BloomTech, as of the Reporting Date
• Those who graduated¹² from BloomTech
We designed the BloomTech model to accommodate multiple pathways to graduation, rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach - and that means the program length can vary from one learner to the next. There are several factors that can result in a learner’s Actual Graduation Date¹³ being later than their Original Expected Graduation Date, such as repeating a unit, going on hiatus for personal reasons, or switching from a full-time to a part-time program. We have purposefully designed our model to allow for this type of flexibility because we understand that each learner comes from unique circumstances and has different needs over the course of their educational experience.
BloomTech 2020 graduates entered a job market that was tighter than it has been in generations. In April 2020, U.S. unemployment rates hit 14.8 percent, more than 4 times higher than February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic became widespread, and the highest since the U.S. government began collecting data in 1948. In April 2020 alone, 2.2 million people lost jobs in the professional and technical services industry, which includes the technology-centric jobs BloomTech learners pursue, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BloomTech graduates sought jobs alongside the many people in the technology industry who were laid-off or furloughed.
Graduation to Job Placement Rate Methodology
Our Job Placement Rate is calculated from the population of Starting Learners whose Actual Graduation Date was during 2020.
The addressable population of Starting Learners with an Original Expected Graduation Date in 2020 (2,527 learners) consists of three unique groups:
• Learners who graduated (1,712 learners)
• Learners who withdrew (787 learners)
• Learners who are still enrolled (28 learners)
The 1,712 Starting Learners who graduated fall into one of three unique groups:
• Learners who graduated in 2020 (1,485 learners)
• Learners who graduated before 2020 (2 learners)
• Learners who graduated after 2020 (225 learners)
The 1,485 Starting Learners with both an Original Expected Graduation Date and Actual Graduation Date in 2020 fall into one of two unique groups:
• Job Seeking Learners (1,091 learners)
• Non-Job Seeking¹⁶ Learners (394 learners)
Of these two groups, only Job Seeking Learners fall within the Job Placement Rate Addressable Population. The 1,091 Job Seeking Learners were then adjusted for an additional 186 Job Seeking Learners. These additional 186 learners had an Original Expected Graduation Date before or after 2020 and an Actual Graduation Date in 2020.
The Job Placement Rate Addressable Population (1,277 learners) is composed of the following groups:
• Learners who graduated in 2020, had an Original Expected Graduation Date in 2020, and are Job Seeking (1,091 learners)
• Learners who graduated in 2020, had an Original Expected Graduation Date before 2020, and are Job Seeking (172 learners)
• Learners who graduated in 2020, had an Original Expected Graduation Date after 2020, and are Job Seeking (14 learners)
Job Placement Rate Addressable Population
The addressable population for the Job Placement Rate is 1,277 learners with an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and who were Job Seeking.
Job-seeking BloomTech graduates from 2020 faced a challenging job climate. However, extended job search periods were not unique to BloomTech graduates. According to research from the International Organisation for Economic Co-operation, the number of people in OECD countries who were looking for jobs for six to twelve months more than doubled during the pandemic. We remain proud of our graduates and BloomTech’s career support services for finding work amid these difficult circumstances. We also continue to adapt to the market to give our learners the best possible preparation for their careers in tech.
Time to Placement Methodology
Time to Placement is calculated for the population of learners who were placed in jobs as of the Reporting Date. Time to Placement represents the number of days from a learner’s Actual Graduation Date to Job Placement.
Time to Placement is reported in 3 categories:
• % placed as of 90 days from Actual Graduation Date
• % placed as of 180 Days from Actual Graduation Date (includes % placed as of 90 days)
• % placed as of Reporting Date (includes % placed as of 90 days, and as of 180 days)
Time to Placement Addressable Population
The addressable population for Time to Placement is 950 Placed Learners¹⁹ with an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and who were Job Seeking.
The U.S. is witnessing an ongoing trend toward hiring contract workers instead of salaried employees. BloomTech placement data matches this trend, as many of our 2020 graduates accepted contract positions.
