Cosmetology at South Plains College

South Plains College's cosmetology program starts graduates at just $11,557—barely above minimum wage—which ranks in the bottom 5% nationally and places it 25th percentile even among Texas cosmetology programs. While the $11,000 in debt is relatively modest, the first-year earnings are so low that graduates spend nearly their entire first year's income just to break even with what they borrowed. Compare this to top Texas programs like Paul Mitchell-Austin, where graduates earn $26,824, more than double what South Plains grads make.

The 64% earnings growth to $18,940 by year four shows some recovery, but that still trails the Texas median of $16,412 by a wide margin and suggests graduates are struggling to build profitable books of business. With 40% of students receiving Pell grants, many come from families with limited financial cushion to weather those lean early years. Given that cosmetology careers depend heavily on location, clientele building, and the reputation of your training program, graduating from a bottom-quartile program in Texas creates unnecessary headwinds.

For families considering cosmetology training in Texas, spending similar money at higher-performing programs would likely pay dividends through better salon placement and stronger skill development. This isn't about credential quality—it's about earning potential that makes the career financially viable from the start.