Cosmetology at Trenz Beauty Academy

Trenz Beauty Academy graduates earn barely $10,000 in their first year—less than half the state median for Illinois cosmetology programs and ranking in just the 10th percentile statewide. While earnings do climb to $16,236 by year four, that's still $6,600 below what typical Illinois graduates in this field earn, and well short of the $22,000+ earned by graduates from top-performing programs in the state.

The debt picture makes this especially troubling. At nearly $19,000, graduates carry almost double the debt load typical for cosmetology programs nationally and in Illinois (both around $9,800). This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.84—meaning you'd owe nearly two years' income, a challenging burden on cosmetology wages. Even top-performing Illinois cosmetology programs carry similar debt loads, but their graduates earn $22,000-$24,000 right away, making those loans far more manageable.

For an Illinois family, this program represents poor value when dozens of alternatives in-state deliver significantly stronger outcomes. Your child would start their career $7,000-$14,000 behind peers from better programs while carrying twice the typical debt. Unless there are compelling location-specific reasons, exploring other Illinois cosmetology programs would likely mean better earnings from day one with half the debt burden.