Arkansas
Best cosmetology programs in Arkansas 2026
Downtown Little Rock. Photo by Cliff, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Ranked on the share of students who finish what they started, within half again the program's normal length, as reported per institution to the US Department of Education. In a clock-hour trade this is the outcome that matters most: the license needs the full hour count, so a student who leaves early has paid for hours that will never qualify them.
No cosmetology program anywhere is accredited, because nothing accredits the program itself. NACCAS, the name on most beauty school marketing, is an institutional accreditor whose practical effect is access to federal financial aid, and an accredited school says nothing about the course it runs. In Arkansas the binding credential is the school's license from Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section.
56
schools currently licensed
26
qualify to be ranked
6
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Arkansas Beauty School-Little Rock
Little Rock, AR · Licensed school
100%
Share of students who finish
- $19,950 program cost
What the record shows
Arkansas Beauty School-Little Rock is licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section and trains in Little Rock. Little Rock has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Of 106 enrolled in the fall count, 100 percent finish. The published cost is $19,950 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 96 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 45 points above the 55 percent median at a price 15 percent over the $17,337 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. It awarded 48 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 77171 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
undefined
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#2
The Salon Professional Academy
Sherwood, AR · Licensed school
90%
Share of students who finish
- $18,100 program cost
What the record shows
The Salon Professional Academy trains in Sherwood, licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. Of the 106 students in its fall count, 90 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $18,100 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 55 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 35 points more of its students finish than the 55 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $17,337 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 117 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 106, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. License 56855 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, the median cosmetologist earns $27,790, the bottom tenth $23,980 and the top tenth $47,690. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.7 times the usual concentration around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#3
Academy of Professional Cosmetology
Rogers, AR · Licensed school
89%
Share of students who finish
- $7,260 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Rogers, Academy of Professional Cosmetology is on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register. 89 percent of its students finish, out of 115 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $7,260 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,211 in federal loans, measured over 44 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $66 a month. That is most of the $7,260 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. That puts it in the rare corner of this table: 34 points more of its students finish than the 55 percent median, and it charges 58 percent less than the $17,337 median to do it. 80 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 75560; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 540 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Washington Barber College Inc
Little Rock, AR
89%
Share of students who finish
- 89% finish
- 34 graduates a year
- $17,000 program cost
What the record shows
Washington Barber College Inc teaches barbering in Little Rock, with its results published federally. It trains toward a barber license only, which is a similar hour count to cosmetology, leads to men's cutting, shaving and beard work, and does not license color, chemical services or the full cosmetology scope. That makes it a different decision from the full cosmetology schools on this page rather than a smaller version of one. 89 percent of its students finish, out of 43 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $17,000 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 89 percent, 34 points over the 55 percent median, is a good sign. $17,000 is within 2 percent of the $17,337 median for a similar hour count, which is the going rate. The school conferred 34 credentials in the year reported. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
Pay for barbers around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs from $24,430 at the tenth percentile to $30,230 at the ninetieth, with a median of $24,460. The tenth percentile sits within $30 of the median, so the published median is close to the entry wage here, and what sits above it is tips and a following. Few places employ this trade as heavily: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs at about 2.2 times the national rate, some 80 people.
