Cosmetology, Barbering & Esthetics programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
1,704 certificate and associate-degree programs at 1,531 U.S. schools teach cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians and nail technicians. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. Cosmetology and related personal grooming programs (CIP 12.04) include cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, nail technology and related licensing preparation.
Best-paying cosmetology programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose City College | San Jose, CA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 102 | $54,427 | – | – |
| The Esthetic Institute | Vienna, VA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 160 | $44,457 | $9,083 | $103 |
| Saddleback College | Mission Viejo, CA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 135 | $39,816 | $11,250 | $128 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle | Seattle, WA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 79 | $39,239 | $10,555 | $120 |
| MAK Beauty Institute | Cumming, GA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 56 | $38,152 | – | – |
| Indiana Wellness College | Carmel, IN | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 60 | $37,765 | $8,232 | $94 |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline | Shoreline, WA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 70 | $36,985 | $9,368 | $106 |
| Barber & Beauty Institute of New York | Hempstead, NY | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 47 | $36,915 | $6,544 | $74 |
| Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics | Ashland, VA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 39 | $36,615 | $12,564 | $143 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Federal Way | Federal Way, WA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 111 | $35,223 | $10,691 | $122 |
| San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc | San Francisco, CA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 180 | $34,512 | $6,333 | $72 |
| Cinta Aveda Institute | San Francisco, CA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 121 | $34,358 | $6,333 | $72 |
| Lotus Professional College | Richmond, VA | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 79 | $34,327 | $9,488 | $108 |
| Aveda Institute-Denver | Denver, CO | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 297 | $34,300 | $9,833 | $112 |
| Vski Cosmetology School | Charleston, SC | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | 35 | $34,278 | $9,010 | $102 |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
Use the data on this page to shortlist two or three schools, then contact them directly with the links provided. Ask each school the questions listed on the page.
See matched schools (partner link) Sponsored
Cosmetology programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 36 | 28 | $20,991 | $11,000 |
| Arizona | 30 | 25 | $26,065 | $7,832 |
| Arkansas | 31 | 29 | $21,125 | $11,964 |
| California | 157 | 131 | $22,465 | $6,775 |
| Colorado | 32 | 26 | $25,893 | $9,715 |
| Connecticut | 12 | 12 | $27,479 | $9,833 |
| Delaware | 7 | 7 | $27,115 | $9,166 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 2 | $24,835 | $9,264 |
| Florida | 123 | 121 | $22,982 | $7,667 |
| Georgia | 45 | 45 | $21,939 | $11,003 |
| Hawaii | 4 | 3 | $24,227 | $7,712 |
| Idaho | 17 | 16 | $20,574 | $9,083 |
| Illinois | 75 | 67 | $23,819 | $9,500 |
| Indiana | 31 | 31 | $22,547 | $9,833 |
| Iowa | 20 | 19 | $24,522 | $10,122 |
| Kansas | 32 | 23 | $22,944 | $9,833 |
| Kentucky | 25 | 25 | $21,970 | $10,926 |
| Louisiana | 38 | 37 | $18,636 | $9,833 |
| Maine | 3 | 3 | $23,950 | $9,833 |
| Maryland | 20 | 18 | $24,110 | $11,458 |
| Massachusetts | 22 | 22 | $27,144 | $9,083 |
| Michigan | 48 | 44 | $20,499 | $9,833 |
| Minnesota | 22 | 18 | $26,789 | $10,268 |
| Mississippi | 33 | 29 | $18,557 | $9,516 |
| Missouri | 26 | 26 | $24,005 | $9,690 |
| Montana | 4 | 4 | $21,522 | $10,890 |
| Nebraska | 5 | 5 | $26,172 | $11,778 |
| Nevada | 13 | 12 | $23,468 | $7,309 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | 5 | $30,995 | $9,481 |
| New Jersey | 25 | 25 | $24,657 | $8,083 |
| New Mexico | 21 | 16 | $21,582 | $8,142 |
| New York | 44 | 44 | $25,384 | $6,944 |
| North Carolina | 104 | 68 | $23,015 | $11,716 |
| North Dakota | 4 | 4 | $30,296 | $12,000 |
| Ohio | 60 | 58 | $21,292 | $9,916 |
| Oklahoma | 47 | 46 | $19,600 | $9,456 |
| Oregon | 19 | 17 | $26,601 | $8,769 |
| Pennsylvania | 66 | 62 | $23,061 | $11,771 |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 3 | $25,712 | $11,003 |
| South Carolina | 28 | 27 | $23,070 | $9,833 |
| South Dakota | 5 | 5 | $27,140 | $9,833 |
| Tennessee | 46 | 45 | $22,162 | $9,460 |
| Texas | 179 | 156 | $20,362 | $7,917 |
| Utah | 32 | 30 | $24,766 | $7,832 |
| Vermont | 1 | 1 | $32,279 | $8,250 |
| Virginia | 24 | 24 | $24,364 | $10,107 |
| Washington | 29 | 23 | $25,363 | $10,075 |
| West Virginia | 12 | 12 | $19,146 | $7,466 |
| Wisconsin | 32 | 29 | $26,071 | $9,858 |
| Wyoming | 5 | 3 | $26,565 | $9,000 |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Every state licenses cosmetologists and sets its own required training hours, so a program must meet your state board's hour requirement to let you sit for the licensing exam. Check the state board first.
Questions to ask every school
- Does the program meet my state board's required hours?
- What is the board exam pass rate for graduates?
- How are kit and supply costs billed?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Barbers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cosmetology graduates earn?
Among 1,105 cosmetology programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $23,061 for certificate programs ($23,061) and $24,015 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do cosmetology students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $9,500. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.