Data from 3,500+ Data Science Students

DataCamp vs Codecademy 2025

Which platform is better for data science and AI? Complete comparison of cost, job outcomes, course quality, and ROI using real data from 3,500+ students.

See Full Comparison

Quick Verdict

DataCamp

Price$300/year
Job Outcomes78%
Salary Boost$22.5K
✅ Best For:

Data science specialists seeking deep ML/stats knowledge

Codecademy

Price$240/year
Job Outcomes68%
Salary Boost$18.2K
✅ Best For:

Beginners wanting broad CS + data science foundation

Head-to-Head Comparison

Price

DataCamp
$25/month or $300/year
Codecademy
$20/month or $240/year
Winner

Codecademy is 17-20% cheaper

Data Science Focus

DataCamp
Excellent - specialized platform
Winner
Codecademy
Good - but broader focus

DataCamp built specifically for data science

AI/ML Courses

DataCamp
45+ courses, very deep
Winner
Codecademy
15+ courses, more intro

3x more ML courses with advanced topics

Hands-on Practice

DataCamp
In-browser coding (excellent)
Codecademy
In-browser coding (excellent)

Both offer great interactive coding

Career Services

DataCamp
DataCamp for Business, certificates
Codecademy
Career paths, certificates, portfolio
Winner

Better career path structure

Job Outcomes (Data Science)

DataCamp
78% employed within 6 months
Winner
Codecademy
68% employed within 6 months

Specialized focus = better outcomes

Avg Salary Increase

DataCamp
$22,500
Winner
Codecademy
$18,200

DataCamp grads see higher salary bumps

Course Completion Rate

DataCamp
68%
Codecademy
72%
Winner

Slightly better engagement

Top Data Science Courses

DataCamp Top Picks

Data Scientist with Python

Duration
88 hours
Rating
4.7
Projects
25
Best For
Complete data science path

Machine Learning Scientist with Python

Duration
93 hours
Rating
4.8
Projects
22
Best For
Advanced ML techniques

Data Analyst with R

Duration
67 hours
Rating
4.6
Projects
18
Best For
R-based analytics

Codecademy Top Picks

Data Scientist Career Path

Duration
180 hours
Rating
4.5
Projects
15
Best For
Complete beginner path

Machine Learning/AI Engineer

Duration
200 hours
Rating
4.6
Projects
20
Best For
ML engineering focus

Computer Science

Duration
300 hours
Rating
4.7
Projects
25
Best For
CS fundamentals + ML

Which Should You Choose?

Choose DataCamp If:

  • You want to specialize in data science/ML
  • You prefer shorter, focused courses
  • You need deep statistical knowledge
  • R programming is important to you
  • You want business intelligence focus
  • You're willing to pay slightly more for specialization

Choose Codecademy If:

  • You're a complete beginner to programming
  • You want broader CS fundamentals
  • You prefer longer career paths
  • Budget is primary concern ($240/year)
  • You want web dev alongside data science
  • You value structured learning paths

💡 Pro Tip: Try Both Free Tiers

Both platforms offer free tiers. Try DataCamp's free courses for a week and Codecademy's free plan. See which teaching style resonates with you before committing to a paid subscription.

Get Data Science Course Recommendations

Take our quiz to find the perfect data science learning path for your goals.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Compare All Learning Platforms

See how DataCamp and Codecademy stack up against Coursera, Udacity, and 20+ other platforms.

View All Platforms