Cosmetology at Houston Community College

The $31,123 debt load here should stop you in your tracks. That's nearly triple the Texas median debt for cosmetology programs and roughly six times the national median. With first-year earnings of just $15,372, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio exceeding 2:1—meaning they owe more than twice what they'll earn in their first year. Even after four years, when earnings climb to $18,519, that debt burden remains deeply problematic for a profession where typical annual incomes hover in the high teens to low twenties.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable, but the debt figure is alarming enough to warrant serious concern regardless. While this program ranks in the 60th percentile among Texas cosmetology programs for earnings—suggesting graduates do find work—the debt burden eclipses any advantage. Most Texas cosmetology programs carry debt around $18,000, which itself is challenging on beauty industry wages. At over $31,000, you're looking at monthly loan payments that could consume a quarter or more of take-home pay for years.

For a career in cosmetology, look at programs with significantly lower debt loads. The financial math simply doesn't work here unless your family can substantially reduce borrowing through savings or grants. Technical certificates or programs at other Houston-area schools may offer similar training at a fraction of the cost.