Cosmetology at American Beauty and Trade School

American Beauty and Trade School graduates earn just $11,693 in their first year—roughly $5,000 less than the typical Florida cosmetology program and nearly $6,000 below the national average. Among Florida's 127 cosmetology programs, this ranks in the bottom 10th percentile. To put that in perspective, graduates from Florida State College at Jacksonville's program earn more than 2.5 times as much within the same timeframe, and even the state median sits at $16,718.

The low debt load of $3,200 is the only silver lining here, but it doesn't compensate for earnings that fall well below poverty level. At less than $1,000 per month, these figures suggest graduates are either working very limited hours, struggling to find clients, or facing significant barriers to establishing their careers. While cosmetology can be a viable path—Florida has numerous programs producing graduates who earn $20,000-30,000 within a year—this particular program isn't delivering those outcomes.

For a parent considering this investment, the bottom line is stark: your child would likely earn more working retail or food service immediately after high school than they would after completing this certificate. If cosmetology is the goal, Florida has dozens of programs with dramatically better track records that wouldn't cost significantly more upfront.