Long Beach, California
Cosmetology Schools in Long Beach, CA, Ranked (2026)
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Cosmetology schools in Long Beach are a case of one inside the city and dozens within driving distance. Thirty-nine schools in reach report completion figures to the federal government, 35 of them on cohorts big enough to rank, and exactly one of the 35 has a Long Beach address. Four more were too small to rank.
The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology approves three schools with Long Beach addresses, and that approval is what makes your hours count toward a license. Long Beach also shares its BLS wage series with Los Angeles, so the pay figures below describe the whole metro rather than this city alone.
Figures in this section: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 35 Cosmetology Schools in and Near Long Beach, Ranked on Completion
39 cosmetology programs report to the US Department of Education from inside Long Beach or within 30 miles of downtown. 35 of them had at least 40 students and a published completion figure, and they are ordered on the share of students who finish within half again the program's normal length. The other 4 had too few students to rank, so the list stops at 35.
Where a school's board record was matched, the card carries it. A school that appears here without one is not unlicensed; it means the board's file and the federal file did not agree on its name, and the California page links the board's own lookup.
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#1
Universal College of Beauty Inc-Los Angeles 2
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 8 exam candidates
- $20,175 program cost
What the record shows
Universal College of Beauty Inc-Los Angeles 2 operates in Los Angeles under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 8 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 5 passed, giving 63 percent. Cosmetology is its largest cohort at 6 of 8 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 6 points below, though a single school's cohort moves more than a state's does. It is a small program, so the rate rests on a modest number of candidates. With 17 licensed schools in Los Angeles, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. The school graduates 100 percent, on a fall headcount of 44. It charges $20,175 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. More of its students finish than at most schools on this page, 100 percent against 85, and the price is 78 percent over the $11,350 median. The premium buys better odds of reaching the exam, and the course you do not finish is the one that costs the most. 17 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is a small cohort, which usually buys more chair time with an instructor and a shorter wait for the clinic floor. Check its license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 3 of 6 50% esthetics 2 of 2 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#2
Redondo Beach Beauty College
Torrance, CA · Board-approved school
100%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- 30 exam candidates
- $10,100 program cost
What the record shows
Redondo Beach Beauty College operates in Torrance under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 19 of its 30 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 63 percent. The bulk of its testing is nail technology, 23 of 30 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. That is 6 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. Its 30 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. Of the 43 students in its fall count, 100 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $10,100 for the full program. 15 points more of its students finish than the 85 percent median, priced within 12 percent of the $11,350 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 67 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 43, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 16 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. 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
nail technology 15 of 23 65% esthetics 3 of 6 50% cosmetology 1 of 1 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#3
Victory Career College
Carson, CA · Board-approved school
94%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- 17 exam candidates
- $12,600 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Carson, Victory Career College is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. 14 of its 17 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 82 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. Esthetics is its largest cohort at 8 of 17 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 13 points above. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Carson. Of 100 enrolled in the fall count, 94 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $12,600 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,332 in federal loans, across 74 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. $12,600 is within 12 percent of the $11,350 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 94 percent against 85. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 63 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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
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. 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. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
esthetics 8 of 8 100% nail technology 4 of 5 80% cosmetology 2 of 4 50% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#4
Thanh Le College School of Cosmetology
Garden Grove, CA · Board-approved school
94%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 18 exam candidates
- $10,100 program cost
What the record shows
Thanh Le College School of Cosmetology operates in Garden Grove under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 18 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 9 passed, giving 50 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Most of its candidates, 14 of 18, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. That is 19 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. It is a small program, so the rate rests on a modest number of candidates. Garden Grove has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 94 percent of students see the course through, out of 43 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $10,100 for the full program. 9 points more of its students finish than the 85 percent median, priced within 12 percent of the $11,350 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 41 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 43 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. 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
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 upside is capped near 1.7 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
nail technology 7 of 14 50% cosmetology 1 of 2 50% esthetics 1 of 2 50% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#5
Career Academy of Beauty
Garden Grove, CA · Board-approved school
92%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- Barbering
- 72 exam candidates
- $14,625 program cost
What the record shows
