Cosmetology at UR Beauty & Barber Academy

The small sample size here requires caution, but the numbers tell a troubling story: UR Beauty & Barber Academy graduates earn roughly $13,950 in their first year—about $2,800 less than the typical Florida cosmetology graduate and $3,200 below the national median. This places the program in the bottom quartile both statewide and nationally. The $13,000 in debt nearly equals that first year's earnings, creating an immediate financial squeeze that's unusual even in a field known for modest starting pay. When Florida's public technical colleges are producing graduates who earn $23,000-$30,000 annually from similar programs, the gap becomes harder to justify.

Cosmetology programs typically serve students who need affordable, quick pathways to licensure, and 40% of students here receive Pell grants. But affordability means little if the debt burden consumes most of your early earnings. The debt itself isn't dramatically higher than average, but paired with below-average earnings, it creates a nearly 1:1 debt-to-income ratio that will take years to escape.

For a parent considering this investment, the comparison to Florida's public options is stark. If your child can access programs at institutions like Florida State College at Jacksonville or even smaller technical colleges, they'd likely graduate with similar debt but double the earning potential. Unless there are compelling geographic or scheduling reasons to choose UR Beauty & Barber Academy, the state's stronger-performing programs offer a clearer path to financial stability.