How long is cosmetology school? Hours and cost by state (2026)
State hour requirements, what schools charge and how long it really takes, checked October 2026.
By Nina Mua, Founder of Online Makeup Academy | Last updated: October 28, 2026
The short answer
Cosmetology school takes about 7 to 13 months full time, and roughly twice as long part time. Every state sets a minimum number of training hours for a cosmetology license: from 1,000 hours (California, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Virginia) to 1,800 (Hawaii, Nebraska and West Virginia), with 1,500 the most common (24 states). Tuition and fees at well-known schools run about $13,600 to $25,200, plus roughly $1,800 to $3,900 for books and the kit.
Only want to do makeup? A makeup program takes weeks, not months; see the makeup-only route below.
How long cosmetology school takes, by state
You complete your state's hours at a state-approved school, then take the license exam. At 30 to 40 hours a week, 1,000 hours works out to about 6 to 8 months and 1,500 hours to 9 to 12 months. Real schedules from schools on our best cosmetology schools list:
Ogle School, Texas (1,000 hours): about 7 months on its fast track, 13 months part time
Salon Success Academy, California (1,000 hours): 36 weeks full time, 63 weeks part time
Hollywood Institute, Florida (1,200 hours): 8 to 9 months on days, about 11.5 months on evenings
Empire Beauty School, Pennsylvania (1,250 hours): 36 weeks full time, 72 weeks part time
Tricoci University, Illinois (1,500 hours): 10 to 12 months full time
Evergreen Beauty College, Washington (1,600 hours): about 13 months
Some states also let you train as an apprentice in a licensed salon instead, usually for more hours: 3,000 in Missouri, Mississippi and Virginia, 3,200 in Nevada and Idaho. The table lists each state's minimum school hours for a full cosmetology license, checked with the state board, rules or statute.
Cosmetology school hours by state (minimum school hours for a full cosmetology license; checked October 2026)
| State | License | School hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | aboc.alabama.gov |
| Alaska | Hairdresser (esthetics is a separate license) | 1,650 | commerce.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | azleg.gov |
| Arkansas | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | healthy.arkansas.gov |
| California | Cosmetologist | 1,000 | barbercosmo.ca.gov |
| Colorado | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | coloradosos.gov |
| Connecticut | Hairdresser and cosmetician | 1,500 | cga.ct.gov |
| Delaware | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | dpr.delaware.gov |
| District of Columbia | Cosmetologist | 1,250 | dlcp.dc.gov |
| Florida | Cosmetologist | 1,200 | leg.state.fl.us |
| Georgia | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | sos.ga.gov |
| Hawaii | Cosmetologist | 1,800 | cca.hawaii.gov |
| Idaho | Cosmetologist | 1,600 | legislature.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | ilga.gov |
| Indiana | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | iga.in.gov |
| Iowa | Barber and cosmetologist (combined) | 1,550 | legis.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | kslegislature.gov |
| Kentucky | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | apps.legislature.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | legis.la.gov |
| Maine | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | legislature.maine.gov |
| Maryland | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | mgaleg.maryland.gov |
| Massachusetts | Cosmetologist | 1,000 | mass.gov |
| Michigan | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | legislature.mi.gov |
| Minnesota | Cosmetologist | 1,550 | revisor.mn.gov |
| Mississippi | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | billstatus.ls.state.ms.us |
| Missouri | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | revisor.mo.gov |
| Montana | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov |
| Nebraska | Cosmetologist | 1,800 | nebraskalegislature.gov |
| Nevada | Cosmetologist | 1,600 | leg.state.nv.us |
| New Hampshire | Cosmetologist | 1,200 | oplc.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | Cosmetologist-hairstylist | 1,200 | njconsumeraffairs.gov |
| New Mexico | Cosmetologist | 1,600 | rld.nm.gov |
| New York | Cosmetology | 1,000 | dos.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | nccosmeticarts.com |
| North Dakota | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | ndcosmetology.com |
| Ohio | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | codes.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | Cosmetologist | 1,250 (1,500 before November 2024) | oklegislature.gov |
| Oregon | No single cosmetology license: hair design, esthetics and nail certificates | 1,110 hair design; 444 esthetics; 241 nails (plus 40 shared) | oregon.gov |
| Pennsylvania | Cosmetologist | 1,250 | pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | Hairdresser and cosmetician | 1,000 | health.ri.gov |
| South Carolina | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | llr.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | dlr.sd.gov |
| Tennessee | Cosmetologist | 1,500 | tn.gov |
| Texas | Cosmetology operator | 1,000 | tdlr.texas.gov |
| Utah | Cosmetology license | 1,250 (1,600 before 2026) | le.utah.gov |
| Vermont | Cosmetologist | 1,000 | sos.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | Cosmetologist | 1,000 (1,500 before 2025) | law.lis.virginia.gov |
| Washington | Cosmetologist | 1,600 | dol.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | Cosmetologist | 1,800 | wvbbc.com |
| Wisconsin | Cosmetologist | 1,550 | dsps.wi.gov |
| Wyoming | Cosmetologist | 1,600 | cosmetology.wyo.gov |
Hours are state minimums; schools may require more. Rules change, so confirm with your state board before you enroll.
