Cosmetology at Salon & Spa Institute

The Salon & Spa Institute's cosmetology program shows troubling initial outcomes that improve over time, but never catch up to what's available elsewhere in Texas. Graduates earn just $9,804 in their first year—roughly half the Texas median for cosmetology programs and only 37% of what graduates earn at top programs like Paul Mitchell or Champion Beauty College. Even four years out, when earnings climb to $18,040, they remain below the state median of $16,412 for first-year graduates at other schools, meaning this program's "year 4" barely matches competitors' "year 1."

The 84% earnings growth sounds impressive until you realize it's catching up from an extremely low baseline. At $11,243 in debt—above both state and national medians for cosmetology programs—graduates face immediate financial pressure that the $9,804 starting salary can't reasonably support. The program ranks in just the 10th percentile statewide, meaning 90% of Texas cosmetology programs produce better initial outcomes. With nearly 80% of students receiving Pell grants, this is a vulnerable population taking on debt for earnings that fall short of what cosmetology typically delivers in Texas.

The bottom line: This program underperforms the Texas cosmetology market significantly. Brownsville-area students would likely see better outcomes at any of the 150+ other cosmetology programs in the state, many of which cost less and lead to substantially higher earnings from day one.