Career Academy of Beauty is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Garden Grove. The board recorded 72 first-time candidates from this school, 57 of whom passed, at 79 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The bulk of its testing is esthetics, 36 of 72 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. Its esthetics candidates passed at 78 percent, 28 of 36, which is where most of the school's result comes from. That is 10 points above 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 8 licensed schools in Garden Grove, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 92 percent of its students finish, out of 219 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $14,625 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 212 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. Paying 29 percent over the $11,350 median buys 7 points of completion over the 85 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 201 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 219 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. The upside is capped near 1.7 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
esthetics 28 of 36 78% cosmetology 23 of 30 77% barbering 6 of 6 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#6
Diamond Beauty College
South El Monte, CA · Board-approved school
90%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 40 exam candidates
- $4,200 program cost
What the record shows
Diamond Beauty College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in South El Monte. Of 40 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 27 passed, giving 68 percent. Most of its candidates, 21 of 40, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. There, 14 of 21 passed, so the headline rate is mostly that program. That sits close to the 69 percent statewide first-time rate. Two quarters produced 40 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. It is the only licensed school the board lists in South El Monte. The school graduates 90 percent, on a fall headcount of 67. The published cost is $4,200 for the full program. More finish here than at the typical school on this page, 90 percent against 85, and the price is 63 percent under the $11,350 median: the two numbers point the same way. It awarded 103 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 67, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
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. 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. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
nail technology 14 of 21 67% cosmetology 10 of 13 77% esthetics 3 of 6 50% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#7
Asian-American International Beauty College
Westminster, CA · Board-approved school
90%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 193 exam candidates
- $1,400 program cost
What the record shows
Asian-American International Beauty College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Westminster. The board recorded 193 first-time candidates from this school, 139 of whom passed, at 72 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. Most of its candidates, 108 of 193, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. Performance varies by license, from 81 percent in cosmetology down to 33 percent in esthetics. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 3 points above. It is one of the larger testing centers in the state by candidate volume. 90 percent of students see the course through, out of 442 enrolled. The published cost is $1,400 for the full program. 5 points above the 85 percent median puts it in the top part of this page on the outcome a clock-hour course is bought for. 568 credentials in the year from a fall count of 442: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. The upside is capped near 1.7 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
nail technology 79 of 108 73% cosmetology 54 of 67 81% esthetics 6 of 18 33% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#8
KC Beauty Academy
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
90%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- 14 exam candidates
- $11,600 program cost
What the record shows
KC Beauty Academy trains in Los Angeles, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 10 of its 14 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 71 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. Esthetics is its largest cohort at 7 of 14 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The statewide first-time rate is 69 percent, so it is about average on this measure. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. With 17 licensed schools in Los Angeles, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 90 percent of its students finish, out of 41 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $11,600 for the full program. $11,600 is within 3 percent of the $11,350 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 90 percent against 85. That is the better half of the trade. 71 credentials in the year from a fall count of 41: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. 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
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 16 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
esthetics 6 of 7 86% cosmetology 3 of 6 50% nail technology 1 of 1 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#9
Santa Ana Beauty College
Santa Ana, CA · Board-approved school
89%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 112 exam candidates
- $7,100 program cost
What the record shows
Santa Ana Beauty College trains in Santa Ana, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 112 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 73 passed, giving 65 percent. Cosmetology is its largest cohort at 52 of 112 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The result is uneven by license: 79 percent in cosmetology against 38 percent in barbering. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 4 points below, though a single school's cohort moves more than a state's does. It is one of the larger testing centers in the state by candidate volume. 89 percent of students see the course through, out of 99 enrolled. The published cost is $7,100 for the full program. It charges 37 percent less than the $11,350 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. 70 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
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. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 16 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 41 of 52 79% nail technology 21 of 31 68% esthetics 8 of 21 38% barbering 3 of 8 38% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#10
International College of Beauty Arts & Sciences
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
88%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- 21 exam candidates
- $11,100 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Los Angeles, International College of Beauty Arts & Sciences is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. Of 21 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 17 passed, giving 81 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. Esthetics is its largest cohort at 14 of 21 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. That is 12 points above the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. Los Angeles has 17 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 88 percent of its students finish, out of 62 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $11,100 for the full program. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 88 percent against 85 and $11,100 against $11,350, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. It awarded 91 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 62, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
