Cosmetology at Washington Barber College Inc

Washington Barber College Inc graduates earn about $12,500 in their first year—roughly $2,000 below Arkansas's median for cosmetology programs and nearly $5,000 below the national average. What's particularly concerning is that top-performing cosmetology schools in Little Rock, like Arkansas Beauty School, produce graduates earning $21,000 within the same metro area, suggesting labor market conditions aren't the limiting factor here. The program's 40th percentile ranking among Arkansas schools means more than half of in-state alternatives deliver better outcomes.

The debt picture compounds the challenge. While $14,763 might seem modest in absolute terms, it exceeds first-year earnings and sits above both state and national medians for cosmetology programs. Graduates are essentially borrowing more than their first year's income to enter a field where earnings climb very slowly—just $600 over four years. Given that 100% of students receive Pell grants, these are families who can least afford a negative return on investment in those critical early years.

For Arkansas families, this program doesn't make financial sense when several Little Rock alternatives deliver 40-60% higher earnings with comparable or lower debt loads. The gap between this program and local competitors is too significant to overlook, especially when cosmetology licensing requirements are standardized across the state.