38 Colleges Out of 1,574
Cosmetology Associate Degree Programs (2026)
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
The College Scorecard records a cosmetology program at 1,574 institutions. At 1,534 of them the award is a certificate or a diploma. At 38 it is an associate degree, and 34 of those 38 are public colleges. So if you have been trying to work out whether cosmetology is a certificate or a degree, the answer is that it is almost always a certificate.
An associate degree adds general education credits on top of the same clock hours. That gets you college credit that can transfer toward a bachelor's, and sometimes a way into salon management or teaching. What it does not do is shorten anything. The state license depends on the hours you bank and the board exam you pass, and the award on the wall changes neither one.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 38 Cosmetology Associate Degree Programs
Listed, not ranked. These are the institutions whose cosmetology program is recorded in the College Scorecard as awarding an associate degree rather than a certificate or diploma. They are almost all public colleges, and the completion figure on each card is the college’s.
-
#1
MediaTech Institute-Dallas
Dallas, TX
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- 2 graduates a year
- $35,200 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Dallas, MediaTech Institute-Dallas is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 70 percent of students across the school finish, out of 199 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 70 percent the school as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. The page median is set by public colleges, so that comparison is against the other private schools here. Tuition is reported at $35,200. 2 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Look this school up on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation 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 around Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington earn under $33,960, with the tenth percentile at $26,560 and the ninetieth at $60,150. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 11 percent higher on median pay. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.8 times the median and the floor sits 22 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Local concentration around Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington sits near the national average.
-
#2
Irvine Valley College
Irvine, CA
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
What the record shows
Irvine Valley College runs its cosmetology program in Irvine and reports to the US Department of Education. 57 percent of students across the college finish, out of 10,286 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. A college that holds onto 57 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. Look this school up on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim runs from $36,490 at the tenth percentile to $73,260 at the ninetieth, with a median of $43,500. The metro median is about 13 percent above the California figure. The ninetieth percentile at $73,260 is 1.7 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 16 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
-
#3
Sampson Community College
Clinton, NC
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 19 graduates a year
What the record shows
Sampson Community College runs its cosmetology program in Clinton and reports to the US Department of Education. 56 percent of students across the college finish, out of 846 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 56 percent the college as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. Its 19 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 846. Licensing is the business of the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners 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 North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. On concentration, North Carolina is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
-
#4
Remington College-Cleveland Campus
Cleveland, OH
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Private nonprofit
- 7 graduates a year
What the record shows
Remington College-Cleveland Campus runs its cosmetology program in Cleveland and reports to the US Department of Education. 55 percent of students across the college finish, out of 197 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 55 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. 7 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The school is a private nonprofit, a category covering only a handful of cosmetology providers nationally. Licensing is the business of the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Cleveland, the range runs $23,420 to $70,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $35,640. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.5 times the usual concentration around Cleveland.
-
#5
Sandhills Community College
Pinehurst, NC · Cosmetic Art School (Public)
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
What the record shows
Based in Pinehurst, Sandhills Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board records it as public rather than private. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Pinehurst. 53 percent of students across the college finish, out of 2,539 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 53 percent the college as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. 8 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. License 097 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. On concentration, North Carolina is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, read 2026-08-28.
-
#6
Eastern Wyoming College
Torrington, WY · Licensed school
Associate
State board license
What the record shows
Eastern Wyoming College trains in Torrington, licensed by the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Torrington. Across all 482 students at the college, 52 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 17 points above the 35 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 17 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 482. Verify the school's standing with the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
In Wyoming, the median cosmetologist earns $29,170, the bottom tenth $18,150 and the top tenth $56,640. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. This is a comparatively thin market: Wyoming runs at roughly 0.7 times the national concentration, about 360 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Wyoming Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
-
#7
Iowa Lakes Community College
Estherville, IA · Licensed school
Associate
State board license
What the record shows
Iowa Lakes Community College is licensed by the state board and trains in Emmetsburg. The board lists no other licensed school in Emmetsburg. 50 percent of students across the college finish, out of 941 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 50 percent the college as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. 3 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The board files it under license 104997; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
In Iowa, the median cosmetologist earns $35,700, the bottom tenth $26,650 and the top tenth $56,250. The upside is capped near 1.6 times the median and the floor is 25 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. Local concentration in Iowa sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing), read 2026-08-31.
