Cosmetology at Jones Technical Institute

Jones Technical Institute's cosmetology program achieves something rare: it outperforms most Florida competitors in first-year earnings while keeping debt moderate at $9,500. At $20,024, graduates earn more than 60% of Florida cosmetology programs—solid positioning in a state with 127 options. However, earnings drop 11% by year four to $17,824, suggesting graduates may start in salon employment but struggle to advance or build a steady clientele.

The debt burden is manageable relative to that initial year's income (a 0.47 ratio means roughly six months of earnings to repay loans), but the earnings decline changes the calculation. Within four years, graduates fall closer to the Florida median, meaning the early advantage fades. Compare this to Florida State College at Jacksonville, where cosmetology graduates earn nearly $30,000, or even Suncoast Technical College at $22,662—both suggesting that program choice matters significantly in this field.

For a family considering this program, the key question is whether your child has the entrepreneurship and sales skills to buck the downward earnings trend most graduates face. The numbers work if this serves as an affordable entry point to the beauty industry with plans to build a private book of business. But if the goal is stable, growing income from salon employment, those top-performing programs offer a clearer path—and may justify a different investment conversation.