15 Best cosmetology schools in the US (2026)
The ultimate list for beginners
Table of Contents:
At a glance (checked October 26, 2026; tuition is for the cosmetology program at the campus named)
| School | Campuses | Cosmetology hours | Example cost | Federal aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Mitchell Schools | 90+ in 36 states | 1,000 to 1,600 (by state) | $17,500 tuition, 1,000 h (Sherman Oaks, CA) | Yes |
| Aveda Institutes | 50 in 27 states | 1,000 to 1,550 | $19,850 tuition, 1,500 h (San Antonio, TX) | Yes |
| Empire Beauty School | 73 in 21 states | 1,250 to 1,550 | $19,875 all-in, 1,250 h (Philadelphia, PA) | Yes |
| Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers | 4, Florida | 1,200 | $22,800 all-in | Yes |
| Xenon, a Stephanie Moss Academy | 2, Nebraska | 1,800 | $19,250 tuition plus $3,624 kit | Yes |
| Ogle School | 11, Texas and Georgia | 1,000 (TX) | $15,700 TX, $19,500 GA (2026-27) | Yes |
| Evergreen Beauty College | 7, Washington | 1,600 | $24,639 all-in | Yes |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture | 15, IL, IN, WI | 1,500 | $23,602 (Bridgeview, IL) | Yes |
| Pivot Point Academy | 2, Illinois | 1,500 | $21,100 tuition and fees (2024-25) | Yes |
| Avenue Five Institute | 2, Austin, TX | 1,000 (hybrid) | $17,050 tuition (2026-27) | Yes |
| Milan Institute | 19 in TX, CA, NV, NM | 1,000 (CA) | $14,905 tuition and fees (Visalia, CA, 2024-25) | Yes |
| Bellus Academy | 4, California and Kansas | 1,000 or 1,500 (CA) | $19,151 all-in, 1,000 h (Poway, CA) | Yes |
| Robert Fiance Beauty Schools | 6, New Jersey and Florida | 1,200 (NJ) | $19,500 tuition and fees (West New York, NJ, 2024-25) | Yes |
| Salon Success Academy | 5, California | 1,000 | $22,300 estimated total | Yes |
| Online Makeup Academy | Online | Makeup only, not cosmetology | $899 to $1,599, kit included | Payment plans |
What is cosmetology and how it's different from esthetician?
Cosmetology is the licensed practice of hair, skin, nail and makeup services. To become a licensed cosmetologist you complete a state-approved program and pass your state's exam. States set the minimum training hours: from 1,000 (New York, California, Texas) to 1,800 (Hawaii, Nebraska, West Virginia), with 1,500 the most common.
Estheticians are licensed skincare specialists: facials, exfoliation, waxing, brow and lash services. Esthetics programs are shorter, usually 600 to 750 hours. Cosmetologists can do most esthetics services; estheticians can't do hair.
What it costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't publish school tuition. Federal College Navigator data show cosmetology tuition and fees of about $13,600 to $25,200 at the campuses profiled on this page in 2024-25, before books and supplies of roughly $1,800 to $3,900. Esthetics at the same campuses mostly ran $9,700 to $14,000.
How long it takes. Most full-time cosmetology students finish in about 7 to 13 months, depending on the state's hours and the schedule; part-time and evening schedules take longer.
Only want to do makeup? A makeup program is far shorter and cheaper than cosmetology school. At Online Makeup Academy, most students finish the Master Makeup Program in 6 to 12 weeks part time, and the Elite Career Path adds advanced and business training. First check your state's rules: some states require a cosmetology or esthetics license to do makeup for pay. See do you need a license to be a makeup artist?
Pros and cons of cosmetology school?
Pros
A license and a broad skill set: hair cutting, color and styling, plus skin, nails and makeup.
Hands-on training on mannequins and, in most schools, real clients in a student salon.
Salon jobs: in most states you need this license to work on hair in a salon.
Federal aid: many cosmetology schools take Pell Grants and federal loans, which most makeup-only schools don't.
