Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Aurora

Empire Beauty School-Aurora's cosmetology program delivers concerning results that should give parents serious pause. With median first-year earnings of just $15,322, graduates earn about $5,000 less than the Colorado state median for cosmetology programs ($20,014) and lag behind the national average as well. Among Colorado's 28 cosmetology programs, this one ranks in the bottom 25th percentile for earnings—meaning three-quarters of similar programs in the state produce better financial outcomes.

The numbers tell a stark story when compared to top-performing Colorado schools. While graduates from Elevate Salon Institute earn $27,005 in their first year, Empire Beauty School graduates make nearly $12,000 less. Even accounting for the $10,667 in student debt (which is actually reasonable for this field), the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 isn't terrible, but the low absolute earnings make loan repayment challenging on a practical level.

The 18% earnings growth from year one to year four offers some hope, but even at $18,075 after four years, graduates still trail behind where many other Colorado programs start. With 60% of students receiving Pell grants, this school serves a population that likely cannot afford poor financial outcomes. Parents should strongly consider the higher-performing Colorado alternatives, as the earnings gap of $5,000-12,000 annually makes a substantial difference when starting salaries are already modest in this field.