Cosmetology at Barber School of Pittsburgh

The sharply declining earnings here tell a troubling story. Graduates start at $17,890—slightly above Pennsylvania's median for cosmetology programs—but four years later they're making just $11,669, a 35% drop that suggests many are leaving the field or struggling to build a sustainable client base. This isn't the typical career trajectory parents expect when they help finance their child's education.

The debt picture adds another layer of concern. At $13,583, graduates owe more than the typical Pennsylvania cosmetology program and significantly more than the national median of $9,862. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 might look manageable on paper, but it's based on first-year earnings that don't last. By year four, graduates are earning roughly what they owe, making repayment a real burden on service-industry wages. For context, the state's top-performing cosmetology programs show graduates earning $20,000-21,000 annually—nearly double what Barber School graduates make four years out.

If your child is set on cosmetology in Pittsburgh, this program's combination of declining earnings and above-average debt should prompt serious questions about program quality, job placement support, and whether graduates are getting the business skills needed to sustain a career. The fact that two-thirds of students receive Pell grants means many families here can't afford a credential that leads to $11,000 annual earnings.