Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Gwinnett

Empire Beauty School-Gwinnett delivers solid middle-tier performance for cosmetology training, with graduates earning notably more than both national and Georgia averages. At $18,639 in first-year earnings, students here outperform 63% of cosmetology programs nationally and 60% within Georgia—a meaningful advantage in a crowded field with over 1,500 programs nationwide.

The debt picture is particularly attractive. With median debt of $13,849, this program sits in the 13th percentile nationally for debt levels, meaning 87% of similar programs saddle students with more debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 is manageable, especially considering many graduates likely work part-time initially as they build clientele. While earnings growth is modest at 9% over four years, the relatively low debt burden keeps this financially viable.

However, families should understand the earning ceiling here. Even top-performing Georgia programs like Lanier Technical College only reach around $22,700, and many cosmetology careers require years of relationship-building before reaching full earning potential. For students passionate about beauty services and comfortable with entrepreneurial aspects of the field, this program offers a reasonable path with below-average debt risk and above-average starting prospects within the cosmetology landscape.