Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services at Eastern Wyoming College
WY · Associate's Degree · CIP 12.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degree from Eastern Wyoming College earn a median salary of $43,722 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $46,962. The degree typically pays for itself in 26.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$31,416
Typical Career
$43,722
Top Performers
$57,805
Estimated break-even: 26.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$291
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,644. Most students can comfortably afford about a $291 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$46,962
Nominal: $43,722 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $23,643 | $29,458 | $39,360 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,416 | $43,722 | $57,805 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $33,005 | $46,924 | $64,402 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $43,722 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $43,722 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310)
= $46,962 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (16.4%), Construction (15.3%), and Educational Services (15.2%), indicating diverse career opportunities. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 26.2 years, suggesting that while the program offers valuable skills, the return on investment may take considerable time to realize. Overall, students should weigh the long-term financial benefits against the time required to achieve them when considering this career path.
Compare with Another School
See how the Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degree at Eastern Wyoming College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services at Eastern Wyoming College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Eastern Wyoming College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.