Beauty & Cosmetology Schools

Beauty and cosmetology areas of focus

Salary information is based on 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics unless otherwise indicated.

Gratuities (tips) can greatly increase your take-home income, particularly if you're delighting your clients with exceptional service. Earnings can also include sizeable commissions from selling hair care and beauty products.

This field has an incredible number of options. While most cosmetologists focus on hairstyling, many others choose to make skin or nails the focal point of their careers. And some do it all. The following are some of the specialized training options you could consider:

Barber schools offer classes on haircutting, facial hair grooming, business management, and more. These courses form the foundation of skills you can build on to establish your clientele or even your own barbershop. As a barbering school student, you could have the chance to practice in barbershop or salon settings. Gaining experience working and communicating with actual clients will help you learn to consistently get results they (and you) can feel good about. Learning to become a professional barber is an excellent opportunity to set yourself up for a career that's fun, versatile, and in demand.

• Median annual wage: $36,150
• Top earners: $61,090

Hair stylist training can help you prepare to join a massive, growing industry. A traditional cosmetology program (which includes hairdresser training) can be completed in approximately one year. However, you can usually finish your training more quickly if you can attend a hair stylist school in a state that offers hair-only licensing. It might be possible for you to complete the education needed for hair stylist licensing in as little as six to nine months. That's a small commitment that can lead to an amazing beauty career.

• Median annual wage: $34,970
• Top earners: $63,310

Nail technician schools provide the training you need to become a skilled professional in the beauty industry, helping clients feel pampered and confident. As a nail technician or manicurist, you'll specialize in caring for nails, often extending your services to the skin on the hands and feet. With opportunities in hotels and spas and the option to work for yourself as a mobile nail tech or even in your own home setting, this career offers flexibility and a variety of paths to success, all with minimal equipment required.

• Median annual wage: $34,258
• Top earners: $48,069

Esthetics and skin care schools offer training that can help you move toward a professional life full of fun and surprising benefits. Programs are often fast, focused, and hands-on, so you attain as many marketable abilities as possible before you graduate. As an esthetician, you'll assess clients' skin conditions, discuss treatment options, and provide interesting and helpful services that, depending on your qualifications, can range from wax treatments to chemical peels to laser treatments and more. Licensed estheticians generally have received more advanced training in facial beauty treatments, makeup application, full-body skin treatments, and hair removal techniques. They often earn certifications in special procedures such as micropigmentation (i.e., subtle facial tattooing like permanent eyeliner), chemical resurfacing, microdermabrasion, and electrolysis. Estheticians are also sometimes trained to provide relaxation massages.

• Median annual wage: $43,202
• Top earners: $81,328

Choosing a cosmetology school

Not all beauty schools teach all aspects of cosmetology equally. For example, some schools focus more on hair and include less skin and nail care training. Look for a school with a curriculum that's in line with what you're interested in learning about.

The more services you can perform, the more employment opportunities you are likely to have. For instance, you are likely to garner more interest if you combine your cosmetology license with a license in something like massage therapy or esthetics. So consider a program that can help you achieve this.

Typical program length

The length of your training can vary depending on the program and your career goals. Certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees are all options for training and usually require different time commitments. Plus, a lot depends on your state's regulations and how many training hours are required to qualify for a cosmetology license.

Most full cosmetology programs (those that include training in hair, skin, and nails) take nine months to one year to complete. However, an associate degree can take up to two years.

Licensing and certification requirements

All states in the U.S. require cosmetologists to be licensed, but the specific requirements vary from state to state. How you go become licensed will depend entirely on the regulations in the area where you plan to work. The AACS provides a list of licensing bodies by state.

Training requirements

• Most states currently require a minimum number of training hours or credits to be earned from a state-approved school before you can qualify for a license.
• A few states allow you to receive your training from either an approved beauty school or through an apprenticeship. The number of hours you must earn through an apprenticeship, however, is usually about double the number required from cosmetology school.
• Most states require you to be at least 16 years old and have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for a license. Most beauty schools also require this before you can begin training.

Licensing exams

• Once you have fulfilled the requirement for training hours, you must pass state licensing examinations. In most states, that means passing two exams:
  1. Written
  2. A practical skills test or an oral exam.

License renewal

• Some states require that you periodically renew your license. This might mean fulfilling specific continuing education requirements.

Moving to another state

• If you are licensed in one state and decide to move to another one to work, you will need to check the regulations of the state you are moving to. In most cases, your license will not simply transfer over. You may be required to obtain additional training hours in your new state or pass that state's exams.

Future advancement opportunities

It's easy to understand that more clients and more money can come from keeping up with the latest trends and maintaining advanced skills. And, of course, cosmetologists can also increase their incomes (and profile) by becoming great at selling beauty products to their clients, managing salons, or even opening their own beauty shops. But beyond these typical options for advancement, there are additional opportunities.

Additional employment areas include:

• Teaching in a beauty school
• Becoming a sales representative for a beauty product company
• Working as an image or fashion consultant
• Acting as an examiner for their state licensing board

Some even go on to do things like provide hair and beauty services to actors on movie sets or to help medical patients regain their confidence by providing medical esthetics.