Oakland, California
Cosmetology Schools in Oakland, CA, Ranked (2026)
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Cosmetology schools in Oakland are a short walk or a long drive, with not much in between. Six schools with Oakland addresses hold California board approval, but only two of them report completion figures to the federal government, and both land at the bottom of the ranked list. Everything above them means crossing a bridge or heading out into Contra Costa County.
Eleven schools in reach report federal data, ten of them on cohorts big enough to rank and one too small. Oakland shares its BLS wage series with San Francisco, so the pay figures below cover both sides of the bay, and the trades split further apart here than the school list does.
Figures in this section: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 10 Cosmetology Schools in and Near Oakland, Ranked on Completion
11 cosmetology programs report to the US Department of Education from inside Oakland or within 30 miles of downtown. 10 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 1 had too few students to rank, so the list stops at 10.
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.
| # | School | Miles | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc | 8 | 87% |
| 2 | J D Academy of Salon and Spa | 15 | 79% |
| 3 | Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay | 15 | 78% |
| 4 | Urban Barber College | 17 | 78% |
| 5 | Hilltop Beauty School | 12 | 73% |
| 6 | Hinton Barber and Beauty College | 21 | 63% |
| 7 | Cinta Aveda Institute | 7 | 62% |
| 8 | College of San Mateo | 19 | 61% |
| 9 | Laney College | 1 | 31% |
| 10 | Moler Barber College | 1 | 23% |
-
#1
San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc
San Francisco, CA · Board-approved school
87%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Barbering
- 50 exam candidates
- $13,215 program cost
What the record shows
San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in San Francisco. Of 50 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 42 passed, giving 84 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The largest share of its candidates, 23 of 50, tested in esthetics, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. The 74 percent there, 17 of 23, sets much of the overall figure. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 15 points above. Its 50 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. 87 percent of students see the course through, out of 167 enrolled. It charges $13,215 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 165 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 19 points more of its students finish than the 68 percent median, priced within 6 percent of the $13,923 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 180 credentials in the year from a fall count of 167: 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
Pay for cosmetologists around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs from $35,540 at the tenth percentile to $54,940 at the ninetieth, with a median of $42,400. The metro median is about 10 percent above the California figure. The ninetieth percentile at $54,940 is 1.3 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. Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the gap between esthetics and nail technology is real: a $52,350 median against one 21 percent lower. On concentration, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
esthetics 17 of 23 74% cosmetology 17 of 19 89% nail technology 6 of 6 100% barbering 2 of 2 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#2
J D Academy of Salon and Spa
Danville, CA · Board-approved school
79%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 37 exam candidates
- $13,350 program cost
What the record shows
J D Academy of Salon and Spa is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Danville. Of 37 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 32 passed, giving 86 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. The bulk of its testing is cosmetology, 20 of 37 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. The 95 percent there, 19 of 20, sets much of the overall figure. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 17 points above. Two quarters produced 37 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. The board lists no other licensed school in Danville. 79 percent of its students finish, out of 91 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $13,350 for the full program. 120 graduates borrowed, at a median of $6,211 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $66 a month. $13,350 is within 5 percent of the $13,923 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 79 percent against 68. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 135 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 91, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
For cosmetologists around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the range runs $35,540 to $54,940 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $42,400. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 10 percent higher on median pay. The ninetieth percentile at $54,940 is 1.3 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. Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the gap between esthetics and nail technology is real: a $52,350 median against one 21 percent lower. On concentration, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 19 of 20 95% esthetics 13 of 17 76% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#3
Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay
Pleasant Hill, CA · Board-approved school
78%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 61 exam candidates
- $20,075 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Pleasant Hill, Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. 37 of its 61 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 61 percent. Most of its candidates, 32 of 61, tested in cosmetology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. The 63 percent there, 20 of 32, sets much of the overall figure. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 8 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. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Pleasant Hill. Of the 184 students in its fall count, 78 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $20,075 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $12,850 in federal loans, measured over 153 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $136 a month. Paying 44 percent over the $13,923 median buys 10 points of completion over the 68 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. It awarded 171 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 184 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
