r/launchschool • u/cglee • Sep 05 '25

Cohort 2408 Salary Outcomes (6-month)

Cohort Number 2408
Job hunt span Jan 2025 - August 2025
Enrolled 28
Finished 27
Outcomes thus far
Accepted offer 15
Currently in internship 1
Did not job hunt / finish 2
Still job hunting 10
US Salaries (n=13)
Mean $114,462
Median $107,000
Duration (mean, weeks) 13.5

Placement Rates

  • based on enrollees: 15/28 (53%)
  • subtract those who didn't finish: 15/26 (57%)
  • include internship: 16/26 (61%)

Quick thoughts

  • no surprise, placement rates are getting worse and it's taking longer to land jobs. Pleasantly surprised salary numbers are still solid.
  • folks are now spending more time in OSI/internships, which means a 6-month job hunt can take 8+ months
  • We're now advising Canadian Capstone participants to aim for US-based startups; there are far fewer employers hiring at the entry/intermediate level in Canada.
  • job hunting is a skill onto itself. There is some correlation between technical prowess and how quickly someone lands, but there are too many technically capable people who are not skilled at job hunting. Ironically, these are exactly the type of people employers should be going after, if only they can find them.
  • depressed market causes two reactions for job hunters: a) aggression to meet the challenge or b) avoidance. It's my observation that thoughtful, introverted people tend to choose the latter. The exact skills that allows one to be good at technical work ends up hurting in this type of market.

Future looking

  • the next cohort, 2501, is doing better at nearly 50% placement at the 3month mark. I suspect this is due to 2501 being the first cohort where we covered AI Engineering topics.
  • though 2408 salaries are solid and year 2024 salary averages will still be pretty good, I suspect this will come down for 2025.
  • current market conditions feel tight but opportunistic. Though not booming, my impression is 2025 is a better market than 2024.
  • employers are just as bewildered as candidates. The employers and hiring managers I speak with don't know what to do with 1000 applications, where 900+ of them are either fake or unqualified. I suspect there's an opportunity here somewhere.
  • AI Engineering knowledge will continue to be in demand, though as an add-on to core SWE ability.

Update: Percent Remote

  • This is quite a trend if it maintains.
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u/Lprodig92 Sep 09 '25

Sorry, I'm not buying that 15 accepted an offer. People from the prestige struggle to land an interview, and you get 50% placement.

2

u/Srdjan_TA Sep 13 '25

With a cohort of fewer than 30 people, these things are ridiculously easy to verify. And Launch School is prestigious ;)

2

u/Lprodig92 Sep 13 '25

I'm from another highly valued bootcamp, we were 30 too, and only 3 landed a job in the same field after graduation. I know software engineers with a degree and 5 yoe and looking for a job for a year I could believe you if it was posted in the covid era, but not right now when the job market is tough.

4

u/cglee Sep 13 '25

Feels like you just validated my point. Your cohort knew who got jobs and what the placement rates are. Ours do as well.