Cosmetology at Texas Barber College

Texas Barber College graduates are earning barely above minimum wage four years after completing this program—$14,673 annually, which translates to roughly $7 per hour for full-time work. That's 75th percentile among Texas cosmetology programs and 87th percentile nationally, meaning the vast majority of comparable programs deliver better outcomes. Meanwhile, the $16,235 in debt exceeds first-year earnings, creating a financial burden that will take years to overcome on these wages.

The comparison to other Houston-area schools is stark. Top Texas programs like Paul Mitchell-Austin and Champion Beauty College see graduates earning around $26,000—nearly double what Texas Barber College graduates make. Even accounting for the program's lower debt load compared to national averages, the earnings gap is too significant to justify. With 69% of students receiving Pell grants, this program is serving predominantly low-income students who can least afford a credential that leaves them earning poverty-level wages.

For parents considering this investment: your child could likely earn similar money without the debt by entering the workforce directly. If cosmetology is the goal, other Texas programs demonstrate that substantially better earnings are achievable in this field. The certificate costs more than a year's worth of graduate earnings—that's not a reasonable trade-off when better-performing programs exist throughout the state.