Cosmetology at L Makeup Institute

L Makeup Institute's cosmetology program comes with surprisingly low debt—just $6,702 compared to the Nevada median of $9,468—but that advantage doesn't translate into better outcomes. Graduates earn $17,300 after one year, landing in the 40th percentile among Nevada cosmetology programs and barely above the national median. In a state where the top cosmetology programs produce earnings above $25,000, this program sits firmly in the middle tier.

The debt picture deserves attention: while the absolute amount is manageable, it's in the 95th percentile nationally for this field, meaning 95% of cosmetology programs carry less debt relative to their outcomes. The 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe about five months of their first-year income. Given that nearly half of students receive Pell grants, many families here are stretching limited resources for returns that lag behind several other Las Vegas options, including Avalon Institute and Casal Institute, which both deliver substantially higher earnings.

The math here is straightforward: you'll graduate with less debt than most cosmetology students, but you'll also earn less than graduates from comparable Nevada programs. For families focused strictly on minimizing borrowing, that might matter. But if your child is committed to cosmetology in Las Vegas, programs like Avalon Institute deliver 24% higher earnings for only modestly more debt—a tradeoff worth calculating carefully before enrolling.