Cosmetology at Lawrence & Company College of Cosmetology

Lawrence & Company's cosmetology program starts graduates at just under $13,000 annually—roughly $4,700 below California's median for cosmetology programs and in the 14th percentile nationally. While the program sits at the state median for debt ($8,802), that relatively modest borrowing matters less when first-year earnings barely exceed minimum wage for part-time work.

The 31% earnings bump by year four offers some hope, pushing graduates to nearly $17,000, but this still trails what many California cosmetology programs deliver from day one. The state's top programs place graduates earning $20,000-$25,000 right away. With 42% of students receiving Pell grants, this low starting point creates a challenging financial situation for graduates who likely need immediate income. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 looks manageable on paper, but when your entire first year's salary is $12,869, even $8,800 in debt stretches thin.

For California families, this program underperforms most in-state alternatives. Unless there are compelling geographic or scheduling reasons to attend here specifically, the state has dozens of cosmetology schools that better position graduates for financial stability from the start.