Cosmetology at Hogan Institute of Cosmetology and Esthetics

Hogan Institute graduates earn notably less than their Georgia peers—about $3,000 below the state median and roughly $7,000 behind top-performing programs like Lanier Technical College. Landing in just the 25th percentile among Georgia cosmetology schools is particularly concerning when dozens of in-state alternatives offer better outcomes. The debt load of $10,666 is actually lower than Georgia's median for cosmetology programs, but that advantage disappears when you're earning $13,847 in your first year out.

The fundamental issue here is that first-year earnings barely reach minimum wage territory. With 64% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves economically vulnerable students who may struggle to service even moderate debt on such limited income. Georgia clearly has stronger options—five technical colleges in the state produce graduates earning $19,000-$23,000 annually with similar or sometimes lower debt burdens.

For a Georgia family, this comes down to simple math: paying similar money for significantly lower earnings doesn't make sense when better-performing public technical colleges are available throughout the state. The modest sample size suggests some caution in the numbers, but the gap between Hogan's outcomes and stronger Georgia programs is too wide to ignore.