Cosmetology at Networks Barber College

The numbers here are troubling, even accounting for the small sample size. Graduates earn just $12,028 one year out—roughly $6,000 below Illinois' median for cosmetology programs and $5,000 below the national average. That's 10th percentile performance in a state with 71 cosmetology programs, meaning only about 7 other Illinois schools produce worse earnings outcomes. The debt load of $14,377 might sound modest, but it exceeds first-year earnings, creating an immediate financial bind for graduates trying to establish themselves in the field.

The contrast with top-performing Illinois programs is stark. The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology and Illinois Eastern Community Colleges both see graduates earning over $24,000—literally double what Networks Barber College graduates report. Even the state median of $17,832 would represent a 48% earnings increase. With three-quarters of students receiving Pell grants, this program is serving financially vulnerable students who can least afford an underperforming credential.

The small cohort size means individual circumstances could be skewing these figures, but the pattern is too consistent across metrics to dismiss. Parents should look hard at those comparison schools—particularly community colleges or established cosmetology programs—where graduates are clearing $20,000-plus in year one. At current performance levels, this investment doesn't position graduates for financial stability in their first year out.