IT is used for keeping businesses running smoothly, making business decisions, and solving problems. The term was first used in 1958, in a Harvard Business Review article. IT skills have become a crucial part of most businesses, and are highly in demand today. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that over the next ten years, computer and information technology occupations will grow much faster than average. IT jobs can also be lucrative. According to BLS, this category has an average salary of about $100,000.
The 10 Best Online IT Classes
- General Assembly—Software Engineering Immersive (Live Online and In-Person)
- Computer Training Source—ITIL (Live Online and In-Person)
- American Management Association—Architecting on AWS (Live Online and In-Person)
- Flatiron School—Software Engineering Bootcamp (Live Online and In-Person)
- Noble Desktop—Data Analytics Certificate (Live Online and In-Person)
- TLG Learning—AWS Technical Essentials (Live Online)
- Technical Institute of America—CompTIA Network+ Certification (Live Online and In-Person)
- Rev Up Tech—macOS Support Essentials (Live Online and In-Person)
- NYC Career Centers—Data Science Certificate (Live Online and In-Person)
- Global Knowledge—Cybersecurity Foundations (Live Online)
#1: General Assembly—Software Engineering Immersive (Live Online and In-Person)
Software Engineering Immersive is offered by General Assembly, a school that provides tech, data, business, and design training both in-person and live online. This course covers front end development, full stack development, and front end frameworks and APIs. Students learn through a combination of live study and independent work. They work on a number of projects, including a capstone project where they mimic a team-client interaction and create a full stack application. Students who take this course also get 20 hours of optional self-paced instruction on specializations such as UX engineering, DevOps, and cloud development.
Key Information
The course takes 12 weeks of full-time study, or 24 weeks of part-time study, to complete. It costs $16,450. Payment can be made by check, wire transfer, PayPal, or credit or debit card. Students can also choose from a number of financing offers. For instance, they can pay in 4 installments of $4,112.50. There are no prerequisites.
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Students in the Software Engineering Immersive class also receive career coaching, including interview prep, mock interviews, resume reviews, and whiteboard practice. After finishing the class, they get a signed certificate of completion. General Assembly graduates also get access to digital tools and development programs, and receive tuition discounts on additional General Assembly classes.
General Assembly is favorably reviewed by former students. Many state that they found the tuition investment to be worth it, and that taking a course from this school has helped them in their careers. For instance, one student says, “Overall, I had a wonderful time participating in the online program. I got the chance to get to know a wide range of people who had like interests, and we developed enduring connections. I learned a lot throughout the program, and it considerably increased my skill set. I genuinely think the investment I made was justified.” Another student comments on the quality of support, saying, “I wasn't sure what to expect and if I would be able to keep up the pace but the instructor team were fantastic at supporting me and go above and beyond to keep me on track. The career team was also fantastic and provided some excellent resources for job hunting.”
#2: Computer Training Source—ITIL (Live Online and In-Person)
ITIL is a live online course offered by Computer Training Source, a Chicago-based school that offers both in-person and live online training. This class is focused on ITIL, which is a commonly used IT service management approach. Students learn how to use this framework to identify, plan, deliver, and support IT services to a business. The course covers service management, service strategy, service design, service transition, service operation, and service improvement. The course also prepares students to take the ITIL Foundation certification exam.
Key Information
There are three eight-hour course sessions in the ITIL course. Tuition is $1,895, and is due at the time of registration. Students receive 30 days of free telephone or email support along with their class. Computer Training Source classes typically have 6 to 10 students per class, and instructors can see student screens so that they can better assist students during class.
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This school offers an exam pass guarantee, where students are guaranteed to pass their certification exam the first time, or Computer Training Source will pay for a free retake. Students also get the option of a free course retake within six months.
Computer Training Source has received many positive reviews from its students. A number of students state that the school’s instructors were helpful and easy to understand. For instance, one reviewer says, “My advisor was available for every change I needed and encouragement was outstanding not to quit!!! Teachers were above and beyond helpful in and after class and even during breaks.” Another comments, “Instructor was very clear and took time to make sure all in the class were able to follow along. I felt I learned a few new items that will certainly help in my profession.”
#3: American Management Association—Architecting on AWS (Live Online and In-Person)
The American Management Association offers professional development classes, both in person and live online, on a wide range of topics, including IT. Architecting on AWS is designed for solutions architects, solutions-design engineers, and developers who want to get a better understanding of AWS architecting. It is also for students who want to obtain the AWS Solutions Architect-Associate certification. The course is focused on building solutions for AWS Cloud. Covered topics include account security, networking, storage, databases, monitoring, automation, containers, serverless architecture, edge services, and backup and recovery. Participants in the class watch live presentations and demonstrations, engage in group discussions, and complete hands-on labs.