Position Type Addressable Population
Of the 1,277 Starting Learners who had an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and were Job Seeking, 950 of these learners were subsequently Placed in jobs. The addressable population for Position Type is the 950 Placed Learners.
Placed Learners whose Position Type were not reported, are reported below as Unknown.
Salary Outcomes Methodology
Salary Outcomes reports on the salary for Placed Learners.
This analysis includes full-time salaried positions, as well as other types of work including long-term contracts, short-term contracts, and internship positions. Salaries for non-full-time roles have been annualized²⁶.
This analysis includes U.S.-based and internationally-based positions. All salaries are reported in U.S. dollars; any offer reported in international currencies has been converted to U.S. dollars based on the market exchange rate at the time the offer was reported.
Salary Outcomes Methodology
Of the 1,277 Starting Learners who had an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and were Job Seeking, 950 of these learners were subsequently Placed in jobs. The addressable population for Salary Outcomes is the 950 Placed Learners.
Placed learners whose Salary Outcomes were not reported, are reported below as Unknown.
The majority of 2020 BloomTech placed graduates were hired as developers/engineers. In the U.S., the number of jobs for software developers and similar positions is projected to grow by 22 percent by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We understand this data to mean that BloomTech graduates are meeting the industry’s growing demand for these positions.
Job Titles Addressable Population
Of the 1,277 Starting Learners who had an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and were Job Seeking, 950 of these learners were subsequently Placed in jobs. The addressable population for Job Titles is the 950 Placed Learners.
Placed Learners whose Position Type were not reported, are reported below as Unknown.
This report includes our first published data on hiring locations for BloomTech graduates.
In 2020, 71 percent of employed adults worked from home all or most of the time—an increase that reflects efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing. It comes as no surprise, then, that many BloomTech graduates found location-independent jobs.
Job Locations Addressable Population
Of the 1,277 Starting Learners who had an Actual Graduation Date in 2020 and were Job Seeking, 950 of these learners were subsequently Placed in jobs. The addressable population for Job Locations is the 950 Placed Learners. Placed Learners whose Job Locations were not reported, are reported below as Unknown.
Job Locations are aggregated at the state level for non-remote, U.S.-based jobs. Positions that are remote in nature have been grouped into a separate Remote category.
In spite of hopes for a quick recovery, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. While the U.S. economy is gradually recovering, it will take years to recoup the many jobs lost in 2020.
Considering the context of 2020, we are proud of our Outcomes data. While they do not reflect our pre-pandemic hopes and goals for gains in graduation rates, time to placement rates, and median salary, steady or even slightly decreased numbers represent a victory. Amid confusion, uncertainty, grief, isolation, and a faltering economy, BloomTech graduates persevered.
We believe BloomTech’s model—along with the dedication of our entire community of staff, instructors, learners, and alumni—supported 2020 graduates in unprecedented times. We believe that 2020 placement rates demonstrate our graduates’ ability to meet employer needs and succeed in a difficult job market.
We remain committed to equipping learners to thrive in the technology industry, no matter the outside circumstances. We will continue to offer remote learning, market-directed curriculum, and career development services so people of all backgrounds can transform their financial future.
We invite you to join us.
Austen Allred, CEO
¹BloomTech defines a learner as a student or alumnus of a BloomTech program
²An Income Share Agreement is a contract under which a student agrees to pay a fixed percentage of their post-school salary for a defined period of time or until they reach the maximum total payment. Under BloomTech’s current ISA as of October 2021, learners pay 17% of their post-BloomTech salary for 24 months but only once they are making more than $50,000 per year. The maximum total payment is $30,000.
³BloomTech’s H2 2019 Outcomes Report covered learners who were scheduled to complete or graduated from a BloomTech program between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019
⁴A Starting Learner is a learner who attended Day 1 of Unit 2 of the coursework
⁵Reporting Date: August 10, 2021
⁶A learner is considered job seeking if they are actively working with a Career Coach, are actively searching for a job using BloomTech’s Outcomes products, and/or have communicated to the Outcomes team that they are actively applying or searching for a job in a technical field.
