Cosmetology at Aspen Beauty Academy of Laurel

Aspen Beauty Academy's cosmetology program ranks near the bottom in Maryland—10th percentile—and graduates earn roughly $5,000 less in their first year than the state median of $16,429. That's a significant gap when you're trying to build a career on entry-level salon wages, and it becomes harder to justify when you consider that debt loads here ($16,500) exceed both state and national averages. Several Maryland schools produce graduates earning $20,000+ right out of the gate, suggesting location and industry connections make a real difference in this field.

The earnings picture does improve dramatically over four years, nearly doubling to $21,796, which brings graduates closer to what their peers earn initially. But that debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.49 means your child would owe more than they'll earn in their first year—a tough position when living expenses don't wait. For a program serving mostly lower-income students (58% receive Pell grants), these numbers create genuine financial stress during the critical early career phase.

Given Maryland's competitive cosmetology landscape, other in-state options deliver stronger outcomes without requiring graduates to dig out of a deeper hole. Unless there are specific circumstances making this school uniquely accessible—location, schedule flexibility—the data suggests looking at programs where first-year earnings better align with the debt taken on.