Cons
Time: 1,000 to 1,800 hours, usually 7 to 13 months full time.
Cost: tuition commonly runs $14,000 to $25,000 before books and supplies.
Mostly hair: makeup is a small part of most programs (at the Hollywood Institute, for example, a 9-hour module in a 1,200-hour course).
A state exam at the end, and license renewals after.
Questions to ask any school
Full-time, part-time or evening?
Will you work on real clients, not just mannequins?
What's the total cost, including the kit, books and fees?
Does it take federal financial aid? (College Navigator shows this.)
Is it approved by your state board, and what share of graduates pass the state exam?
Does it help with job placement?
Top 15 Schools In The US:
We chose schools with several campuses or strong published outcomes, a state-approved cosmetology program, and current published hours and costs. Program details come from each school's website and catalog, and from the US Department of Education's College Navigator, checked October 26, 2026. Costs vary by campus and change each year, so confirm with the school before you enroll.
Paul Mitchell Schools
Campuses: more than 90 schools in 36 states, each independently owned as a Paul Mitchell franchise. The first opened in 2000.
Cosmetology: hours follow each state, from 1,000 to 1,600. At Sherman Oaks, CA, the 1,000-hour course is $17,500 tuition ($20,064 with kit, books and fees) and a 1,500-hour course is $24,000; at Austin, TX, College Navigator lists $13,600 for 1,000 hours (2024-25). Day and evening schedules at the campuses checked.
Also offers: barbering, esthetics and, at some schools, nails and makeup.
Federal aid: yes, at the campuses checked.
Aveda Institutes
Campuses: 50 in the US across 27 states, independently owned (many trade under their own names, such as Aveda Arts or Cinta Aveda Institute).
Cosmetology: 1,000 to 1,550 hours by state. At San Antonio, TX, the 1,500-hour program is $19,850 tuition (12 months) and a 1,000-hour option is $15,700, plus a $3,200 kit.
Also offers: esthiology and massage; some Florida institutes add barbering and nails.
Known for: a wellness-focused, eco-conscious approach; the first Aveda Institute opened in the late 1970s.
Federal aid: yes.
Empire Beauty Schools
Campuses: 73 in 21 states, the most of any school on this list after Paul Mitchell. Empire's first school opened in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1934.
Cosmetology: 1,250 hours in Pennsylvania (36 weeks full time, 72 weeks part time, day or evening); 1,500 to 1,550 hours in several other states. Philadelphia's all-in cost is $19,875 including tuition ($17,000), supplies and fees. New classes start every three weeks.
Also offers: esthetics, nail technology and educator training.
Federal aid: yes.
The Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers
Campuses: four in Florida: Hollywood, Casselberry (North Orlando), Margate and West Palm Beach. Founded in 1974.
Cosmetology: 1,200 hours: about 8 to 9 months on a day schedule or about 11.5 months on evenings. All-in cost $22,800 (tuition $18,819.50, effective June 2026). Cosmetology is also taught in Spanish at three campuses, and classes start weekly.
Also offers: barbering, skin care, nails, electrology, massage therapy and medical assisting.
Federal aid: yes.
Xenon, a Stephanie Moss Academy (formerly Xenon International Academy)
Campuses: two in Nebraska: Omaha and Grand Island.
Cosmetology: Nebraska's 1,800 hours, full time, about a year. Tuition $19,250, plus a $3,624 kit and $100 registration.
Also offers: esthetics, barbering (Omaha) and instructor training.
Known for: a Pivot Point Legacy Partner School, training cosmetologists for over 30 years.
Federal aid: yes.
The Ogle School
Campuses: 11: nine in Texas and two in Georgia. Founder Shelton Ogle opened his first school in Arlington, Texas, in 1973.
Cosmetology: 1,000 hours in Texas: about 7 months on the fast track or 13 months part time, day or evening. 2026-27 tuition is $15,700 in Texas and $19,500 in Georgia, plus about $3,000 for books and supplies. Theory is taught on Elevate, a hybrid learning platform powered by Pivot Point.
