Cosmetology at Remington College-Lafayette Campus

Remington College-Lafayette's cosmetology program sits near the middle of Louisiana's crowded beauty school landscape—40th percentile statewide—but carries concerning debt levels for what it delivers. With first-year earnings of $15,381 and debt of $14,750, graduates start nearly dollar-for-dollar leveraged, an unusually high burden for a cosmetology certificate where the national median debt is just $9,862.

The numbers tell a story of modest improvement: earnings climb 16% to $17,790 by year four, eventually reaching closer to Louisiana's median. But that growth doesn't erase the initial debt disadvantage. Several Louisiana schools—including VH Barber & Styling Academy and multiple Aveda locations—produce graduates earning $18,000 to $19,500 right out of the gate with comparable or lower debt loads. The program serves an almost entirely Pell-eligible population (97%), so these debt levels hit particularly hard for students with minimal financial cushion.

For families weighing this investment, the math is straightforward: you're borrowing nearly a year's income to enter a field where Louisiana offers stronger alternatives at similar or better price points. Unless location or scheduling makes Remington uniquely accessible, exploring those higher-earning programs could mean starting your career with thousands less debt and hundreds more in monthly income—a meaningful difference when living paycheck to paycheck.