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#5
Academy of Salon and Spa
Fort Smith, AR · Licensed school
80%
Share of students who finish
- $19,500 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Fort Smith, Academy of Salon and Spa is on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register. 80 percent of students see the course through, out of 52 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $19,500 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 62 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. More of its students finish than at most schools on this page, 80 percent against 55, and the price is 12 percent over the $17,337 median. The premium buys better odds of reaching the exam, and the course you do not finish is the one that costs the most. 49 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 52 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. License 54639 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Fort Smith, the median cosmetologist earns $28,090, the bottom tenth $23,640 and the top tenth $46,110. The upside is capped near 1.6 times the median and the floor is 16 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. Fort Smith employs the trade at only about 0.4 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Career Academy of Hair Design
Springdale, AR · Licensed school
73%
Share of students who finish
- $18,195 program cost
What the record shows
Career Academy of Hair Design is licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section and trains in Springdale. The board lists no other licensed school in Springdale. The school graduates 73 percent, on a fall headcount of 245. Tuition is reported at $18,195 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $8,303 in federal loans at the median, 193 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $88 a month. 18 points more of its students finish than the 55 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $17,337 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 178 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 15 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. The board files it under license 77165; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Around Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, the median cosmetologist earns $30,410, the bottom tenth $24,410 and the top tenth $49,990.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Paul Mitchell the School-Little Rock
North Little Rock, AR · Licensed school
71%
Share of students who finish
- $8,250 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Little Rock is licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section and trains in North Little Rock. Of 360 enrolled in the fall count, 71 percent finish. The published cost is $8,250 for the full program. The median graduate left with $13,057 in federal loans, across 352 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. That median loan is larger than the $8,250 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. That puts it in the rare corner of this table: 16 points more of its students finish than the 55 percent median, and it charges 52 percent less than the $17,337 median to do it. It awarded 119 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 10 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. The board files it under license 54625; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway earn under $27,790, with the tenth percentile at $23,980 and the ninetieth at $47,690. A narrow bottom-to-middle gap means the pay you start on is close to the pay most people stay on, unless they build a following. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway employs the trade at only about 0.7 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#8
Paul Mitchell the School-Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR · Licensed school
68%
Share of students who finish
- $16,075 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Arkansas trains in Fayetteville, licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. Of the 99 students in its fall count, 68 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $16,075 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,833 in federal loans, measured over 85 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. $16,075 is within 8 percent of the $17,337 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 68 percent against 55. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 70 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 54627 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, the median cosmetologist earns $30,410, the bottom tenth $24,410 and the top tenth $49,990. The ninetieth percentile at $49,990 is 1.6 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 20 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#9
Designer Barber & Stylist School
Fort Smith, AR
68%
Share of students who finish
- 68% finish
- 45 graduates a year
- $16,325 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Fort Smith, Designer Barber & Stylist School is one of the barbering programs the federal government tracks. The license here is a barber license, which means men's cutting, shaving and beard work. It takes a similar hour count to cosmetology and is a narrower ticket, and for someone who already knows they want that end of the trade, the narrowness is the point. Of the 95 students in its fall count, 68 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $16,325 for the full program. The median graduate left with $16,298 in federal loans, across 59 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $173 a month. That is most of the $16,325 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 68 percent, 13 points over the 55 percent median, is a good sign. $16,325 is within 6 percent of the $17,337 median for a similar hour count, which is the going rate. The school conferred 45 credentials in the year reported. Look this school up on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Arkansas is a small market, about 170 in the trade, but a dense one for its size at 1.3 times the national rate.