Also offers: esthetics.
Federal aid: yes.
Evergreen Beauty College
Campuses: seven across Washington, from Bellingham to Yakima. Family-owned: founder Thi Trieu came to the US as a refugee from Vietnam in 1975, and the Trieu family has run the school for more than 30 years.
Cosmetology: Washington's 1,600 hours, about 13 months; day and evening classes plus a hybrid option. Total cost $24,639 (2026).
Also offers: esthetics, nails, barbering, hair design and instructor training.
Outcomes: College Navigator shows an 83% graduation rate at its Everett campus.
Federal aid: yes.
Tricoci University
Campuses: 15 in the Midwest: 10 in Illinois, 4 in Indiana and 1 in Wisconsin. Founded in 2004 by salon owner Mario Tricoci.
Cosmetology: 1,500 hours: about 10 to 12 months full time, longer part time. The Bridgeview, IL, campus lists $23,602 before financial aid.
Also offers: esthetics, barbering, nail technology and instructor training.
Federal aid: yes.
Pivot Point Academy Beauty School
Campuses: two in Illinois: Bloomingdale (cosmetology and esthetics) and Chicago (barbering). Leo Passage founded Pivot Point in Chicago in 1962; the company's curriculum is now used by schools in over 70 countries.
Cosmetology: 1,500 hours, designed for 12 months full time. College Navigator lists tuition and fees of $21,100 (2024-25).
Known for: Pivot Point Academy won a 2022 Golden School Award as School of the Year in its size category.
Federal aid: yes.
Avenue Five Institute
Campuses: two in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2007 by a native Austinite.
Cosmetology: a 1,000-hour hybrid program over 34 weeks: afternoon or evening classes plus 10 hours a week of distance learning. 2026-27 tuition is $17,050, plus about $1,950 for books and supplies.
Also offers: esthetics, nail technology and barbering.
Federal aid: yes.
Milan Institute
Campuses: 19 in Texas, California, Nevada and New Mexico, 17 of them teaching cosmetology. Founded in 1985 by the Yasuda family in Visalia, California.
Cosmetology: a 34-week program (hours vary by state; 1,000 in California). College Navigator lists tuition and fees of $14,905 at Visalia (2024-25).
Also offers: barbering, esthetics, nails and massage therapy.
Federal aid: yes.
Bellus Academy
Campuses: four: Chula Vista, El Cajon and Poway in California, and Manhattan, Kansas. Founder and CEO Lynelle Lynch.
Cosmetology (Poway, 2026): Cosmetology Foundation, 1,000 hours, $19,151 all-in; Advanced Cosmetology, 1,500 hours, $28,678 all-in; day and night schedules.
Also offers: barbering, esthetics and nail technology.
Outcomes: College Navigator shows a 73% graduation rate at Poway.
Federal aid: yes.
Robert Fiance Beauty Schools
Campuses: six: five in New Jersey and one in Boynton Beach, Florida. Family-owned.
Cosmetology: New Jersey's 1,200 hours. College Navigator lists tuition and fees of $19,500 at West New York, NJ (2024-25); the school says equipment and books are included.
Also offers: barbering, skin care and makeup, nails and teacher training, plus its own makeup academy.
Federal aid: yes.
Robert Fiance Beauty Schools official site
Salon Success Academy
Campuses: five in California's Inland Empire: Corona, Fontana, Redlands, Riverside and Upland.
Cosmetology: 1,000 hours: as little as 36 weeks full time or 63 weeks part time, day or evening. Estimated total $22,300 (tuition $19,200, kit and registration).
Also offers: esthetics, barbering, manicuring and makeup.
Outcomes: College Navigator shows a 92% graduation rate at Corona.
Federal aid: yes.
Online Makeup Academy
Online Makeup Academy is not just any ordinary cosmetology school, it is a specialized makeup institute that focuses on imparting in-depth knowledge and hands-on training in beauty makeup applications, special FX makeup for film and television, as well as hairstyling. Their curriculum is designed to cater to the needs of aspiring makeup artists who are looking to become certified professionals in a field. Unlike traditional cosmetology schools, OMA concentrates solely on the art of makeup, providing their students with a comprehensive education in the latest techniques, trends, and tools.