What cosmetology school costs
College Navigator, the US Department of Education's school database, shows cosmetology tuition and fees of about $13,600 to $25,200 in 2024-25 at the campuses profiled in our best cosmetology schools guide, before books and supplies of roughly $1,800 to $3,900. What moves the price:
Hours: longer programs cost more. Bellus Academy's Poway, California campus lists $19,151 all-in for 1,000 hours and $28,678 for 1,500.
The kit and books: often extra. Aveda Institute San Antonio lists its 1,500-hour program at $19,850 tuition plus a $3,200 kit.
The campus: the same school brand charges different prices in different states (Ogle School: $15,700 in Texas, $19,500 in Georgia for 2026-27).
Most schools on our list accept federal financial aid (Pell Grants and federal loans). Look up any school's tuition, graduation rate and aid on College Navigator before you enroll.
Time and cost at nine schools (school sites, catalogs and College Navigator, checked October 26, 2026)
| School | Campus | Hours | Time to finish | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Mitchell Schools | Sherman Oaks, CA | 1,000 | Day and evening schedules | $17,500 tuition |
| Ogle School | Texas | 1,000 | About 7 months fast track; 13 part time | $15,700 tuition (2026-27) |
| Salon Success Academy | California | 1,000 | 36 weeks full time; 63 part time | $22,300 estimated total |
| Bellus Academy | Poway, CA | 1,000 | Day or night schedules | $19,151 all-in |
| Hollywood Institute | Florida | 1,200 | 8 to 9 months days; 11.5 evenings | $22,800 all-in |
| Empire Beauty School | Philadelphia, PA | 1,250 | 36 weeks full time; 72 part time | $19,875 all-in |
| Aveda Institute | San Antonio, TX | 1,500 | 12 months | $19,850 tuition plus $3,200 kit |
| Tricoci University | Bridgeview, IL | 1,500 | 10 to 12 months full time | $23,602 before aid |
| Evergreen Beauty College | Washington | 1,600 | About 13 months | $24,639 all-in (2026) |
More detail on each school: 15 best cosmetology schools in the US.
How to choose a cosmetology school
Check state approval. You need hours from a school your state board approves to sit the license exam.
Look the school up on College Navigator. It shows tuition, completion and graduation rates, and whether students get 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, not tuition alone.
Visit. Tour the student salon, talk to current students, and ask about state exam pass rates and job placement.
Paying for cosmetology school
Schools approved for federal student aid accept the FAFSA, which opens Pell Grants (need-based, no repayment) and federal student loans; College Navigator shows whether a school's students receive them. Many schools also offer payment plans, and some award their own scholarships, so ask each school's financial aid office what applies before you sign. Compare offers on the total cost, including the kit and books.
Is cosmetology school worth it?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median pay for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists at $35,790 a year ($17.21 an hour) in May 2025, with the top 10% above $71,190; tips are part of many stylists' income. It expects the field to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 80,300 openings a year. Sources: BLS wage data and the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
For scale, a $20,000 program equals about seven months of the median cosmetologist's pay before taxes. Whether it pays off depends on where you work, how quickly you build a clientele and how much you borrow. Makeup artists are paid differently; see how much makeup artists make.
Only want to do makeup?
A makeup program is far shorter and cheaper than cosmetology school. OMA's Master Makeup Program takes 4 to 8 weeks online ($899, pro kit included).
Check your state first: 32 states and DC require a cosmetology or esthetics license to do makeup for pay (esthetics is the shorter license, 300 to 1,000 hours), 13 states don't license makeup-only work, Kentucky, Ohio and Oklahoma have a makeup permit or registration, and in Nevada and Vermont it depends on the setting. See do you need a license to be a makeup artist?
Comparing cosmetology schools? See the 15 best cosmetology schools in the US, with hours and costs for each.
Frequently asked questions
How long is cosmetology school?
States require 1,000 to 1,800 hours of training for a cosmetology license, most often 1,500. Full time, that's usually 7 to 13 months; part time takes about twice as long.
Can you finish cosmetology school in 6 months?
Close to it in states that require 1,000 hours, such as California, New York and Texas: full-time schedules there run about 7 to 8 months (Ogle School's Texas fast track takes about 7). In states that require 1,500 hours, plan on 9 to 12 months full time.
How many years is cosmetology school?
Less than one in most cases: full-time programs take about 7 to 13 months. Part-time and evening schedules take longer, up to about a year and a half (Empire Beauty School's 1,250-hour part-time program takes 72 weeks).
How much does cosmetology school cost?
Tuition and fees ran about $13,600 to $25,200 in 2024-25 at well-known campuses (College Navigator), plus roughly $1,800 to $3,900 for books and supplies. Many schools accept federal financial aid.
How long is makeup school?
Much shorter than cosmetology school. OMA's Master Makeup Program takes 4 to 8 weeks online, and in-person programs at schools such as Make-Up Designory run 12 to 24 weeks, depending on the program.
Do you need cosmetology school to be a makeup artist?
Not always. 32 states and DC require a cosmetology or esthetics license to do makeup for pay (esthetics is the shorter license), 13 states don't license makeup-only work, 3 have a makeup permit and 2 depend on the setting. Check your state's rules first.
