Cosmetology at Beyond Measure Barbering Institute

Beyond Measure Barbering Institute's $16,826 in debt might initially seem manageable, but context reveals a disconnect. The program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of cosmetology programs saddle students with less—while graduates earn only slightly above North Carolina's median for the field. Compare this to nearby community colleges like Gaston or Wake Tech, where graduates earn $23,000-$27,000 with similar or lower debt loads. That $5,000-$10,000 earnings gap compounds significantly over a career.

The program does serve an almost entirely Pell-eligible student population (97%), who may have fewer local options. But the first-year earnings of $17,671 barely cover debt repayment while meeting basic living expenses. With such a small graduating class, even one or two students' outcomes could dramatically shift these numbers either direction, making this snapshot particularly uncertain.

If your child is set on cosmetology training in central North Carolina, the community college pathway offers substantially better economics—higher earnings with less debt. This program's value case needs to rest on something beyond the numbers: location convenience, specialized techniques, or stronger job placement support. Without those intangibles, the debt-to-earnings math doesn't compete with nearby alternatives.