Key Information
This class has three eight-hour sessions, and costs $2,095. Students can pay at the time of registration, or can choose to receive an invoice, which is sent 7 to 10 days after registration. Payment can be made by credit card or check. There are an average of 20 students per class. Students who want to enroll in this class should understand AWS Cloud practitioner essentials, distributed systems, general networking concepts, and IP addressing. They should also have a working knowledge of multi-tier architectures and understand cloud computing concepts. Students who plan to take the course in a live online format are advised to have a headset.
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Classes at American Management Association have been well reviewed by many students, some of whom mention that they liked the level of interactivity that they got, and were impressed with the knowledgeability of instructors. One says, “This course challenged the way I think, my responses to situations, and how I conduct my work. . . . I've already implemented . . . the tools I learned in class!” Another comments, “Great facilitator, with decades of management experience. . . . I also enjoyed the interactive quizzes and breakout sessions for the online course . . . Very helpful and engaging.”
#4: Flatiron School—Software Engineering Bootcamp (Live Online and In-Person)
The Software Engineering Bootcamp at the Flatiron School includes a combination of lectures, lab work, and work on a portfolio. Students learn about front end development, including how to use AI chatbots, and how AI models can help with debugging. The course also covers front end web applications. In the back end part of the course, students learn Python, and all about back end APIs. Finally, students work on a cumulative project, where they build an application of their own. Instructors are software engineers with real-world experience.
Key Information
This class takes 15 weeks of full-time study to complete. Tuition is $17,900. Students can pay up front, or in 12 installments of $4,184. Flatiron also offers a number of loan options, including a cost-of-living loan. In order to take the class, students need to fill out an online application, and then take part in a 15-minute assessment with the admissions team. Prior to the start of class, students also need to complete Software Engineering Prep, which takes 60 to 80 hours. During prep, they will gain a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, set up their computing environment, and get comfortable with the Canvas platform that is used for the course.The Software Engineering Bootcamp is also available to take part-time, however, instruction for the part-time program is asynchronous.
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The Flatiron School offers career coaching as part of its bootcamps. Students are partnered with a career coach during their course, and also receive up to six months of support after graduation. Career coaches can help with things like building a resume and LinkedIn profile, interview skills, salary negotiations, searching for a job, and creating a network.
A number of students have reviewed this course favorably. Jon Brundage, Jr. was particularly impressed with the quality of instruction. He says, “My favorite part of the program was my phase one instructor, who completely laid the foundation for my success in the program.” Brundage Jr. adds, “[He] explained this new world of Javascript in a way that was very accessible and had so much patience for all of my questions. He took this very big, intimidating process and gave me the tools to feel empowered from day one and I will be forever grateful for all his tutorage.” Tristam Jones says that for him, it was his fellow students who were a key factor in his success. He explains, “It made all the difference to be surrounded by other individuals as motivated, bright, and desperate as I was to make such a drastic career pivot.”
#5: Noble Desktop—Data Analytics Certificate (Live Online and In-Person)
Noble Desktop is a tech school based in New York City, that offers both in-person and live online IT classes. Its Data Analytics Certificate is designed for students interested in working as a Data Analyst or Business Analyst. There are eight units in the course: Excel for Data Analytics, Data Analytics Foundations, Python for Data Science Bootcamp, SQL Bootcamp, Python for Automation, Python Data Visualization & Interactive Dashboards, Python Machine Learning Bootcamp, and Tableau Bootcamp. Overall, students learn a wide range of skills including how to gather, clean, and analyze data, how to extract information using SQL, how to interpret results, and how to use Tableau and Python to visualize data.
Key Information
This course takes 6 weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time to complete. There are 156 hours of instruction in total. Nobel offers both weekday and evening scheduling options. Tuition is $4,995. Noble also offers an installment payment option or a 12-month financing option. With the installment option, the total is paid by the end of the course, while with the 12-month option, students make monthly payments for a year. Both options require an initial deposit. There is no interest or financing fees. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students should be comfortable using a computer.
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Students who take this class also receive eight one-on-one mentoring sessions where they can get help with their resume and LinkedIn profile, spend extra time working on challenging concepts, and get advice about applying for jobs. They also receive a New York State-licensed certificate of completion. In addition, Noble offers a free course retake within one year.