For cosmetologists around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the range runs $35,540 to $54,940 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $42,400. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 10 percent higher on median pay. The upside is capped near 1.3 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. Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, esthetics pays a $52,350 median, about 26 percent above nail technology. On concentration, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 20 of 32 63% esthetics 15 of 27 56% barbering 2 of 2 100% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#4
Urban Barber College
Concord, CA · Board-approved school
78%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- 29 exam candidates
- $14,950 program cost
What the record shows
Urban Barber College trains in Concord, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. This is a specialist: a barber license, not cosmetology. The work is men's cutting, shaving and beard work, the course is a similar hour count to cosmetology, and it does not license color, chemical services or the full cosmetology scope, so compare it with the other specialists here rather than with the full-service schools. 17 of its 29 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 59 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 10 points below. Its 29 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. Of the 224 students in its fall count, 78 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $14,950 for the full program. The median graduate left with $9,855 in federal loans, across 88 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 78 percent, 10 points over the 68 percent median, is a good sign. $14,950 is within 8 percent of the $13,923 median for a similar hour count, which is the going rate. It awarded 89 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 barbers around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs from $40,270 at the tenth percentile to $112,250 at the ninetieth, with a median of $43,650. The metro median is about 14 percent above the California 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. The occupation is about as common around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#5
Hilltop Beauty School
Daly City, CA · Board-approved school
73%
Share of students who finish
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- 40 exam candidates
- $14,245 program cost
What the record shows
Hilltop Beauty School trains in Daly City, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 40 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 16 passed, giving 40 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Most of its candidates, 21 of 40, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. Its nail technology candidates passed at 38 percent, 8 of 21, which is where most of the school's result comes from. That is 29 points below the 69 percent statewide first-time rate, which is the comparison that holds whatever list you are reading. Its 40 candidates over two quarters make it a mid-sized program by state standards. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Daly City. 73 percent of students see the course through, out of 77 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $14,245 for the full program. 5 points more of its students finish than the 68 percent median, priced within 3 percent of the $13,923 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 64 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont earn under $42,400, with the tenth percentile at $35,540 and the ninetieth at $54,940. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 10 percent higher on median pay. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.3 times the median and the floor sits 16 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, esthetics pays a $52,350 median, about 26 percent above nail technology. Local concentration around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits near the national average.
Exam results by license
nail technology 8 of 21 38% cosmetology 8 of 19 42% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#6
Hinton Barber and Beauty College
Vallejo, CA · Board-approved school
63%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- 2 exam candidates
- $13,600 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Vallejo, Hinton Barber and Beauty College is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. 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. All of its candidates tested in barbering. 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. The board lists no other licensed school in Vallejo. The school graduates 63 percent, on a fall headcount of 50. It charges $13,600 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 61 graduates borrowed, at a median of $14,556 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $154 a month. That median loan is larger than the $13,600 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. 5 points fewer of its students finish than the 68 percent median, priced within 3 percent of the $13,923 median, so you would be paying the going rate for worse odds of getting through. Ask the school what happens to the ones who leave. 46 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 50 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 Vallejo earn under $38,640, with the tenth percentile at $36,150 and the ninetieth at $63,490. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. This is a comparatively thin market: Vallejo runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 170 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#7
Cinta Aveda Institute
San Francisco, CA · Board-approved school
62%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- Barbering
- 35 exam candidates
- $12,100 program cost
What the record shows
Based in San Francisco, Cinta Aveda Institute is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. Of 35 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 25 passed, giving 71 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. Esthetics is its largest cohort at 20 of 35 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The 65 percent there, 13 of 20, sets much of the overall figure. That sits close to the 69 percent statewide first-time rate. Two quarters produced 35 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. 62 percent of its students finish, out of 117 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $12,100 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 221 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. $12,100 is 13 percent under the $13,923 median, and 6 points fewer finish than the 68 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. 121 credentials in the year from a fall count of 117: 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
Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the median cosmetologist earns $42,400, the bottom tenth $35,540 and the top tenth $54,940. The metro median is about 10 percent above the California figure. The ninetieth percentile at $54,940 is 1.3 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. Around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the gap between esthetics and nail technology is real: a $52,350 median against one 21 percent lower. Local concentration around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits near the national average.
