Cosmetology at Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology

Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology produces first-year earnings of $19,563—about $1,700 above the Illinois median and ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. That's respectable for a cosmetology program, but the trajectory moves in the wrong direction: by year four, graduates earn $18,195, a 7% decline. While the $13,000 in debt is manageable relative to first-year income (0.66 ratio), it still represents about two-thirds of a year's earnings, and those earnings don't grow to make repayment easier over time.

The real concern is what happens when you compare this to top Illinois cosmetology programs. Schools like University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology and Illinois Eastern Community Colleges produce graduates earning $24,000+, with nearly identical debt burdens. That's $5,000 more annually—meaningful money when you're starting in the low twenties. Half of students here receive Pell grants, indicating many families are making this investment with limited resources.

For anxious parents: this program gets graduates working reasonably quickly, but the declining earnings pattern and the availability of stronger alternatives in Illinois suggest you should visit those higher-performing schools first. The debt is modest, but when other programs deliver 20-30% higher earnings for similar cost, those differences compound significantly over a career.