Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills

Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills delivers concerning value for cosmetology training, with earnings that lag behind Illinois competitors and debt levels that create immediate financial pressure. While graduates earn exactly the national median of $17,113 in their first year, they fall into the 40th percentile among Illinois cosmetology programs, earning about $700 less than the state median. More troubling, students graduate with $16,500 in debt—significantly higher than both the national median ($9,862) and Illinois median ($9,833) for cosmetology programs.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.96 means graduates owe nearly their entire first year's salary, creating a challenging financial start. While earnings do grow 20% to $20,472 by year four, this improvement barely keeps pace with inflation and remains well below what top Illinois programs achieve. Schools like University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology and Illinois Eastern Community Colleges help graduates earn over $24,000 annually—substantially more for likely similar or lower debt levels.

The bottom line: your child can get cosmetology training with better earning potential and less debt burden elsewhere in Illinois. With 71 programs statewide offering this certificate, shop around for schools that combine lower costs with stronger employment networks and higher graduate earnings.