Exam results by license
esthetics 13 of 20 65% cosmetology 9 of 11 82% barbering 3 of 4 75% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#8
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA · Board-approved school
61%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 18 exam candidates
What the record shows
College of San Mateo operates in San Mateo under license from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 12 of its 18 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 67 percent. Most of its candidates, 16 of 18, tested in cosmetology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. The statewide first-time rate is 69 percent, so it is about average on this measure. It is a small program, so the rate rests on a modest number of candidates. 61 percent of students across the college finish, out of 7,977 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 61 percent is low for this page, but it is the college's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. Its 23 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 7,977. It is a public college, so the cosmetology course is priced at in-district tuition rather than at an academy price. 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the range runs $35,540 to $54,940 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $42,400. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 10 percent higher on median pay. The ninetieth percentile at $54,940 is 1.3 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. Esthetics and nail technology do not pay alike around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont: esthetics carries a $52,350 median, roughly 26 percent above nail technology. The occupation is about as common around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
cosmetology 12 of 16 75% esthetics 0 of 2 0% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#9
Laney College
Oakland, CA · Board-approved school
31%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- 8 exam candidates
What the record shows
Laney College trains in Oakland, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 6 of its 8 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 75 percent. That runs above the 64 percent median across the schools ranked here. All of its candidates tested in cosmetology. That is 6 points above 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. Oakland has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Across all 6,842 students at the college, 31 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 31 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Its 35 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 6,842. It is a public college, so the cosmetology course is priced at in-district tuition rather than at an academy price. 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, the median cosmetologist earns $42,400, the bottom tenth $35,540 and the top tenth $54,940. The metro median is about 10 percent above the California figure. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.3 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. Esthetics and nail technology do not pay alike around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont: esthetics carries a $52,350 median, roughly 26 percent above nail technology. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 3,370 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
-
#10
Moler Barber College
Oakland, CA · Board-approved school
23%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Esthetics
- Cosmetology
- 12 exam candidates
- $16,393 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Oakland, Moler Barber College is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. It trains toward a barber license only, which is a similar hour count to cosmetology, leads to men's cutting, shaving and beard work, and does not license color, chemical services or the full cosmetology scope. That makes it a different decision from the full cosmetology schools on this page rather than a smaller version of one. The board recorded 12 first-time candidates from this school, 5 of whom passed, at 42 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 64 percent. Most of its candidates, 7 of 12, tested in barbering, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 27 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. Oakland has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 23 percent of its students finish, out of 411 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $16,393 for the full program. 157 graduates borrowed, at a median of $12,445 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $132 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 23 percent, 45 points under the 68 percent median, is the first thing to ask about. $16,393 is 18 percent over the $13,923 median for a similar hour count, which needs a reason. 240 students completed a credential here 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
Pay for barbers around San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs from $40,270 at the tenth percentile to $112,250 at the ninetieth, with a median of $43,650. The metro median is about 14 percent above the California figure. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. On concentration, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Exam results by license
barbering 3 of 7 43% esthetics 2 of 4 50% cosmetology 0 of 1 0% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
Other Licensed Cosmetology Schools in Oakland
California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology lists 6 currently licensed schools in Oakland. These 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Katie Skills Center | Board-approved school |
| National Cosmetology Beauty School | Board-approved school |
| Oakland Barber Academy | Board-approved school |
| The Brothers & Sisters BarberCosmo Academy | Board-approved school |
What California Requires of an Oakland Beauty School
A cosmetologist license in California takes 1,000 clock hours, written into law by SB 803, and the hours count only if the school appears on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology's Approved School List. That approval is separate from the one a private school needs from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, and holding either one does not imply the other.
Six schools carry Oakland addresses on the approved list: Katie Skills Center, Laney College, Moler Barber College, National Cosmetology Beauty School, Oakland Barber Academy and The Brothers & Sisters BarberCosmo Academy. Each is approved across cosmetology, barbering, esthetics and nail technology. Four of the six have no federal completion figure, which is normal in a clock-hour field and says nothing about them.
