The median annual wage for web developers was $69,430 in May 2018, and employment is projected to increase by 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

And for those who wish to transition to a career in development, one of the best languages to start with is Java. 

Since it was created in 1996, Java has emerged as one of the most popular programming languages used to develop website content, apps, games, software, and more. 

So, whether you want to become a developer or are just looking to beef up your resume, we have put together this list of affordable and free online courses and programs to get you started quickly.

Introductory Courses in Java

1. Java for Absolute Beginners

As the highest rated Java course on Udemy, this Java for Absolute Beginners course will teach you all of the fundamentals of computer programming in Java. According to the user reviews, the instructor does a great job at explaining everything in “simple words.” Over the span of 100 short lectures, the instructor will teach you how to understand and write programs using Java. Additionally, those who take the course will gain access to many practice exercises so they can put their skills to the test! 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($29.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 6 hours, 44 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

Note: Prices for all courses listed in this article are true on the date of publishing, but are subject to change.

2. Java Programming Masterclass for Software Developers

In this 77.5-hour Java masterclass, instructor Tim Buchalka will teach you everything you need to know to pass the Oracle Java certification exam and get your first Java programming job. The course is designed for complete beginners, but even those who already have an understanding of Java will leave this course knowing something new. According to the instructor, this course will take you all the way from downloading the free tools you need to program in Java to a point where you can write your own advanced Java programs. In addition to the video content, this course package includes coding challenges and exercises, so you can practice on your own. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($194.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 77 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

3. Java Programming for Complete Beginners – Learn in 250 Steps

With over 47,000 students enrolled, this Complete Beginners course is clearly one of the most popular Java courses on Udemy. And with good reason. By walking you through hundreds of examples, the instructor will teach you how to “think like a programmer.” He starts off simple by teaching you the basics of functional programming with Java. But once you get further into the course, you can expect to learn more advanced object-oriented programming concepts, such as abstraction, inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($199.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 26 hours
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

4. Java: Creating a Basic Web App

In this interactive Java course, instructor Sarah Holderness will walk you through how to create a basic web application using Java. Specifically, you can expect to learn how to create a Java Servlet, display data in a JSP page, organize data with a model class, and connect your application to a database. You don’t need any prior knowledge in development to take this course. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate only
• Price: 10-day free trial and then $35 billed monthly or $299 billed annually for Personal plan; $449 billed annually for Premium plan
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 2 hours, 35 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: Pluralsight

5. Modern Java: The Big Picture

In this introductory Java course, you can expect to gain an overview of Java as a development platform. According to the course description, you will learn the answers to questions like, “What does Java code look like?” and “How does it run?”. Then, you’ll get a grasp on the appropriate times to use Java, and you’ll learn the most popular libraries, practictices, and tools used in Java development. While this class won’t make you a master developer, you will establish a fundamental knowledge that you can build upon with other courses. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate only
• Price: 10-day free trial and then $35 billed monthly or $299 billed annually for Personal plan; $449 billed annually for Premium plan
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 1 hour, 58 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: Pluralsight

6. Java In-Depth: Become a Complete Java Engineer!

This in-depth, 63-hour course is designed to prepare you to become a “complete Java engineer.” You don’t need any prior knowledge to take the course, but by the time you finish it, you will have learned everything you need to know to become an Oracle Certified Associate. At 63 hours, this course is lengthy, but it has very little fluff. The instructor starts by teaching you language basics, object-oriented concepts and designs, JVM intervals, generics, and multi-threading, among other things, and gradually moves towards more advanced topics. Additionally, he shares some of the “best practices and design principles” that he believes are essential for writing well-designed code. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($119.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 62 hours, 46 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English, Italian, and Potugese
• Vendor: Udemy

