Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Bloomfield

Empire Beauty School-Bloomfield delivers solid value in cosmetology education, outperforming both national and New Jersey benchmarks while maintaining reasonable debt levels. Graduates earn a median $18,408 in their first year—significantly above the national average of $17,113 and the New Jersey state median of $16,687. Among New Jersey's 24 cosmetology programs, this school ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, putting it ahead of most competitors in the state.

The debt picture is particularly attractive. At $15,765, graduates carry nearly $6,000 less debt than typical New Jersey cosmetology students and rank in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt burden—meaning 95% of similar programs nationwide saddle students with more debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86 means graduates can theoretically pay off their loans with less than one year's salary, which is manageable for this field.

While earnings growth is modest at 11% over four years (reaching $20,474), this reflects industry norms rather than program weakness. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates makes these numbers reliable, and the 59% Pell grant rate suggests the school serves working-class students well. For families seeking cosmetology training in New Jersey, Empire Beauty School-Bloomfield offers above-average earning potential with below-average debt—a combination that makes financial sense in this field.