Cosmetology at Searcy Beauty College

At first glance, Searcy Beauty College appears affordable with debt below $16,000, but the earnings trajectory tells a troubling story. Graduates start at just under $14,000—already $3,500 below the state median for Arkansas cosmetology programs—and then see their income drop 22% by year four to under $11,000. This isn't a typical career-building pattern; it suggests graduates may struggle to maintain full-time work or retain clients in their early years. For context, the top Arkansas cosmetology programs produce graduates earning $21,000 or more, while this program ranks in just the 40th percentile statewide.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.11 means graduates owe more than they'll earn in their first year, creating immediate financial pressure. While half the students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the program serves lower-income families, that makes the weak earnings outcome even more concerning—these are students who can least afford a credential that doesn't pay off. With 33 cosmetology programs across Arkansas, families have better options that produce meaningfully higher incomes without substantially more debt.

Unless your child has a specific reason to attend this particular school, programs like Arkansas Beauty School-Little Rock or Academy of Salon and Spa offer 40-50% higher earnings for similar training investments. The declining income pattern here is a red flag that's hard to ignore.