Cosmetology at Technical College of the Rockies

Technical College of the Rockies keeps debt remarkably low for a cosmetology program—just $6,850 compared to the state median of $9,832—but the earnings lag behind. Starting at $17,125, graduates earn about $3,000 less than Colorado's median for cosmetology programs, placing this in the 40th percentile statewide. While earnings do grow to $19,591 by year four, that's still well below what students at top Colorado cosmetology schools achieve right out of school.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 means students can realistically pay off their loans within a year or two, which matters in a field where many graduates work part-time or build clientele gradually. However, Delta's rural location may limit earning potential compared to Denver-area programs, where the top five schools all report first-year earnings exceeding $22,000. The program performs exactly at the national median but underperforms within Colorado, suggesting location plays a significant role.

If your child plans to work in the Delta area or Western Slope, the low debt burden makes this a defensible choice. But if they're willing to relocate or commute to Front Range metro areas for school, Denver-area programs deliver substantially higher earnings that could justify their additional cost. The safe debt load is genuine here, but so is the earnings gap.