Cosmetology at GA Beauty & Barber School

GA Beauty & Barber School's cosmetology certificate leaves graduates earning just $13,238 a year—roughly $3,000 below the Texas median and nearly $4,000 below the national average for this field. Among 151 Texas cosmetology programs, this places in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs deliver better earnings outcomes. Top Texas programs like Paul Mitchell-Austin produce graduates earning more than twice as much.

The debt load is the real red flag here. While $5,953 might sound modest, it represents one of the highest debt burdens in the field nationally (95th percentile). When graduates are earning barely $13,000 annually, they're spending 45% of their first year's income just on student loans—a ratio that makes basic living expenses extremely challenging. Nearly half the students here receive Pell grants, suggesting many come from families who can least afford a financial setback.

The small sample size means these numbers could shift year-to-year, but the gap between this program and successful Texas alternatives is too wide to ignore. For families considering cosmetology training in the Rio Grande Valley, this program combines below-average earning potential with above-average debt—a combination that makes licensure alone an expensive proposition without clear career benefits.