Cosmetology at Lowell Academy Hairstyling Institute

Lowell Academy graduates start below the middle of the pack in Massachusetts, earning about $17,000 in their first year—placing them in just the 40th percentile among the state's 22 cosmetology programs. That's roughly $3,500 less than what graduates from top Massachusetts schools like Catherine Hinds Institute earn, a meaningful gap when you're building a client base. The debt load of $7,944 sits slightly below the state average, which helps, but it doesn't fully compensate for the weaker starting position.

The 18% earnings growth over four years brings graduates to about $20,000, which narrows the gap somewhat but still leaves them earning less than top programs' graduates make right out of school. For context, this program performs near the national median but lags behind other Massachusetts options, suggesting that students staying in-state might find better value elsewhere. The moderate debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 means graduates would dedicate roughly half their first year's income to debt if they paid it all at once—manageable but not ideal for a field where building savings and investing in your own booth or chair is often crucial.

If your child is set on cosmetology school in Massachusetts and can access one of the higher-performing programs, the data suggests they'd start with a stronger foundation. Lowell Academy won't bury them in debt, but it also won't give them the earnings advantage that other in-state options appear to deliver.