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#10
University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville
Batesville, AR · Licensed school
66%
Share of students who finish
What the record shows
University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville operates in Batesville under license from the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Batesville. Across all 751 students at the college, 66 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 11 points above the 55 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the college and not about the cosmetology floor. Its 21 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 751. License 77159 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Arkansas earn under $28,830, with the tenth percentile at $23,920 and the ninetieth at $49,990. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 17 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Arkansas employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#11
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Camden, AR
62%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 10 graduates a year
What the record shows
Southern Arkansas University Tech runs its cosmetology program in Camden and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 672 students at the college, 62 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. A college that holds onto 62 percent of its students generally tends to hold onto them on the cosmetology floor too, though that floor's own figure is the one to ask for. Its 10 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 672. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
undefined Arkansas employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
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#12
Arkansas Technical School
North Little Rock, AR · Licensed school
58%
Share of students who finish
- $19,950 program cost
What the record shows
Arkansas Technical School operates in North Little Rock under license from the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. The school graduates 58 percent, on a fall headcount of 123. The published cost is $19,950 for the full program. $19,950 is 15 percent over the $17,337 median, for a completion rate within 3 points of the 55 percent median, which is a premium with nothing on this record to justify it. It awarded 37 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 77180; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs from $23,980 at the tenth percentile to $47,690 at the ninetieth, with a median of $27,790. Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.7 times the usual concentration around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#13
University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain
Mena, AR
55%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 39 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Mena, University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 55 percent of students across the college finish, out of 503 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 55 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 39 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 503. Look this school up on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Arkansas earn under $28,830, with the tenth percentile at $23,920 and the ninetieth at $49,990. A 2.1-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration in Arkansas, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
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#14
Searcy Beauty College
Searcy, AR · Licensed school
55%
Share of students who finish
- $16,500 program cost
What the record shows
Searcy Beauty College trains in Searcy, licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. The board lists no other licensed school in Searcy. Of the 54 students in its fall count, 55 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $16,500 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $12,500 in federal loans at the median, 53 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $133 a month. Typical for this page on both counts, 55 percent, exactly the median and $16,500 against $17,337, and typical here means 45 in a hundred do not finish, which at $16,500 is the fact to weigh. 22 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 77164, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
In Arkansas, the median cosmetologist earns $28,830, the bottom tenth $23,920 and the top tenth $49,990. The ninetieth percentile at $49,990 is 1.7 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 17 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#15
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Helena, AR
55%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 8 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Helena, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 614 students at the college, 55 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 55 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. A program that awarded 8 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
In Arkansas, the median cosmetologist earns $28,830, the bottom tenth $23,920 and the top tenth $49,990. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 17 percent below it, so a good first year and a good tenth year here are separated by a client book rather than by a cliff. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration in Arkansas, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
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#16
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
De Queen, AR
54%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 9 graduates a year
What the record shows
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas teaches cosmetology in De Queen, with its results published federally. 54 percent of students across the college finish, out of 772 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 54 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. 9 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section holds the record that counts your hours; find this school on it by its legal name and check it is current before a deposit.
Where it leads
undefined The ninetieth percentile at $49,990 is 1.7 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 17 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
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#17
Arthur's Beauty College
Jonesboro, AR · Licensed school
52%
Share of students who finish
- $17,330 program cost
What the record shows
Arthur's Beauty College is licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section and trains in Jonesboro. The school graduates 52 percent, on a fall headcount of 69. It charges $17,330 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Borrowing here runs to a median of $11,857 in federal loans, measured over 66 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $126 a month. Completion and price both sit close to the page median, 52 percent against 55 and $17,330 against $17,337, and that median is low: 48 in a hundred here do not finish, which at $17,330 makes the purchase closer to a coin flip than a sure thing. 35 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 65681, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Jonesboro, the range runs $23,790 to $37,080 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $27,570. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. The occupation is about as common around Jonesboro as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#18
University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College
Forrest City, AR · Licensed school
51%
Share of students who finish
What the record shows
