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Cosmetology schools

1,420 colleges and career schools report cosmetology programs to IPEDS, with 56,301 completions in 2023-24.

Programs listed
1,454
all states
Middle program cost
$16,750
$13,750 to $19,260, IPEDS
Middle length
11 months
1,141 certificates, IPEDS
Median pay
$35,790
hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, BLS May 2025
On state WIOA lists
414
programs, U.S. DOL file

Cosmetology Schools by state

StateProgramsCompletions, 2023-24Median pay
Alabama25684$29,150
Arkansas25606$28,830
Arizona221,060$36,810
California1416,699$38,660
Colorado271,626$37,690
Connecticut9256$44,620
District of Columbia260$54,570
Delaware492$34,350
Florida1093,938$29,530
Georgia443,647$34,560
Hawaii343$35,040
Iowa18401$35,700
Idaho14489$35,480
Illinois641,715$34,040
Indiana29917$32,830
Kansas21796$29,710
Kentucky24900$29,840
Louisiana301,694$26,030
Massachusetts16549$37,290
Maryland16584$36,420
Maine3128$44,000
Michigan411,616$34,820
Minnesota18771$39,170
Missouri25764$30,750
Mississippi26714$27,560
Montana5116$38,000
North Carolina641,905$38,410
North Dakota4143$34,850
Nebraska5286$34,320
New Hampshire5202$34,650
New Jersey221,158$36,150
New Mexico15496$37,750
Nevada11766$33,840
New York361,757$35,760
Ohio591,564$36,260
Oklahoma441,174$29,650
Oregon17226$57,580
Pennsylvania541,843$36,790
Rhode Island3205$31,200
South Carolina25991$33,700
South Dakota4135$49,800
Tennessee441,555$31,310
Texas1406,144$30,680
Utah251,020$35,140
Virginia19527Not published
Vermont138$48,650
Washington22791$59,510
Wisconsin30799$36,230
West Virginia11175$34,480
Wyoming340$29,170

Programs counts IPEDS schools. Completions: IPEDS, the schools on the state page. Median pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual.

Cosmetology programs on state WIOA lists: cost and results

StateProgramsMiddle listed costCompletedEmployed, Q2Median quarterly earnings
Arizona 14 $19,938 65.4% 63.9% $8,507
California 33 $8,226 83% 68.5% $9,360
Colorado (DOL data note) 10 $10,606 70% 45.9% $4,710
Georgia 4 $5,500 36.6% 76.5% $3,595
Iowa 9 $19,165 70.2% 79.6% $4,865
Massachusetts 8 $12,765 Fewer than 3 report it Fewer than 3 report it $5,932
Michigan 11 $18,190 42.7% 71.7% $4,154
Minnesota 24 $10,172 60.7% 68.2% $4,496
North Carolina 22 $3,648 32.1% 56.9% $4,489
Nevada 9 $16,381 79.1% 14.6% $7,201
Ohio 35 $15,127 43.1% Fewer than 3 report it Fewer than 3 report it
Pennsylvania 4 $9,217 100% Fewer than 3 report it Fewer than 3 report it
Tennessee 21 $5,154 70% 69.1% $4,325
Utah 7 $4,957 75.6% 20% $3,738
Virginia 10 $9,420 95.7% 100% Not reported
Washington 50 $17,286 73.2% 75% $5,750
Wisconsin 13 $6,784 70.8% 75% $5,454
West Virginia 7 $14,000 80% 100% $8,500
Wyoming 9 $13,500 64.7% 100% $2,282

States with 3 or more cosmetology programs on their eligible training provider list and at least one reported result. Completed: of all students who exited. Employed and earnings: the second quarter after exit, from state wage records. Each figure is the middle program of those that report it.

Cosmetology length and pay in detail

Program length
Middle 11 months; half take 10 months to 13 months (1,141 certificate programs reporting a length to IPEDS). Clock-hour programs: 1,200 to 1,500 hours, middle 1,500.
Pay for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists
$35,790 a year ($17 an hour), national median, May 2025; the lowest-paid tenth earned under $27,040 (BLS OEWS).

Cosmetology Schools in the largest metro areas

Campus groups with cosmetology programs

Campuses offering the program: IPEDS 2024.

Paying for cosmetology training

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