-
#8
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
What the record shows
San Diego Miramar College runs its cosmetology program in San Diego and reports to the US Department of Education. 48 percent of students across the college finish, out of 11,271 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. A college that holds onto 48 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 hours count only under a current entry with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad runs from $35,500 at the tenth percentile to $62,130 at the ninetieth, with a median of $37,290. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. On concentration, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
-
#9
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, IA
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 3 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 42 percent of students across the college finish, out of 3,103 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 42 percent the college as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. 3 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Licensing is the business of the state board 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 Iowa runs from $26,650 at the tenth percentile to $56,250 at the ninetieth, with a median of $35,700. The upside is capped near 1.6 times the median and the floor is 25 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. The occupation is about as common in Iowa as it is nationally.
-
#10
Yuba College
Marysville, CA
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 1 graduates a year
What the record shows
Yuba College teaches cosmetology in Marysville, with its results published federally. 40 percent of students across the college finish, out of 4,779 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. A college that holds onto 40 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. 1 credential in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Licensing is the business of the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
In California, the median cosmetologist earns $38,660, the bottom tenth $35,360 and the top tenth $68,640. There is little distance between entry pay and the median across the state, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. California employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 27,080 people.
-
#11
Butler County Community College
Butler, PA
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
What the record shows
Based in Butler, Butler County Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 1,789 students at the college, 37 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 37 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Confirm the school's current license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Pittsburgh runs from $23,750 at the tenth percentile to $77,730 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,100. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.9 times the usual concentration around Pittsburgh.
-
#12
Southern Union State Community College
Wadley, AL
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
What the record shows
Southern Union State Community College runs its cosmetology program in Wadley and reports to the US Department of Education. 36 percent of students across the college finish, out of 4,173 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 36 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
In Alabama, the median cosmetologist earns $29,150, the bottom tenth $21,300 and the top tenth $56,700. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.9 times the median and the floor sits 27 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Alabama employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 3,300 people.
-
#13
Rockingham Community College
Wentworth, NC · Cosmetic Art School (Public)
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
What the record shows
Rockingham Community College trains in Wentworth, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. Its license covers cosmetology. It is a public institution, which usually means lower tuition than a private academy charges. The board lists no other licensed school in Wentworth. 35 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,065 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 35 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. A program that awarded 3 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. License 095 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in North Carolina, the range runs $26,880 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,410. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, read 2026-08-28.
-
#14
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 73 exam candidates
What the record shows
Los Angeles Trade Technical College operates in Los Angeles under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 48 of its 73 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 66 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 75 percent. The bulk of its testing is cosmetology, 37 of 73 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. The result is uneven by license: 73 percent in cosmetology against 50 percent in esthetics. That is 3 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. Few schools in the state put through more candidates. With 17 licensed schools in Los Angeles, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. Across all 9,998 students at the college, 35 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 35 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 22 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 9,998. Verify the school's standing with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the median cosmetologist earns $43,500, the bottom tenth $36,490 and the top tenth $73,260. The metro median is about 13 percent above the California figure. A 2.0-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Local concentration around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim sits near the national average.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 27 of 37 73% esthetics 11 of 22 50% barbering 10 of 14 71% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#15
Clovis Community College
Clovis, NM
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 7 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Clovis, Clovis Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 1,309 students at the college, 34 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 34 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. 7 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in New Mexico earn under $37,750, with the tenth percentile at $27,190 and the ninetieth at $52,560. A 1.9-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Local concentration in New Mexico sits near the national average.
-
#16
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara, CA · Board-approved school
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 56 exam candidates
What the record shows
Santa Barbara City College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Santa Barbara. 47 of its 56 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 84 percent. That runs above the 75 percent median across the schools ranked here. Cosmetology is its largest cohort at 34 of 56 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. There, 28 of 34 passed, so the headline rate is mostly that program. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 15 points above. Its 56 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Santa Barbara. 34 percent of students across the college finish, out of 9,889 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 34 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. A program that awarded 4 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Ask the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology directly whether the license is in good standing, because a lapse while you are enrolled costs you the hours rather than the school.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Santa Maria-Santa Barbara runs from $34,830 at the tenth percentile to $60,930 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,760. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 28 of 34 82% esthetics 19 of 22 86% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#17
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, NM
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 29 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 15,203 students at the college, 31 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 31 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 29 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 15,203. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Albuquerque earn under $38,330, with the tenth percentile at $27,600 and the ninetieth at $50,030. The upside is capped near 1.3 times the median and the floor is 28 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. Albuquerque employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 850 people.
