Cosmetology at Minnesota West Community and Technical College

Minnesota West's cosmetology program sits in an uncomfortable spot: slightly better than the national average but well below what Minnesota cosmetology graduates typically earn. At $17,767 first-year earnings, graduates earn about $6,400 less than the state median of $24,204, placing this program in just the 25th percentile among Minnesota cosmetology schools. When top-performing programs in the state like Saint Paul College produce graduates earning $33,000, the gap becomes hard to ignore.

The $8,730 debt load isn't catastrophic—it's actually below both state and national averages—but paired with earnings that are 27% below Minnesota's norm, it still creates a challenging first year. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means graduates are borrowing about half a year's income, which is manageable if earnings grow. The question is why this program underperforms peer institutions in the same state with similar costs of living and licensing requirements.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with a different cohort, but falling in the bottom quarter of Minnesota programs is a pattern worth questioning. Before committing, ask the school directly about their career services support and where their graduates are finding work. With several Minnesota schools producing significantly stronger outcomes at comparable debt levels, this program needs to demonstrate a clear reason why its graduates earn thousands less than the state norm.