With a comprehensive online curriculum taught by New York City industry experts, you'll receive a world-class education in the fundamentals of makeup artistry, as well as advanced techniques in areas like bridal, fashion, editorial, and film/television. This award-winning academy is widely regarded as the best online makeup school in the world.
In comparison to traditional cosmetology schools, the Online Makeup Academy offers a number of benefits. Firstly, the flexible online format means you can learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, without sacrificing the quality of your education. Additionally, the cost of tuition is significantly lower than that of a traditional cosmetology school, making it a more cost-effective option for those looking to start a career in the beauty industry.
Before committing to a cosmetology school, it's a great idea to consider taking an online makeup course to get a taste of what the industry is all about.
Cosmetology School Selection: A Step-by-Step Guide
Check state approval. Your state board lists approved schools; you need one to sit the license exam.
Check federal aid. Look the school up on the Department of Education's College Navigator: it shows tuition, completion and graduation rates, and whether students receive Pell Grants and federal loans.
Match the schedule. Full-time programs finish fastest; part-time and evening options take about twice as long.
Compare the total cost. Tuition plus kit, books and fees. On this page, tuition and fees commonly run $14,000 to $25,000.
Visit. Tour the student salon, talk to current students and ask about exam pass rates and job placement.
Cosmetology School Preparation: What You Need to Know Before Enrolling
There are several key factors to consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school.
Informed Decision-Making
Before enrolling, speak with the faculty at the cosmetology school to determine which program is the best fit for your career aspirations. This is also a great opportunity to clear up any doubts or questions you may have about the school and to learn about any scholarship or financial aid options available.
Time Outside the Classroom
Cosmetology schools differ from traditional academic institutions and often require a significant amount of time spent in a coaching salon, working with experienced instructors and real clients. This hands-on experience provides an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and creativity, as well as establish relationships with potential long-term clients.
Nurturing Your Creativity
Cosmetology education can be challenging, and it is important to stay motivated and inspired. Take advantage of opportunities to explore your creativity and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Whether it's replicating beauty looks you've seen online or experimenting with new styles, keeping your creativity flowing is essential.
Passion is Key
Cosmetology schools are not for the faint of heart. They require a substantial investment of time, effort, and money, so it is crucial to be certain that this is the career path you truly want to pursue. Take the time to reflect on your passion for the industry and ask yourself if a cosmetology education is a right choice for you.
Your Questions Answered
How much does cosmetology school cost?
At the campuses on this page, tuition and fees ran about $13,600 to $25,200 in 2024-25 (College Navigator), plus roughly $1,800 to $3,900 for books and supplies. Many schools take federal financial aid.
How long is cosmetology school?
States require 1,000 to 1,800 hours of training, most often 1,500. Full time, that's usually 7 to 13 months; part time takes longer.
What's the difference between a cosmetologist and an esthetician?
Cosmetologists are licensed for hair, skin, nails and makeup; estheticians for skincare only. Esthetics programs are shorter, usually 600 to 750 hours.
Can a cosmetologist do makeup?
Yes. Makeup is part of cosmetology, though most programs spend little time on it, so many cosmetologists add a makeup course.
Do I need cosmetology school to be a makeup artist?
Not always. Most states require a cosmetology or esthetics license to do makeup for pay (esthetics is usually the shorter program), with exemptions for film, TV, theater or retail work, and 13 states, including Texas and Florida, don't license makeup-only work. Check your state's rules; if your state doesn't require a license for the work you plan, a makeup program such as OMA's Master Makeup Program is the faster route.
What careers does cosmetology lead to?
Hairstylist, colorist, nail technician, salon manager, educator, brand representative and makeup artist, among others. Most cosmetology graduates work mainly in hair.
Explore OMA's programs and tuition
Researched and written by the editorial team at Online Makeup Academy | Last updated: October 27, 2026
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