Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia — ROI, Cost & Payback
Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia charges a net price of $18,210/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $72,840. Median earnings ten years after entry are $26,696, 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, Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia does not clear its cost — it ranks #59 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,210/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $72,840 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $26,696 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$21,664/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,740 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$506,120 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia's own numbers. Net price $18,210 × 4 years = $72,840 total. Median earnings $26,696 fall $21,664 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 $72,840 bill in about 7.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia students graduate with?
A median $11,740 in federal loans among completers, or 44% of the $26,696 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $72,840 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $105,565 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $18,210 net price runs $2,216 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $8,862 more across the full degree.