7. Core Java Made Easy

For being one of the cheapest Java courses available on Udemy, this Java Made Easy course is very thorough. In just over 17 hours of video content, the instructor will walk you through the key concepts of Java, so you can pass the Java certification exam and become a professional developer. The instructor prides himself in being simple and to the point, and the user comments back up that claim. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($39.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 17 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

8. Java for Complete Beginners (Learn Java from Scratch)

No prior knowledge of programming is needed to take this beginner course. According to the instructor, all you need is an interest. At the start of the course, the instructor will walk you through the fundamentals of Java, including popular design patterns, and more. Because this course is also geared to increase your employability as a developer, the instructor will also go over potential job interview questions. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($194.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 9 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

Advanced Courses in Java

9. Java Web Fundamentals 

In this course, you can expect to learn how to build web applications using Java. In just over three hours of video, the instructor will teach you everything you need to know to develop a fundamental understanding of servlets, filters, and much more. The instructor does caution, however, that you should have a basic understanding of Java before signing up to take the course. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate only
• Price: 10-day free trial and then $35 billed monthly or $299 billed annually for Personal plan; $449 billed annually for Premium plan
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 3 hours, 22 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: Pluralsight

10. Java Design Patterns – The Complete Masterclass

According to the description of this Java Masterclass, those who take the course can expect to learn how to “master Java design patterns,” “build software that’s robust and flexible,” “apply design patterns to real-world projects,” and “solve common architecture problems with Java design patterns.” Because this is an advanced course, the instructor recommends that you should have a “working knowledge” of Java or any OOP programming language before taking the course. Additionally, you should be familiar with interfaces, composition, inheritance, and polymorphism. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $12.99 on sale ($199.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 10 hours
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

Programs in Java

11. Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization

Offered by Duke University, this Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization is a 5-course path structured to teach you the basics so that you can take your “first step towards a career in software development.” Specifically, you can expect to learn core programming concepts, how to write programs to solve complex problems, how to test and debug your programs, and much more. Upon completion of the specialization, you will earn a certificate which you can show to prospective employers!

The 5 courses: 

Course 1: “Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS”

Course 2: “Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software” 

Course 3: “Java Programming: Arrays, Lists, and Structured Data” 

Course 4: “Java Programming: Principles of Software Design”

Course 5: “Java Programming: Build a Recommendation System”

• College credits: NO — Specialization Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Specialization Certificate
• Financial aid or scholarship: YES
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: Approximately 128 hours 
• Languages: English with subtitles in English and Korean
• Vendor: Coursera

12. Object Oriented Programming in Java Specialization

Offered by Duke University and the University of California San Diego, this 4-course specialization is designed for those who already have programming experience in at least one other language, such as Python, JavaScript, or something similar. Throughout this specialization, you can expect to learn how to design programs that can manage large amounts of data, how to program with graphical user interfaces, and you’ll gain experience with BlueJ and Eclipse, which are two common Java development environments. Additionally, once you complete this course, you’ll be eligible to receive a certificate that can increase your employment perspectives. 

The 4 courses: 

Course 1: “Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software”

Course 2: “Java Programming: Arrays, Lists, and Structured Data” 

Course 3: “Object Oriented Programming in Java” 

Course 4: “Data Structures and Performance”

• College credits: NO — Specialization Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Specialization Certificate
• Financial aid or scholarship: YES
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: Approximately 140 hours 
• Languages: English with subtitles in English, Korean, German, and Chinese
• Vendor: Coursera

13. Java Certification Training Course

This Java training course is geared towards those who want to make web development their career. While no knowledge is needed to enter the course, those who take it will leave with a “firm foundation” in Java. In this 52-hour course, you will get hands-on experience by coding and implementing two web-based projects. And if you want to practice, this course also comes with 35 coding-related exercises. 

• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: $349 for lifetime access to Simplilearn
• Financial aid or scholarship: YES
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 52 hours 
• Languages: English 
• Vendor: Simplilearn

For more online courses, check TUN’s list of curated classes, or use the online classes search engine to find the best online courses in any subject.