Based in Mena, University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College is on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Mena. Across all 554 students at the college, 51 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 51 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 34 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 554. The board files it under license 77154; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Arkansas, the range runs $23,920 to $49,990 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $28,830. The upside is capped near 1.7 times the median and the floor is 17 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. This is a comparatively thin market: Arkansas runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,410 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#19
Arkansas Beauty College
Russellville, AR · Licensed school
50%
Share of students who finish
- $15,000 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Russellville, Arkansas Beauty College is on the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section register. 50 percent of its students finish, out of 61 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $15,000 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. $15,000 is 13 percent under the $17,337 median, and 5 points fewer finish than the 55 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. It awarded 13 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 61 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. The board files it under license 77162; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
In Arkansas, the median cosmetologist earns $28,830, the bottom tenth $23,920 and the top tenth $49,990. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 17 percent below it, so a good first year and a good tenth year here are separated by a client book rather than by a cliff. Arkansas employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#20
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology
El Dorado, AR
50%
Share of students who finish
- 50% finish
- 14 graduates a year
- $18,325 program cost
What the record shows
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology trains in El Dorado, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. The school graduates 50 percent, on a fall headcount of 42. The published cost is $18,325 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,833 in federal loans at the median, 27 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. The price is close to the $17,337 median and the completion is not: 50 percent against 55. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. It awarded 14 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Licensing is the business of the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in Arkansas runs from $23,920 at the tenth percentile to $49,990 at the ninetieth, with a median of $28,830. A 2.1-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration in Arkansas, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
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#21
Hot Springs Beauty College
Hot Springs, AR · Licensed school
48%
Share of students who finish
- $17,750 program cost
What the record shows
Hot Springs Beauty College trains in Hot Springs, licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. The board lists no other licensed school in Hot Springs. 48 percent of students see the course through, out of 86 enrolled. The published cost is $17,750 for the full program. 7 points fewer of its students finish than the 55 percent median, priced within 3 percent of the $17,337 median, so you would be paying the going rate for worse odds of getting through. Ask the school what happens to the ones who leave. 34 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 54630 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Hot Springs, the median cosmetologist earns $28,680, the bottom tenth $23,200 and the top tenth $39,820.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#22
Arkansas State University-Newport
Newport, AR
46%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 29 graduates a year
What the record shows
Arkansas State University-Newport teaches cosmetology in Newport, with its results published federally. Across all 1,236 students at the college, 46 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 46 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Its 29 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,236. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
In Arkansas, the median cosmetologist earns $28,830, the bottom tenth $23,920 and the top tenth $49,990.
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#23
Arthur's Beauty College
Conway, AR · Licensed school
39%
Share of students who finish
- $17,343 program cost
What the record shows
Arthur's Beauty College operates in Conway under license from the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Conway. 39 percent of its students finish, out of 66 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $17,343 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The federal file reports borrowing for Arthur's Beauty campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $9,500 in federal loans across 75 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. The price is close to the $17,337 median and the completion is not: 39 percent against 55. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. It awarded 31 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 69544; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Around Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, the median cosmetologist earns $27,790, the bottom tenth $23,980 and the top tenth $47,690. The bottom and the middle sit close together here, which means early pay is predictable and the upside has to be built rather than waited for. This is a comparatively thin market: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs at roughly 0.7 times the national concentration, about 470 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read 2026-08-31.
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#24
University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College
North Little Rock, AR
36%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 32 graduates a year
What the record shows
University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College teaches cosmetology in North Little Rock, with its results published federally. 36 percent of students across the college finish, out of 4,118 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 36 percent is low for this page, but it is the college's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. Its 32 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 4,118. Licensing is the business of the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
undefined Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title.
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#25
South Arkansas College
El Dorado, AR
30%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
What the record shows
South Arkansas College teaches cosmetology in El Dorado, with its results published federally. 30 percent of students across the college finish, out of 862 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 30 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Licensing is the business of the Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in Arkansas runs from $23,920 at the tenth percentile to $49,990 at the ninetieth, with a median of $28,830. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 17 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration in Arkansas, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
- Arkansas Beauty School-Little Rock 100% 100%
- The Salon Professional Academy 90% 90%
- Academy of Professional Cosmetol... 89% 89%
- Washington Barber College Inc 89% 89%
- Academy of Salon and Spa 80% 80%
- Career Academy of Hair Design 73% 73%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Little ... 71% 71%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Arkansas 68% 68%
- Designer Barber & Stylist School 68% 68%
- University of Arkansas Community... 66% 66%
Which other cosmetology schools in Arkansas are state licensed?