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. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 16 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. 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
esthetics 11 of 14 79% cosmetology 4 of 5 80% nail technology 2 of 2 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#11
Coastline Beauty College
Fountain Valley, CA · Board-approved school
87%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 52 exam candidates
- $7,600 program cost
What the record shows
Coastline Beauty College trains in Fountain Valley, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. The board recorded 52 first-time candidates from this school, 33 of whom passed, at 63 percent. The bulk of its testing is nail technology, 23 of 52 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. The result is uneven by license: 74 percent in nail technology against 50 percent in esthetics. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 6 points below. Two quarters produced 52 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Fountain Valley. Of 203 enrolled in the fall count, 87 percent finish. The published cost is $7,600 for the full program. It charges 33 percent less than the $11,350 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. It awarded 186 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 203 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. 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
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. The upside is capped near 1.7 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
nail technology 17 of 23 74% cosmetology 12 of 21 57% esthetics 4 of 8 50% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#12
Salon Success Academy-West Covina
West Covina, CA · Board-approved school
87%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- 22 exam candidates
- $16,100 program cost
What the record shows
Salon Success Academy-West Covina trains in West Covina, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 22 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 16 passed, giving 73 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The largest share of its candidates, 9 of 22, tested in cosmetology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. There, 6 of 9 passed, so the headline rate is mostly that program. That is 4 points above the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. 87 percent of students see the course through, out of 75 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $16,100 for the full program. Salon Success campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $7,177 in federal loans at the median over 278 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $76 a month. It charges 42 percent over the $11,350 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the extra price is not buying a better completion rate. 98 credentials in the year from a fall count of 75: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. 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
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. The upside is capped near 1.7 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 6 of 9 67% esthetics 6 of 8 75% nail technology 4 of 5 80% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#13
Los Angeles College of Aesthetics
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
85%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 36 exam candidates
- $9,075 program cost
What the record shows
Los Angeles College of Aesthetics trains in Los Angeles, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 36 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 25 passed, giving 69 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The bulk of its testing is nail technology, 16 of 36 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. Performance varies by license, from 88 percent in nail technology down to 54 percent in esthetics. The statewide first-time rate is 69 percent, so it is about average on this measure. Two quarters produced 36 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. Los Angeles has 17 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 85 percent of the 117 students it enrolls finish. Tuition is reported at $9,075 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $3,823 in federal loans, measured over 94 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $41 a month. It charges 20 percent less than the $11,350 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. It awarded 106 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 117 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. 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. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
nail technology 14 of 16 88% esthetics 7 of 13 54% barbering 4 of 6 67% cosmetology 0 of 1 0% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#14
Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, CA · Board-approved school
82%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 137 exam candidates
- $10,765 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa operates in Costa Mesa under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 92 of its 137 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 67 percent. Cosmetology is its largest cohort at 79 of 137 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The result is uneven by license: 83 percent in esthetics against 38 percent in barbering. The statewide first-time rate is 69 percent, so it is about average on this measure. Few schools in the state put through more candidates. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Costa Mesa. 82 percent of its students finish, out of 395 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $10,765 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Paul Mitchell campuses in the federal file, 70 borrowers at a median of $7,232 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 82 percent against 85 and $10,765 against $11,350, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 331 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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 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. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 16 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 51 of 79 65% esthetics 35 of 42 83% barbering 6 of 16 38% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#15
Borner's Barber College
Los Angeles, CA · Board-approved school
78%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- 2 exam candidates
- $13,500 program cost
What the record shows
Borner's Barber College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Los Angeles. 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. The board recorded 2 first-time candidates from this school, 1 of whom passed, at 50 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 19 points below. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. With 17 licensed schools in Los Angeles, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 78 percent of its students finish, out of 54 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $13,500 for the full program. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 78 percent, 7 points under the 85 percent median, is about what this page does. $13,500 is 19 percent over the $11,350 median for a similar hour count, which needs a reason. It awarded 8 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 54 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Check its license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Half of barbers around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $37,680, with the tenth percentile at $36,960 and the ninetieth at $89,070. The tenth percentile sits within $720 of the median, so the published median is close to the entry wage here, and what sits above it is tips and a following. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 470 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#16