Many students have reviewed Noble Desktop classes favorably. Mai was impressed by the instructors, writing, “Professional, supportive, engaging and down to earth instructors. Noble Desktop is always there for you.” Noble students have also commented on how much they learned in this class. For instance, Niekel writes, “It was great to see my progress during the duration of this bootcamp. I started with no prior knowledge of Python and by the end of the course, I was able to complete a machine learning project using Python.”
#6: TLG Learning—AWS Technical Essentials (Live Online)
TLG Learning provides IT training for corporations and government agencies. AWS Technical Essentials is a TLG class that covers fundamental AWS concepts so that students can understand how to build, compare, and apply cloud solutions. There are seven modules in the class: Introduction to Amazon Web Services, AWS Compute, AWS Networking, Create an AWS S3 Bucket, Databases, Monitoring and Load Balancing and Scaling, and Course Summary. Some of the specific topics covered in these modules include terminology, navigating the AWS Management Console, key concepts of AWS security measures, a comparison of several AWS services, and an understanding of networking services.
Key Information
This is a one-day class, and tuition is $675, which is payable at the time of registration. Students do not need prior cloud computing or AWS experience, but they should have IT experience, and a basic knowledge of common data center architectures and components.
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TLG Learning has received positive reviews from former students. Some students say that they liked the instructors. A few commented that they would have liked a little more time to learn the material. One says, “Great teacher and learning environment. Classes were small and intimate, allowing students to ask questions. The course was packed with lots of information, so 19 hours may not be enough for most.” Another comments, “I enjoyed a lot about this program from the instructors to the material we covered. Overall I had a great experience at TLG Learning. The company as a whole makes you feel very comfortable while you are there.”
#7: Technical Institute of America—CompTIA Network+ Certification (Live Online and In-Person)
CompTIA Network+ Certification is offered by the Technical Institute of America, a tech school based in New York City. Students learn to configure servers, routers, switches, and firewalls, and should leave class with the ability to set up and troubleshoot a network. The course also prepares students to take the CompTIA Network+ certification exam, which is an entry-level network install and repair certification. Some of the specific topics covered in the class are: networking fundamentals, the OSI model, network operating systems, TCP/IP fundamentals, WAN and remote access technologies, security, HTCP/IP utilities, and network troubleshooting.
Key Information
There are four class sessions in this course, with a total of 28 hours of instruction. Tuition is $699. On average, classes have no more than 15 students.
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The Technical Institute of America boasts a 97 percent exam pass rate for its students. If students cannot pass the exam after two retakes, they receive a tuition refund.
Students have posted positive reviews of this class on the Technical Institute of America website, with many writing that it helped them pass the exam. For example, one says, “This class Network+ was great, it covered exactly what was on the exam and helped me understand how to pass this exam. I'm excited about my next certification." Another writes, “Andrew made the Network+ certification really simple. With his explanations and hands-on approach I really felt confident when taking the exam which I passed right after the class.”
#8: Rev Up Tech—macOS Support Essentials (Live Online and In-Person)
macOS Support Essentials is a three-day class offered by Rev Up Tech, which is a computer training school based in Los Angeles. Students who take this course learn how to support macOS users, through a combination of presentations, demonstrations, group discussions, and hands-on exercises. Covered topics are: installation and configuration, user accounts, file systems and storage, data management, apps and processes, network configuration, network services, and system management. The teacher is an Apple Certified Instructor.
Key Information
Tuition for this course is $1,895, and is due at the time of enrollment. Rev Up Tech accepts Paypal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. This class is suitable for beginners, and there are no prerequisites, however, some knowledge of a Mac computer or an iOS device is suggested. Students receive a certificate of completion after finishing the course.
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Rev Up Tech’s client list includes a number of large, national companies such as Neiman Marcus, Associated Press, Wells Fargo, and Walt Disney.
#9: NYC Career Centers—Data Science Certificate (Live Online and In-Person)
The Data Science Certificate offered by NYC Career Centers is intended to prepare students for entry-level data science and Python positions. There are four units: Python for Data Science Bootcamp, PostgreSQL Bootcamp, Python Machine Learning Bootcamp, and Python for Automation. Students learn a wide variety of skills, including coding in Python, and using Matplotlib, Pandas, and other Python libraries to evaluate data. They also learn foundational database concepts, develop the ability to scrape data from websites, and learn data cleaning and management.