The California ranking orders schools on the board's published written exam pass rates, the strongest per-school outcome any cosmetology board in the country puts out. This city page orders on the federal completion figure instead, which measures who finished rather than who passed, so the two lists can rate the same school differently. The methodology covers the difference.
Figures in this section: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; College Scorecard, June 2026.
Both Oakland Schools Rank Last, and What That Actually Means
Laney College is ninth of ten at 31% and Moler Barber College tenth at 23%, and both are a mile from the center. Read the two numbers differently. Laney is a public college of 6,842 students, so its completion figure describes the whole institution rather than the cosmetology course, and it belongs with the other community college programs.
Moler Barber College is the one to look at hard. It finished 23% of 411 students, charges $16,393 and its graduates carry $12,445 in median debt. A low completion figure on a large enrollment is the pattern worth avoiding anywhere, because the debt arrives whether or not the hours do, and in this trade unfinished hours never become a license.
The top of the list is a commute. San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc is first at 87% of 167 students, eight miles away at $13,215 with $6,333 in median debt. J D Academy of Salon and Spa in Danville is second at 79% of 91 students, 15 miles out, and Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay in Pleasant Hill is third at 78% of 184, also 15 miles.
Distances matter more here than the ranks do. Cinta Aveda Institute is seven miles out, Hilltop Beauty School in Daly City 12, College of San Mateo 19, and Hinton Barber and Beauty College in Vallejo 21. A 1,000-hour program is months of daily travel, so price the commute alongside the tuition before you sign anything.
Figures in this section: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Hair, Skin and Barber Work Pays Around Oakland
Across the San Francisco, Oakland and Fremont metro, 3,370 people work as hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists at a median of $42,400 in the BLS May 2025 release, against $38,660 across California. The local band is tight: $35,540 at the bottom tenth and $54,940 at the top, where the state's top tenth runs to $68,640.
Skin work is where this metro pulls away from the state. Skincare specialists report a $52,350 median on 1,920 employed, $13,580 above California's $38,770, and they are 1.72 times as concentrated here as they are nationally. The top tenth reaches $80,980. Esthetician pay by state shows how unusual that gap is.
Barbering pays above hair in this metro, at a $43,650 median with a $40,270 bottom tenth, and its top tenth reaches $112,250. That last figure is measured across 170 barbers, few enough that one survey year moves it sharply, so treat it as a ceiling that exists rather than one to plan on. Barber pay nationally is the steadier number.
Nails sit in the middle and stay there: 4,040 manicurists and pedicurists at a $41,600 median, above California's $36,630, in a narrow band from $35,270 to $43,610. Every figure here counts wage and salary workers only, so Oakland stylists renting a chair and billing their own clients are outside all of them.
Figures in this section: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What Cosmetology Careers Pay in Oakland
Median annual pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, from the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. A cosmetologist here earns a median of $42,400 against $38,660 across California, with 3,370 employed in the metro. Booth renters and salon owners are self-employed and outside the survey, so these figures describe stylists on a payroll.
- Estheticians $52,350 $52,350
- Barbers $43,650 $43,650
- Cosmetologists $42,400 $42,400
- Nail technicians $41,600 $41,600
| Occupation | Metro median | California median |
|---|---|---|
| Estheticians | $52,350 | $38,770 |
| Barbers | $43,650 | $38,380 |
| Cosmetologists | $42,400 | $38,660 |
| Nail technicians | $41,600 | $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
San Francisco shares the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA wage series with Oakland, and many of the schools within 30 miles appear on that page too.
Common Questions About Cosmetology School in Oakland
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 Oakland?
Which Oakland cosmetology schools are approved by the state board?
Why do both Oakland schools rank at the bottom of this list?
Which school near Oakland has the highest completion rate?
What does beauty school cost around Oakland?
Do hairdressers in Oakland earn more than elsewhere in California?
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 Oakland. 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area.