Cosmetology at PJ's College of Cosmetology-Richmond

The small sample size here should matter more than it does, but these numbers tell a troubling story: graduates earn just $15,581 their first year—about $3,000 below Indiana's median for cosmetology programs and ranking in the bottom quarter statewide. That's concerning when other Indiana schools like Aveda Fredric's Institute and Paul Mitchell's Indianapolis location produce graduates earning over $23,000. The $13,458 debt load isn't catastrophic by itself, but paired with these earnings, it means graduates face nearly a full year's salary in debt while trying to build their client base.

What makes this harder to overlook is the competitive landscape. Richmond sits in eastern Indiana, not far from better-performing alternatives. The top five cosmetology programs in the state all deliver substantially higher first-year earnings, some nearly $10,000 more annually. With 64% of students receiving Pell grants, PJ's serves a predominantly lower-income population that particularly needs strong earnings outcomes.

Unless your child has specific ties to Richmond that make commuting elsewhere impossible, the data suggests exploring other Indiana cosmetology schools first. The earnings gap is too significant to ignore, even accounting for the small sample uncertainty.