Cosmetology at Tigi Hairdressing Academy-Colorado Springs

Tigi Hairdressing Academy graduates earn $26,021 four years out—putting them in the 88th percentile nationally for cosmetology programs. That's impressive positioning in a field where most certificate programs struggle to break $20,000. Within Colorado, however, the picture becomes more nuanced: these earnings land in the 60th percentile, with several Denver-area programs pushing past $27,000. Students pay a premium for this positioning, with median debt of $13,516 versus the Colorado average of $9,832.

The debt burden here is actually manageable by cosmetology standards. With a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one, graduates owe less than eight months of their first-year salary—a threshold most beauty school programs can't meet. The 21% earnings growth from year one to year four also outpaces typical wage trajectories in the industry, suggesting graduates are building sustainable careers rather than churning through entry-level positions.

For families weighing Colorado Springs against Denver options, this comes down to geography versus maximizing earnings potential. Tigi delivers reliably above-average outcomes with debt that won't derail your child's financial launch. But if relocating to the Denver metro area is feasible, several schools there are producing graduates who earn $3,000-5,000 more annually—a meaningful difference when base salaries start in the low $20,000s.