Cosmetology at Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru

Educators of Beauty's Peru location places graduates near the top of cosmetology programs nationwide—95th percentile nationally and 80th within Illinois, where first-year earnings of $22,967 exceed both the state median ($17,832) and national average ($17,113) by roughly $5,000. With debt just under $10,000, graduates start with a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, meaning debt represents less than half of first-year income. For a field where many programs struggle to hit $18,000 in earnings, this program delivers competitive entry-level outcomes.

The sharp earnings decline to $16,517 by year four demands attention, though. This 28% drop likely reflects the realities of cosmetology careers—many graduates either transition out of salon work, reduce hours for lifestyle reasons, or face the income volatility that comes with commission-based or self-employment models. The school serves a predominantly working-class population (61% receive Pell grants), which may influence career paths after graduation.

For families comfortable with the inherent income uncertainty in beauty services, this program offers a relatively low-cost entry point that outperforms most alternatives initially. Just understand that year-one earnings may represent the peak rather than a launching pad, so banking on income growth would be unwise.