Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School-Boise

Paul Mitchell the School-Boise stands out as a high-performing cosmetology program, with graduates earning $21,620 in their first year—significantly above both the national median of $17,113 and Idaho's state median of $18,555. This places the program in the 89th percentile nationally, demonstrating strong graduate outcomes that justify the slightly higher debt load of $10,556.

However, the earnings trajectory tells a more complex story. While first-year earnings are impressive, they actually decline slightly to $21,128 by year four, representing a 2% drop. This pattern isn't uncommon in cosmetology, where initial enthusiasm and full-time work can give way to part-time schedules or career pivots. Within Idaho, the program ranks in the 60th percentile, indicating solid but not exceptional performance compared to local competitors like the Nampa location of Paul Mitchell, which reports identical first-year earnings.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 is manageable, meaning graduates can theoretically pay off their loans with roughly six months of earnings. Given the program's strong national performance and reasonable debt burden, this represents a solid investment for students serious about entering the beauty industry, though parents should understand that cosmetology careers often involve variable income and may not see traditional career growth patterns.