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
La Puente, CA · Board-approved school
77%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 71 exam candidates
- $2,123 program cost
What the record shows
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in La Puente. Of 71 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 53 passed, giving 75 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The bulk of its testing is esthetics, 40 of 71 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. The result is uneven by license: 83 percent in esthetics against 60 percent in barbering. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 6 points above. Few schools in the state put through more candidates. The board lists no other licensed school in La Puente. 77 percent of students across the school finish, out of 491 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 77 percent is low for this page, but it is the school's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $2,123. It awarded 274 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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
esthetics 33 of 40 83% nail technology 7 of 11 64% barbering 6 of 10 60% cosmetology 7 of 10 70% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#17
Professional Institute of Beauty
El Monte, CA · Board-approved school
76%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- 19 exam candidates
- $15,075 program cost
What the record shows
Based in El Monte, Professional Institute of Beauty is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. Of 19 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 11 passed, giving 58 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. All of its candidates tested in cosmetology. That is 11 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. It is a small program, so the rate rests on a modest number of candidates. It is the only licensed school the board lists in El Monte. Of the 93 students in its fall count, 76 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $15,075 for the full program. The median graduate left with $3,380 in federal loans, across 51 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $36 a month. That is a small share of the $15,075 price, so most of it is being met some other way. 9 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median and it costs 33 percent over the $11,350 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 74 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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
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. 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#18
Coba Academy
Anaheim, CA · Board-approved school
76%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 31 exam candidates
- $14,625 program cost
What the record shows
Coba Academy is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Anaheim. Of 31 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 14 passed, giving 45 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. The largest share of its candidates, 14 of 31, tested in barbering, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. The 43 percent there, 6 of 14, sets much of the overall figure. That is 24 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. Its 31 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Anaheim. 76 percent of its students finish, out of 109 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $14,625 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,990 in federal loans, across 83 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $74 a month. 9 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median and it costs 29 percent over the $11,350 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 96 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. On concentration, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
barbering 6 of 14 43% cosmetology 5 of 11 45% esthetics 3 of 6 50% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#19
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education
Baldwin Park, CA · Board-approved school
71%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 28 exam candidates
- $1,665 program cost
What the record shows
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education trains in Baldwin Park, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 28 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 15 passed, giving 54 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Barbering is its largest cohort at 18 of 28 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The result is uneven by license: 67 percent in barbering against 30 percent in cosmetology. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 15 points below, though a single school's cohort moves more than a state's does. Two quarters produced 28 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. The board lists no other licensed school in Baldwin Park. 71 percent of students across the school finish, out of 426 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 71 percent is low for this page, but it is the school's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $1,665. It awarded 68 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
barbering 12 of 18 67% cosmetology 3 of 10 30% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#20
American Beauty College
West Covina, CA · Board-approved school
69%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Barbering
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- 34 exam candidates
- $18,000 program cost
What the record shows
American Beauty College trains in West Covina, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 19 of its 34 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 56 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Cosmetology is its largest cohort at 14 of 34 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. Performance varies by license, from 75 percent in esthetics down to 36 percent in cosmetology. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 13 points below. Its 34 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. 69 percent of students see the course through, out of 334 enrolled. The published cost is $18,000 for the full program. 63 graduates borrowed, at a median of $5,775 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $61 a month. 16 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median and it costs 59 percent over the $11,350 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. It awarded 186 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock 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. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 16 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 5 of 14 36% barbering 8 of 11 73% esthetics 6 of 8 75% nail technology 0 of 1 0% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#21
CRU Institute of Cosmetology and Barbering
Garden Grove, CA · Board-approved school
68%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- 25 exam candidates
