Cosmetology at Spokane Community College

Spokane Community College's cosmetology program sits in the bottom quarter among Washington state beauty schools, with graduates earning $17,869 their first year—nearly $4,000 below the state median and roughly $7,000 less than students at Paul Mitchell's Spokane campus earn. While the program beats the national average by a slim margin, that comparison matters little when most students will work locally, competing for clients and salon positions against graduates from higher-performing in-state programs.

The silver lining is manageable debt: at $7,980, graduates owe about $2,000 less than the state average, translating to monthly payments around $90. That 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable, though the underlying earnings remain concerning. First-year cosmetology income is inherently volatile—much depends on building a client base and whether graduates land booth rentals versus commission positions—but the gap between this program and Washington's top performers suggests a pattern worth investigating.

With fewer than 30 graduates in this data, treat these numbers as a warning flag rather than conclusive evidence. Before enrolling here, visit the higher-earning programs within an hour's drive. The $4,000 annual earnings difference could compound to $40,000+ over a decade-long career, far outweighing any minor savings on tuition or debt.