Cosmetology at Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute

Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute graduates earn about $2,200 more than the typical Illinois cosmetology program graduate, placing them in the 60th percentile statewide—solid middle-of-the-pack performance. More importantly, they finish with just $7,917 in debt, roughly $2,000 below both state and national medians. That creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, meaning graduates owe less than five months of first-year income, which is manageable for this field.

The catch is minimal earnings growth: incomes essentially flatline between years one and four, dropping slightly to $19,662. This appears common in cosmetology, where income depends heavily on building a client base, commission structures, and geographic factors rather than credential-based advancement. Still, with nearly half the student body receiving Pell grants, this program provides accessible training without burying graduates in debt they can't repay.

For families seeking cosmetology training in Illinois, Estelle delivers reasonable value—better than most competitors on the debt side, though earnings lag behind top-performing programs by $4,000-$5,000 annually. The low debt load means your child won't spend years recovering from training costs, which matters more in fields where income ceiling is limited regardless of where you train.