Federal data
Highest earning certificate cosmetology programs in South Carolina
South Carolina cosmetology programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southeastern Esthetics Institute | Elgin | For-profit, under 2-year | $21,547 | 180 |
| 2 | Paul Mitchell the School | West Columbia | For-profit, under 2-year | $19,583 | 493 |
| 3 | Academy of Hair Technology | Greenville | For-profit, under 2-year | $19,459 | 55 |
| 4 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology | Columbia | For-profit, under 2-year | $18,956 | 464 |
| 5 | Charleston Cosmetology Institute | Charleston | For-profit, under 2-year | $18,084 | 76 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.