Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-York

Empire Beauty School-York's cosmetology program delivers below-average earnings but at a relatively manageable debt load. Graduates earn $15,679 in their first year—about $1,400 less than the national median and $550 below Pennsylvania's average. Among PA's 60 cosmetology programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, with top programs in the state producing graduates earning $5,000+ more annually.

However, the debt picture provides some relief. At $13,583, the debt load sits well below the 75th percentile nationally, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87—meaning graduates can theoretically pay off their loans with less than one year's salary. The 30% earnings growth from year one to year four also shows promise, though even the four-year median of $20,441 remains modest.

The real concern is opportunity cost. With programs like Metro Beauty Academy and Penn Commercial producing graduates earning over $20,000 in year one, this program underperforms its in-state competition significantly. For a field where location and local networking matter enormously, choosing a middle-of-the-pack program in your own state seems unnecessarily limiting. Unless location in York specifically matters for your child's career plans, the data suggests looking at higher-performing Pennsylvania programs that could deliver $3,000-5,000 more in annual earnings from day one.