⁷A learner whose Actual Graduation Date was in 2020 and who was subsequently placed in a job as of the Reporting Date
⁸UX, iOS, and Android
⁹The date a learner is expected to graduate if they moved through the program without repeating a unit or going on hiatus.
¹⁰Management’s criteria for defining Graduation Rate is determined from the population of Starting Learners whose Original Expected Graduation Date is in 2020 and actually graduated as of the Reporting Date Reporting Date: August 10, 2021 Starting Learner: A learner who attended day 1 of Unit 2 of the coursework
¹¹A Starting Learner is a learner who attended Day 1 of Unit 2 of the coursework
¹²Includes learners who accepted a technical position prior to completion of their program
¹³The date when a learner successfully completes the final sprint of their program
¹⁴ The addressable population for graduation rate calculations was 2,527 learners. Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100%.
¹⁵Management’s criteria for defining Job Placement Rate is the percentage of learners whose Actual Graduation Date was during 2020 that have secured a job placement, defined as receiving an offer for a technical role, as of the Reporting Date.
¹⁶A BloomTech graduate who has been unresponsive to outreach, has explicitly indicated they are not pursuing a technical role, or has explicitly indicated they have paused their job search.
¹⁷The addressable population for job placement rate calculations was 1,277 learners. Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100%.
¹⁸Management’s criteria for defining Time to Placement is determined from the Starting Learners whose Actual Graduation Date was during 2020 and were Job Seeking, how many of them were Placed within X days of graduation
¹⁹A learner whose Actual Graduation Date was in 2020 and who was subsequently placed in a job as of the Reporting Date
²⁰The addressable population for time to placement calculations was 950 Placed Learners.
²¹Time to Placement Results are shown cumulatively within a given column. Each row is a subset of the following rows, so columns will not add up to 100%. For example, every placed learner who is counted in “within 90 days” is also included in “within 180 days”.
²²Time to Placement Results are shown cumulatively within a given column. Each row is a subset of the following rows, so columns will not add up to 100%. For example, every placed learner who is counted in “within 90 days” is also included in “within 180 days”.
²³Management’s criteria for defining Position Type is determined from the position type of a learner's first Recorded OfferRecorded Offer: The job offer the learner self-reported to BloomTech or our ISA servicers
²⁴The addressable population for position type calculations was 950 Placed Learners.
²⁵Management’s criteria for defining Salary Outcomes is determined from using the first Recorded Offer salary in USD (converted to USD for non-US salaries). Jobs that are not paid via annual salary (e.g., hourly consultants, part time, etc.) are annualized.
²⁶BloomTech uses a standardized methodology to annualize all first placement offers.
- Any offers in foreign currencies have been converted to US Dollars at the market exchange rate on the date BloomTech received offer information
- Unless otherwise stated explicitly in the offer, BloomTech assumes 40 hours per work week and 52 weeks per work year.
- For example, an offer for a non-full-time contract role at $20/hour is annualized as $20/hour * 40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year = $41,600
²⁷The addressable population for salary outcomes calculations was 950 Placed Learners.
²⁸ Based on the first recorded offer of all Placed Learners with an Actual Graduation Date in 2020
²⁹ Based on the first recorded offer of all Placed Learners with an Actual Graduation Date in 2020
³⁰The 0-10k salary bucket includes a number of unpaid internships as well as salaried International placements that, when converted to USD, are less than $10,000 due to payscale differences.
³¹ Management’s criteria for defining Job Title is determined from the job title of the learner's first Recorded Offer
³²The addressable population for job titles calculations was 950 Placed Learners.
³³Management’s criteria for defining Job Location is determined from the location associated with the learner's first Recorded Offer
³⁴ The addressable population for job locations calculations was 950 Placed Learners.
³⁵ All companies included here hired at least 2 BloomTech graduates in either long-term contract or salaried roles.
Download a PDF of the report by clicking below.
Please note: The 2020 Outcomes Report was released when Bloom Institute of Technology was its former name, Lambda School. Therefore the report below uses the name Lambda School instead of BloomTech.
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