- $15,750 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Garden Grove, CRU Institute of Cosmetology and Barbering is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. The board recorded 25 first-time candidates from this school, 15 of whom passed, at 60 percent. Its candidates sat only the barbering exam. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 9 points below, though a single school's cohort moves more than a state's does. It is a small program, so the rate rests on a modest number of candidates. Garden Grove has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The school graduates 68 percent, on a fall headcount of 91. Tuition is reported at $15,750 for the full program. 17 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median and it costs 39 percent over the $11,350 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 84 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 91 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. 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. 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.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#22
Advance Beauty College
Garden Grove, CA · Board-approved school
67%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 156 exam candidates
- $6,995 program cost
What the record shows
Advance Beauty College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Garden Grove. 97 of its 156 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 62 percent. Most of its candidates, 79 of 156, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. There, 55 of 79 passed, so the headline rate is mostly that program. That is 7 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. Garden Grove has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 67 percent of students see the course through, out of 346 enrolled. The published cost is $6,995 for the full program. $6,995 is 38 percent under the $11,350 median, and 18 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. 569 credentials in the year from a fall count of 346: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. 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
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. 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. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
nail technology 55 of 79 70% cosmetology 25 of 46 54% esthetics 16 of 30 53% barbering 1 of 1 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#23
John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College
Long Beach, CA · Board-approved school
60%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 3 exam candidates
- $15,790 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Long Beach, John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. 2 of its 3 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 67 percent. Barbering is its largest cohort at 2 of 3 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. That sits close to the 69 percent statewide first-time rate. The cohort is small, which makes the rate move more from year to year. The school graduates 60 percent, on a fall headcount of 57. The published cost is $15,790 for the full program. Only 60 in a hundred finish here, 25 points under the 85 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $15,790 price against it. It awarded 21 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
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. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 16 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
barbering 1 of 2 50% cosmetology 1 of 1 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#24
Paul Mitchell the School-Pasadena
Pasadena, CA · Board-approved school
58%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 50 exam candidates
- $18,237 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Pasadena trains in Pasadena, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 50 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 31 passed, giving 62 percent. The largest share of its candidates, 25 of 50, tested in cosmetology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. Performance varies by license, from 80 percent in barbering down to 48 percent in cosmetology. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 7 points below. Two quarters produced 50 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. 58 percent of students see the course through across two years of students, out of 170 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $18,237 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $10,556 in federal loans at the median, 220 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $112 a month. Only 58 in a hundred finish here, 27 points under the 85 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $18,237 price against it. It awarded 163 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 170 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Check its license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
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. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 12 of 25 48% esthetics 11 of 15 73% barbering 8 of 10 80% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#25
Irvine Valley College
Irvine, CA
57%
Share of students who finish
- 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. Most of the students behind that 57 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The award here is an associate degree rather than the certificate most cosmetology programs issue, so the hours come with transferable college credit attached. It is a public college, so the cosmetology course is priced at in-district tuition rather than at an academy price. 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
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. 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. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Other Licensed Cosmetology Schools in Long Beach
California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology lists 3 currently licensed schools in Long Beach. These 2 appear above, either because the school takes no federal aid and so reports no completion figure, or because its cohort was too small to rank. Being on this list means the board licenses the school, which is the thing that makes your hours count.
| School | License |
|---|---|
| Master Academy | Board-approved school |
| Master Barbering Academy | Board-approved school |
What California Requires and Why This List Is Ordered on Completion
A cosmetologist license in California takes 1,000 clock hours, the figure SB 803 wrote into law, and those hours only count if the school appears on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology's Approved School List. Board approval is separate from the approval a private school needs from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, and one does not stand in for the other.
The California ranking orders schools on the board's own written exam pass rates, which is the strongest per-school measure any cosmetology board in the country publishes. This page orders on the federal completion figure instead, the share of students who finished what they started, so the same school can land in two different places on the two lists. Read them together.
Three schools with Long Beach addresses sit on the approved list: John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College, Master Academy and Master Barbering Academy. Each is approved for cosmetology, barbering, esthetics and nail technology. Two of the three carry no federal completion figure, which is ordinary for clock-hour schools and tells you nothing about the training inside them.