-
#18
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, NC · Cosmetic Art School (Public)
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
What the record shows
Central Piedmont Community College is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners and trains in Charlotte. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board records it as public rather than private. With 21 licensed schools in Charlotte, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. Across all 15,067 students at the college, 31 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 31 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 25 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 15,067. The board files it under license 376; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, the range runs $28,160 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,530. The upside is capped near 1.6 times the median and the floor is 27 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. On concentration, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, read 2026-08-28.
-
#19
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
Logan, WV · Licensed school
Associate
State board license
What the record shows
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College operates in Mount Gay under license from the state board. The board lists no other licensed school in Mount Gay. 29 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,064 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 29 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. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
In West Virginia, the median cosmetologist earns $34,480, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $60,300. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Local concentration in West Virginia sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.
-
#20
South Suburban College
South Holland, IL · LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL
Associate
State board license
- Barbering
- Licensed since 2020
- Renews 2027-07
- No recorded discipline
What the record shows
Based in South Holland, South Suburban College is on the state board register. Its license dates back to 2020 and has not lapsed since. Its record sits in Cook County. Across all 2,042 students at the college, 28 percent finish, which covers barbering along with everything else it teaches. That 28 percent is low for this page, but it is the college's rate and the barbering program is a small part of it; the barbering department's own completions are the check. A program that awarded 1 credential all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. License 008000146 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here. 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. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
-
#21
Delta College
University Center, MI
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 1 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in University Center, Delta College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 27 percent of students across the college finish, out of 6,573 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 27 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. 1 credential in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Ask the state board directly whether the license is in good standing, because a lapse while you are enrolled costs you the hours rather than the school.
Where it leads
Around Bay City, the median cosmetologist earns $30,720, the bottom tenth $26,770 and the top tenth $93,780. The distance between $26,770 and $93,780 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. The metro median runs about 12 percent below the Michigan figure. There is almost no distance between entry pay and the middle, and a great deal between the middle and the top, so the first year is predictable and the tenth is what you make of it. Bay City employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 70 people.
-
#22
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST SCHOOL PUBLIC
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2014
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
What the record shows
College of DuPage trains in Addison, licensed by the state board. Its license dates back to 2014 and has not lapsed since. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board files it under Dupage County, if you are checking the register yourself. 25 percent of students across the college finish, out of 16,114 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 25 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. A program that awarded 7 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. License 015000554 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
-
#23
Honolulu Community College
Honolulu, HI
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 13 graduates a year
What the record shows
Honolulu Community College runs its cosmetology program in Honolulu and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 1,897 students at the college, 25 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 25 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Its 13 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,897. Ask the state board directly whether the license is in good standing, because a lapse while you are enrolled costs you the hours rather than the school.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Hawaii earn under $35,040, with the tenth percentile at $29,120 and the ninetieth at $73,820. The top of this market earns more than double the median, which is the part of the trade that rewards a following, and it takes years to build. Hawaii employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 930 people.
-
#24
Oakland Community College
Auburn Hills, MI
Associate
State board license
- Associate degree
- Public institution
What the record shows
Oakland Community College runs its cosmetology program in Auburn Hills and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 12,748 students at the college, 21 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 21 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The license from the state board is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Detroit-Warren-Dearborn earn under $34,960, with the tenth percentile at $27,210 and the ninetieth at $96,770. The distance between $27,210 and $96,770 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn employs the trade at about 1.3 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
-
#25
Surry Community College
Dobson, NC · Cosmetic Art School (Public)
Associate
State board license
- Cosmetology
What the record shows
Surry Community College is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners and trains in Dobson. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board records it as public rather than private. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Dobson. Across all 1,475 students at the college, 6 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 6 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. A program that awarded 6 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. License 200 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in North Carolina, the range runs $26,880 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,410. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, read 2026-08-28.
The remaining schools are listed by state below, and every school is on its own state page with the full record.
Cosmetology Associate Degree Programs by State
How many schools in each state meet the definition, with the schools listed there, from the College Scorecard and IPEDS. Each state page carries the board's own roster and hour requirement.
| State | Schools |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| California | 5 |
| Hawaii | 1 |
| Illinois | 2 |
| Indiana | 1 |
| Iowa | 2 |
| Michigan | 3 |
| New Mexico | 3 |
| North Carolina | 5 |
| Ohio | 2 |
| Oregon | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
| South Dakota | 1 |
| Texas | 2 |
| Washington | 4 |
| West Virginia | 1 |
| Wyoming | 1 |
Cosmetology Certificate vs Diploma vs Associate Degree
Certificate and diploma are two names for one thing: the school's proof that you finished the required clock hours. Which word a school prints on it is a house decision, and no state board grades you on the wording. That is what 1,534 of the 1,574 institutions in the federal data award for cosmetology, which makes it the normal outcome rather than the lesser one.
