FinTech Training Cost

What is FinTech?

FinTech stands for financial technology. Multinational corporations like Apple and Google offer FinTech services, but many smaller companies specialize in FinTech products and services. Some companies classify themselves as FinTechs such as Venmo, Stripe, and Robinhood.

Banking as a Service (BaaS), PayPal’s platform, and Ethereum’s platform may be referenced as products or services, depending on the source. While the term FinTech can encompass a bewildering array of services, products, and companies, consider any financial technology under the FinTech heading. Mobile banking, digital lending and credit, financial advisory services, and cryptocurrencies all fall into the category of FinTech.

Read more about what FinTech is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with FinTech?

FinTech refers to the many Financial Technology products and services you can use today and some of the companies that offer them. Consider FinTech as an umbrella term referring to three main categories:

1. Services—On a basic level, many FinTech services may be considered products, and vice versa. PayPal is a service, but the platform of services PayPal offers may be called a product itself. To simplify matters, look at services that are now commonly provided and named as such: Banking as a Service (BaaS), payment services like Venmo, and investment services like Robinhood.
2. Products—FinTech products range from the payment app you use on your smart device every day to robo-advisors and digital banking. Currencies aren’t typically referred to as products, but cryptocurrencies certainly fall into the product category as opposed to a service.
3. FinTech Companies—Organizations like Visa and Mastercard top the list of major FinTech companies in the U.S., followed by Tencent and Ant Financial in China, then U.S. companies Intuit, PayPal, and Stripe. These firms offer FinTech products or services, and people generally refer to the companies themselves as “FinTechs.”

Additional FinTech products, services, and technological innovations include wealth management, insurance (a.k.a., “insurtech”), and credit reporting/identity theft protection services.

In-Depth Review of the Training Cost

The cost of training for a FinTech role depends on the level of responsibility, the industry, and typical factors like a candidate’s experience and whether they hold particular certifications. If you plan a career as a Data Scientist or Product Manager, you might need years of experience before you qualify for your dream job.

An estimate of the costs associated with training for FinTech should take into consideration the following factors:

• Four-year university degree requirements—Some positions require a particular degree, and there’s no getting around it. Check job listings to see whether the position you want typically requires one, as college and university programs are the longest and most expensive options.

• Many entry-level FinTech positions can be obtainable after attending a bootcamp or certificate program, either in-person or live online. These programs usually run from $2,000 to $5,000 and can be completed in months, not years. They’re generally much more affordable than a full-length degree program.

• Self-paced classes tend to be even less expensive than bootcamps. However, they don’t offer all the same benefits of live instruction, and few provide mentoring or job search support.

• You might begin with free online resources to help you start learning, but most people need paid training to dive into the material and retain it.

• One perk of in-person learning is that often the computer set up with the software/tool is provided to you. However, there are travel expenses associated with in-person learning, and you might have to miss time from work. While not quite as immediate, online learning may offer more flexibility, like evening or weekend class times.

Free Introductory FinTech Course Online

If you’re not yet ready to commit to a full-length course, you can start learning about FinTech for free online. Check out Noble Desktop’s Get Started In Data Science seminar or their Intro to Python Fundamentals seminar. In these free introductory courses, you’ll learn about subjects like data science, practical uses of Python, and how to analyze datasets, among others.

Additional course providers who offer free online classes include Global FinTech Academy and FBS Markets, Inc. You’ll find offerings on topics like Regulatory Technology (RegTech), FinTech applications, and FinTech Law and Policy, to name a few.

Read about more free FinTech videos and online tutorials.

Learn FinTech with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Some people think there’s only one path to training for a FinTech career, that of a lengthy degree program, but there are other alternatives. Among the most popular is the bootcamp or certificate training model.

Noble Desktop is a leading provider of online education in areas directly relevant to the booming FinTech field. They provide multiple educational options for students, both those who are new to FinTech and others already working in tech. The following are some of their most popular programs.

1. FinTech Bootcamp—This comprehensive FinTech course is open to beginners and can be completed in four weeks full-time or four months part-time. Topics include SQL and Python for data science, automation, and machine learning.
2. Python for Finance Bootcamp—The 18-hour Python for Finance Bootcamp acquaints students with financial models, managing portfolios with Python, and other Python-centered topics. Students can save by taking this class as part of the FinTech Bootcamp. See course listings for prerequisite information.
3. Financial Modeling Bootcamp—A 21-hour program, the Financial Modeling Bootcamp includes topics like Discount Cash Flow (DCF), Leveraged Buyouts (LBO) Modeling, and financial analysis with MS-Excel. Check course listings for details, including prerequisite information.

Other Noble Desktop programs to consider are the Python Programming Bootcamp, Data Science Certificate, and Python for Data Science Bootcamp.