Washburn University Cosmetology (Certificate): Tuition, Graduate Salary, and Debt
- Certificate in Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
- Public university
- Topeka, KS
College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025
The short answer
Washburn University cosmetology graduates earn more than graduates of most cosmetology programs nationally, $22,547 in their first year. The typical graduate leaves with $9,000 in federal loans, close to the national median of $9,833. It is one of the higher-paying cosmetology programs in Kansas.
How it compares
Each figure is the median for graduates of the program. The Kansas and national columns are the medians across all cosmetology certificate programs that report the figure.
Debt and first-year pay at every Kansas cosmetology program
Programs in the upper left give graduates higher pay for less debt. Dashed lines mark the Kansas medians.
Hover over or tap a dot to see the school. Only programs that report both earnings and debt are shown.
Paying back the loans
On a standard 10-year plan, the median debt means a payment of about $95 a month, or 5.1% of a graduate's typical monthly pay in the first year.
Where graduates work, and what the pay is worth
97% of graduates (31 of 32) were working in Kansas one year after graduating. Prices in the Topeka area are about 11% below the national average, so a $22,547 salary here buys what about $25,385 buys in a typical US city.
The median Kansas cosmetologist earns $29,710, compared with a national median of $35,790. After adjusting for Kansas prices, that pay is worth about $32,986, which puts Kansas behind.
Careers this field leads to
These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to cosmetology, largest first. Pay is the median across all experience levels.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$29,710Median pay in Kansas. 2,190 people work in this job in Kansas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 73,400 openings a year. Typical education to start: postsecondary nondegree award.
Manicurists and Pedicurists
$30,930Median pay in Kansas. 1,510 people work in this job in Kansas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 21,900 openings a year. Typical education to start: postsecondary nondegree award.
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
$47,370Median pay in Kansas. 270 people work in this job in Kansas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,000 openings a year. Typical education to start: high school diploma or equivalent, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.
Skincare Specialists
$45,760Median pay in Kansas. 420 people work in this job in Kansas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,200 openings a year. Typical education to start: postsecondary nondegree award.
About Washburn University
Cosmetology ranks 7th of 7 certificate programs at Washburn University by first-year earnings. The top three are Diagnostic and Treatment Professions ($59,779), Practical Nursing ($43,321), and Mental Health and Addiction Services ($42,402).
Other cosmetology certificate programs near Topeka
Common questions
The median graduate earns $22,547 one year after graduating. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the Topeka metro area earn a median of $29,160 across all experience levels.
The median federal loan balance is $9,000, which ranks 5th lowest of 13 cosmetology certificate programs in Kansas. That works out to about $95 a month over 10 years.
On the numbers, yes for most students. Debt equals 40% of first-year earnings, against a national median of 55%.
Most do. 97% (31 of 32) were working in Kansas one year after graduating.
About this data
- Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid (grants or loans).
- Earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school. Graduates who went straight to further study are not included.
- Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
- Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of Kansas comparisons when their main campus is in another state.
- Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025.
- School-level numbers like tuition, admission rate, and graduation rate are for the whole school, not the cosmetology program.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, and IPEDS institution directory, 2024