The associate degree is the only real difference in the set. It carries college credits, general education courses included, so it asks more of your time than the certificate at the same college does. The trade is that credits move. An associate degree can be applied toward a bachelor's later, and clock hours on their own usually cannot.
None of the three is your license. The license comes from your state board, after the hours it sets and the exam it accepts. And any of the three only counts if the school held a current license to operate while you were banking those hours, which is the first thing to check about any school on any list.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
When an Associate Degree in Cosmetology Is Worth the Extra Time
The clearest case is more school later. If there is any chance you will want a bachelor's, in business or education or anything else, credits you already hold are worth real money, and a clock-hour certificate rarely converts into them. That is the benefit of the degree nobody argues about.
Teaching is the second case. Instructor licenses are written state by state, and some boards want schooling beyond the cosmetology hours before they will let you teach. A degree can satisfy that where it is asked for, so check your own board before you enroll on the strength of it.
Pay is where to be careful. No figure on this site separates what associate degree graduates earn from what certificate holders earn in this trade, so a promised salary bump for the degree is a claim with nothing behind it. If running a salon is the goal, the salon manager page is a better place to start than a degree brochure.
There is a case against, too. If you want to be behind a chair as soon as your hours are done, the certificate is the shorter route, 1,534 institutions award one, and the license you end up holding looks identical to the degree holder's.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
The Colleges That Award It
California and North Carolina carry five each. The California group runs from Irvine Valley College, where 57% of students finish across the college and 10,286 are enrolled, through San Diego Miramar College at 48% of 11,271 and Yuba College in Marysville at 40% of 4,779, to Los Angeles Trade Technical College at 35% and Santa Barbara City College at 34%.
North Carolina's five start with Sampson Community College in Clinton, at 56% across 846 students, and Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst at 53% of 2,539. Then come Rockingham Community College in Wentworth at 35%, Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte at 31% of 15,067, and Surry Community College in Dobson at 6%.
Washington has four, Michigan and New Mexico three each, and Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Illinois two apiece. The highest completion figure belongs to a private for-profit, MediaTech Institute-Dallas, at 70% of 199 students, with a program cost of $35,200. Remington College-Cleveland Campus, a private nonprofit, sits at 55% of 197. Everything else on the list is a public college.
Read those percentages carefully. Each one describes a whole institution, cosmetology students and everyone else together, because these are multi-program colleges rather than beauty schools. The median across the list is 35%. A large open-admission college like College of DuPage, 16,114 students at 25%, is being measured on all of them, not on its cosmetology classroom.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Stays the Same Whichever Award You Earn
Three things do not move. Your state sets the clock hours for a cosmetologist license, the board exam is the same exam for degree and certificate candidates, and the school has to hold a current license to operate for the hours you sit through to count toward either award.
That last one is worth ten minutes of your time. Before you enroll anywhere, look the school up on your state board's own roster and confirm the license is active now, rather than trusting that it was active whenever the page you are reading was written.
The three states with the most of these programs each set their own hour rule and publish their own roster: California, North Carolina and Washington. And if what you want is a community college rather than the degree specifically, the community college list covers the same kind of school with its certificate programs included.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
What This List Does Not Tell You
The credential recorded here is the largest cosmetology award at the institution, and a college on this list usually offers the certificate as well. The state license depends on clock hours, not on the award, so an associate degree does not shorten the path to the exam anywhere. Every figure is quoted as published in the College Scorecard.
Nothing here checks a school's state board license, which is what makes your hours count toward the exam. Before you pay a deposit, find the school on its state page and confirm the license is current in the board's own lookup. How the rankings are built explains every figure used on this site.
Common Questions About Cosmetology Associate Degree Programs
Answers draw on the College Scorecard and IPEDS figures behind the list above, and on the state board rules linked from each state page.
Is cosmetology a certificate or a degree?
Can you get an associate degree in cosmetology?
How long is an associate degree in cosmetology?
Does an associate degree help you get licensed?
Do you need a degree to teach cosmetology?
Which states have the most associate degree cosmetology programs?
Sources
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study and institution files, June 2026 release. Completion, cost, debt, enrollment, ownership and credential for 1,574 institutions with a cosmetology program (CIP 12.04).
- National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and Directory files, 2023. Veteran services, religious affiliation, HBCU status and metro area, as reported by each institution.
- State board license files, read from each board directly and matched to the federal record by name and city. Each card cites its board and the date the file was read.