Key Information
This course can be completed in two months of full-time study or eight months of part-time study. There are 19 sessions, with a total of 114 hours of instruction. Tuition is $3,995. Noble offers a 12-month financing option, or an installment option where students pay a deposit and then 3 installment payments. There are no interest or finance charges with either of these options. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students should be comfortable using a computer. The average class size is seven people.
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This course also comes with a certificate of completion, proprietary workbooks, and the option of a free retake within a year. In addition, students receive a one-on-one mentoring session that they can use for career or job search advice, or to get extra practice on challenging concepts.
Former students of NYC Career Centers have posted a number of positive reviews online. Some commented that they were impressed with both the curriculum and the quality of instruction. One says, “This was a very safe environment to learn - I felt comfortable asking questions, and the teacher knew how to address my questions and reinforce the knowledge.” Another writes, “Teacher was very knowledgeable and clear.”
#10: Global Knowledge—Cybersecurity Foundations (Live Online)
Global Knowledge is an IT training company that was founded in 1995 and offers classes in a number of locations around the world, in addition to in a live online format. Cybersecurity Foundations is designed to teach students about cybersecurity threats, and how to manage them. Covered topics include vulnerability and assessment tools, cyber awareness, different types of cyber attacks, security policy management, securing hosts and servers, securing communications, and authentication and cryptographics solutions. Students also learn about firewalls and edge devices, forensic analysis, disaster recovery, and cyber evolution. The course also includes a number of labs.
Key Information
The course runs for five days, and costs $3,395. Students should have some knowledge of TCP/IP networking.
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Many former students have written reviews of Global Knowledge classes, and the majority are positive. Some students say that classes moved a little too quickly, however, many say that the content was presented in a way that was easy to understand. One reviewer writes, “Knowledgeable instructor with clear and organized material.” Another says, “The on line training is well organized. Instructors are well versed and experienced. You also ha e the opportunity to network with other peers with in your line of work. Such a productive and enjoyable experience.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of online IT classes?
When you look for online IT classes, you’re likely to find a number of different formats. Live online classes are one popular way to learn online. With a live online class, students attend sessions live via a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. With this format, instructors lecture in real time and students can ask questions and get immediate feedback, just like with an in-person class. However, unlike an in-person class, live online students have the freedom to attend from any location with an internet connection. Another common online format is on-demand. Unlike live online classes, on-demand classes are not live. Instead, the material is prerecorded, and students work at their own pace. One of the biggest advantages of on-demand classes is their flexibility; students can complete coursework as quickly, or as slowly, as they need to, which makes this a good option for people who have a busy schedule. Research on IT classes is also likely to reveal some free or low-priced introductory classes and seminars online. While these types of classes are typically much less comprehensive than regular paid classes, they can be a good way to get a basic overview of an IT topic or find an answer to a specific question.
What will I need for an online IT class?
If you’re planning to take an online IT class, you’ll need a computer and an internet connection. Many IT classes also have specific computer system requirements, which are typically listed along with other course specifics. In some cases, you might need access to a specific software program too. Many providers do offer free trials of their software though. For instance, Adobe provides a free seven-day trial of its Creative Cloud, which includes all of its apps. Additionally, if you’re taking an IT class, you might need to know coding languages like HTML, however, beginner-level classes often include instruction in coding. Overall, the best way to know what you’ll need is to thoroughly read the course description and any additional information that you receive from your chosen school.
Can I learn IT online for free?
If you’re on a budget, you can definitely utilize free online resources to learn something about IT. There are many free online resources, on a variety of different IT topics. For example, YouTube has lots of short, free IT tutorials. However, free resources are generally designed to give you a basic overview, help you understand a specific skill, or aid you in troubleshooting a problem. They are not the best way to get a comprehensive IT education. For that, it's usually best to enroll in a paid class, where you can get reliable and up-to-date information from an experienced instructor.
Is it better to learn IT in a live or self-paced class?
Live and self-paced classes both come with unique advantages and disadvantages. With a live class, you’ll be able to get real-time instruction and immediate feedback, and some students find that this helps them learn new concepts more easily. Live classes also give you the opportunity to interact and network with other students. Self-paced classes don’t have this live interaction, however, they do offer a lot more flexibility. With a self-paced class, you don’t have to attend at a specific time, and you can work through the material at your own pace. You can even rewind a lecture if you need to take more time with a particular concept, or fast-forward if it's something you already understand.