Cosmetology at Elite College of Cosmetology

Elite College of Cosmetology graduates start at just $13,568—about $4,000 below Tennessee's median for cosmetology programs and ranking in the bottom quarter statewide. While the school serves an overwhelmingly low-income student body (95% receive Pell grants), these earnings are troubling even in that context. Other Tennessee cosmetology programs, including several technical colleges, routinely place graduates above $20,000 in first-year earnings. The 30% earnings growth by year four suggests graduates eventually find their footing, but reaching $17,674 after four years still lags behind what many peers earn immediately after licensing.

The debt load of $6,500 is manageable compared to the national median of nearly $10,000, which prevents this from being a complete financial disaster. However, that relative advantage doesn't change the fundamental math: graduates face debt equal to nearly half their first-year income, and even after four years of growth, they're earning less than graduates from top Tennessee programs make right out of school. With 47 cosmetology programs in Tennessee to choose from, parents should look closely at schools like Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro, where first-year earnings are 63% higher. The modest debt here won't cripple your finances, but the weak earning potential suggests this program isn't adequately preparing students to compete in Tennessee's beauty industry.