These Arkansas cosmetology schools hold a current license from Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section but have no published earnings figure, because the ranking above reads federal data that covers only schools taking federal financial aid. Their hours count toward the Arkansas exam exactly as the ranked schools' hours do. They are listed by city rather than ordered, since nothing published about them supports an ordering.
| School | City | Board record | Approved to teach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetology Career College Inc | Bald Knob | No. 77161 | |
| Benton Beauty Academy Inc | Benton | No. 77151 | |
| Ark Beauty Academy | Bentonville | No. 77191 | |
| SAU Tech-Academy of Professional Cosmetology | Camden | No. 77175 | |
| Ashley County Cosmetology | Crossett | No. 77187 | |
| Professional Cosmetology Education Center | El Dorado | No. 54653 | |
| Career Academy of Hair Design - Fayetteville@Farmington | Fayetteville | No. 77169 | |
| East Arkansas Community College | Forrest City | No. 65652 | |
| Arthur's Beauty College | Fort Smith | No. 54615 | |
| Career Academy of Hair Design- Fort Smith | Fort Smith | No. 77160 | |
| Tammy's Beauty School | Fort Smith | No. 77176 | |
| New Beginnings Cosmetology | Harrison | No. 54657 | |
| Phillips County Community College - Helena | Helena | No. 65962 | |
| Arthur's Beauty College | Jacksonville | No. 54616 | |
| Simpson Academy of Cosmetology | Jacksonville | No. 77179 | |
| Arkansas Academy Of Hair Design - Jonesboro | Jonesboro | No. 54612 | |
| Arkansas Institute of Esthetics | Little Rock | No. 77193 | |
| Belbo Beauty Institute | Little Rock | No. 77186 | |
| Univ. of AR. Pulaski Technical College Career Center | Little Rock | No. 54656 | |
| University of AR. Pulaski Technical College | Little Rock | No. 77166 | |
| Velvatex College of Beauty Culture | Little Rock | No. 77174 | |
| Arkansas State Univ Tech Center - Marked Tree | Marked Tree | No. 65670 | |
| Cossatot Community College of U of A | Nashville | No. 77170 | |
| Arkansas Correctional School District | Newport | No. 54661 | |
| Esthetic Excellence Academy | North Little Rock | No. 77183 |
Showing 25 of the 31 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section .
How do you become a cosmetologist in Arkansas in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Arkansas you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 11.5 months full time. Only 13 states ask less, so this is at the shorter end of a range that reaches 2,000 hours.
A cosmetology program whose school lost its license mid-course takes your hours with it, which is the argument for checking Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section first.
How much do cosmetologists make in Arkansas in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Arkansas earn a median of $28,830 , with the bottom tenth on $23,920 and the top tenth on $49,990 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $28,830 $28,830
- Salon managers $39,420 $39,420
- Estheticians $36,520 $36,520
- Nail technicians $27,690 $27,690
- Barbers $25,640 $25,640
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Arkansas?
Arkansas has no standalone cosmetology board. Cosmetology schools, salons and practitioners are licensed and inspected by the Arkansas Department of Health as a section sitting beside the department's environmental-health and body-art programs, and the rules are promulgated by the Arkansas State Board of Health rather than by industry regulators. Industry input is limited to an advisory Cosmetology Advisory Committee whose statutory seats include a tattoo artist and a piercing artist. Arkansas also pins its distance-education allowance to a frozen federal standard, permitting online delivery only "as authorized by the United States Department of Education as existed on January 1, 2021." Read Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section's own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Arkansas?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Arkansas around Memphis, where the median is $30,980, and the least around Jonesboro at $27,570. At 12 percent, the spread across Arkansas is narrow, and location will not decide your income the way it does in some states.
Against a statewide median of $28,830, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Memphis $30,980 $30,980
- Fayetteville-Springdale-Ro... $30,410 $30,410
- Hot Springs $28,680 $28,680
- Fort Smith $28,090 $28,090
- Little Rock-North Little R... $27,790 $27,790
- Texarkana $27,750 $27,750
- Jonesboro $27,570 $27,570
Where are the cosmetology schools in Arkansas?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Arkansas cluster hardest in Little Rock, which holds 6 of the 56 the board currently lists. At 11 percent of the state total, no single city dominates training in Arkansas.
Another 23 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.
