Hair Academy — ROI, Cost & Payback
Hair Academy charges a net price of $20,565/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $82,260. Median earnings ten years after entry are $20,953, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Hair Academy does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 of 52 Maryland colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,565/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $82,260 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $20,953 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$27,407/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$630,400 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Hair Academy's own numbers. Net price $20,565 × 4 years = $82,260 total. Median earnings $20,953 fall $27,407 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $82,260 bill in about 8.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Hair Academy students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 62% of the $20,953 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Hair Academy students graduate?
61% finish their degree — 39% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $82,260 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $134,852 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Hair Academy expensive compared with other Maryland colleges?
Its $20,565 net price runs $2,987 above the $17,578 median across the 52 Maryland colleges we profile, or $11,948 more across the full degree.