Figures in this section: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; College Scorecard, June 2026.
One Long Beach School on the List and 34 Within Driving Distance
John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College is the only ranked school in the city, a mile from the center, and it sits 23rd of 35, finishing 60% of 57 students at $15,790. That is the trade-off this page is really about: the shortest commute in Long Beach is not the strongest completion figure on the list.
The two schools at the top are a drive. Universal College of Beauty Inc-Los Angeles 2 finished 100%, but on 44 students, so a single person moves that figure by more than two points, and it is 18 miles out at $20,175. Redondo Beach Beauty College in Torrance also finished 100%, on 43 students, nine miles away at $10,100.
Closer in, Victory Career College in Carson is third at 94% of 100 students, seven miles out at $12,600. The strongest combination of size and price is Asian-American International Beauty College in Westminster, 12 miles away, which finished 90% of 442 students at $1,400 for the program, the cheapest here against $20,175 at the top. Our most affordable schools gather that end nationally.
Twelve of the 35 are public colleges or adult schools, so their completion figures describe a whole institution rather than the cosmetology course, and they cluster near the bottom for that reason. Community college programs collects them, and the methodology sets out where a completion rate stops being useful.
Figures in this section: BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What the Los Angeles and Long Beach Metro Pays
Every wage figure on this page covers the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Anaheim metro as one labor market. It employs 10,910 hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists at a $43,500 median in the BLS May 2025 release, about $4,840 above California's $38,660, with the bottom tenth at $36,490 and the top tenth at $73,260.
Barbering has the widest spread of the four trades here. The metro's 470 barbers report a $37,680 median and a $36,960 bottom tenth, only $720 apart, while the top tenth reaches $89,070. That shape is the honest version of what chair work pays: a floor most people sit close to and a ceiling a few reach. Barber pay nationally is the steadier comparison.
Skin and nails run flatter. Skincare specialists earn a $37,560 median on 4,500 employed, a little under California's $38,770, though they are 1.53 times as concentrated in this metro as they are nationally. Manicurists and pedicurists number 15,050 at a $36,570 median, and their band is unusually tight, $35,320 at the bottom tenth and $38,170 at the top.
None of these numbers count booth renters. BLS surveys employers, so a Long Beach stylist renting a chair and billing her own clients sits outside every figure above, and that is a large share of the trade in this metro. Treat the medians as the middle of salon employment, not the middle of the profession.
Figures in this section: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What Cosmetology Careers Pay in Long Beach
Median annual pay in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, from the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. A cosmetologist here earns a median of $43,500 against $38,660 across California, with 10,910 employed in the metro. Booth renters and salon owners are self-employed and outside the survey, so these figures describe stylists on a payroll.
- Cosmetologists $43,500 $43,500
- Barbers $37,680 $37,680
- Estheticians $37,560 $37,560
- Nail technicians $36,570 $36,570
| Occupation | Metro median | California median |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetologists | $43,500 | $38,660 |
| Barbers | $37,680 | $38,380 |
| Estheticians | $37,560 | $38,770 |
| Nail technicians | $36,570 | $36,630 |
Each occupation has its own salary page with the range and every state, and a career page on the work and the license it needs.
Cosmetology Schools in Nearby Cities
Los Angeles shares the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA wage series with Long Beach, and many of the schools within 30 miles appear on that page too.
Common Questions About Cosmetology School in Long Beach
Answers draw on California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, the College Scorecard and the May 2025 BLS wage release.
How many hours of cosmetology school do you need in Long Beach?
Which Long Beach beauty schools are approved by the state board?
Why does this Long Beach ranking include schools in Torrance and Carson?
Which school near Long Beach finishes the most students?
What do hairdressers earn around Long Beach?
Why is this Long Beach list ordered differently from the California ranking?
Sources
- California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, school license records, read 2026-08-28. Hour requirement for a cosmetologist license: 1,000 clock hours, cited to the rule.
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Completion, enrollment, cost and location for every cosmetology program (CIP 12.04) within 30 miles of downtown Long Beach. Each card links its institution's Scorecard page.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Metro-area wages and employment for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.