- Little Rock 6 6
- Fort Smith 4 4
- North Little Rock 4 4
- Pine Bluff 4 4
- Rogers 3 3
- Fayetteville 2 2
- Jacksonville 2 2
- Jonesboro 2 2
- Paragould 2 2
- Russellville 2 2
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $39,420 median. Cosmetologists in Arkansas sit at $28,830, below that, which is worth weighing before committing to the longest of the licenses.
A narrower license limits what you can charge for, and that ceiling matters more over a career than the opening figure does.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $39,420 | 960 |
| Estheticians | $36,520 | 340 |
| Nail technicians | $27,690 | 230 |
| Barbers | $25,640 | 170 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Arkansas?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Arkansas means satisfying Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other South states, Arkansas is it asks 70 more hours than the regional average of 1,430, and it pays about 14 percent below the regional average.
It is worth knowing before you train if there is any chance you will move, since transferring a license is an application to the receiving board rather than a formality.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (this state) | 1,500 | $28,830 |
| District of Columbia | 1,250 | $54,570 |
| North Carolina | 1,500 | $38,410 |
| Maryland | 1,500 | $36,420 |
| Georgia | 1,500 | $34,560 |
| West Virginia | 2,000 | $34,480 |
| Delaware | $34,350 | |
| South Carolina | 1,500 | $33,700 |
| Tennessee | 1,500 | $31,310 |
| Texas | 1,000 | $30,680 |
| Kentucky | 1,500 | $29,840 |
| Oklahoma | 1,500 | $29,650 |
| Florida | 1,200 | $29,530 |
| Alabama | 1,500 | $29,150 |
| Mississippi | 1,500 | $27,560 |
| Louisiana | 1,500 | $26,030 |
| Virginia | 1,000 |
What does this Arkansas cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Arkansas cosmetology program ranking does not tell you everything you need. This is a completion rate, not a teaching inspection, and a school can lift it by enrolling only students likely to finish just as easily as by teaching well. It is reported for the institution rather than for the cosmetology course alone, which is exact at the beauty schools that teach nothing else and broader at a community college, where cosmetology is one program among many; each card says which kind it is describing. Schools enrolling fewer than 40 students are left out, because a completion rate over a handful of people moves too far on one person's decision to be worth ordering on. It covers only schools that take federal financial aid, a large share of the field but not all of it, so a school missing here takes no federal aid rather than performing badly. Finishing also says nothing about whether a school's hours will count toward your license, which is what the board record on this page is for.
Check a school against the NACCAS accredited school search if federal financial aid matters to you, and against Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Arkansas
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Arkansas rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Arkansas hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Arkansas?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Arkansas?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Arkansas accredited?
Where does this Arkansas cosmetology program data come from?
This Arkansas cosmetology program data comes from Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section, read on 2026-08-31, from the board's own license records rather than from any school directory. The cost and debt figures come from the US Department of Education's College Scorecard , which publishes them per institution for cosmetology programs at every school taking federal financial aid. Arkansas has no standalone cosmetology board. Cosmetology schools, salons and practitioners are licensed and inspected by the Arkansas Department of Health as a section sitting beside the department's environmental-health and body-art programs, and the rules are promulgated by the Arkansas State Board of Health rather than by industry regulators. Industry input is limited to an advisory Cosmetology Advisory Committee whose statutory seats include a tattoo artist and a piercing artist. Arkansas also pins its distance-education allowance to a frozen federal standard, permitting online delivery only "as authorized by the United States Department of Education as existed on January 1, 2021."
Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology SectionRead 2026-08-31.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , metro and state pay, employment and concentration behind every wage figure on this page
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study CIP 12.04 , full program cost, median federal debt and the monthly cost of that debt, per institution
On this page
- Other licensed schools
- How to become one
- What it pays
- What is different in Arkansas
- Where do cosmetologists make the most money
- Where are the cosmetology schools
- Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech
- Can you use a cosmetology license from another state
- What this does not tell you
- Common questions
- Sources