Public colleges, technical colleges and career centers
Community College Cosmetology Programs (2026)
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Most people looking at beauty school picture a private academy on a strip mall. But 464 public institutions teach cosmetology and report to the Department of Education, and 387 of them have a completion figure on a cohort large enough to rank. Public here means a community college, a state technical college, or a career center run by a public school district.
It's usually the cheapest way in. You pay in-state tuition, Pell can cover part of it if you qualify, and there is no private-school margin on top. The trade-offs are real: the completion figure on each card belongs to the whole college, and cohorts start with the academic term, so a popular program can have a waitlist. Compare prices with the most affordable schools.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 387 Community College Cosmetology Programs, Ranked
Every public institution in the College Scorecard with a cosmetology program, ordered on the share of students who finish within half again the program’s normal length. Public here means a community college, technical college or public school-district career centre; the figure is the institution’s, and at a college with many programs it describes the whole college.
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#1
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee
Muskogee, OK · Public School
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $4,805 program cost
What the record shows
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee trains in Muskogee, licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. Its license covers cosmetology. Across all 1,491 students at the center, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 100 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $4,805. That price is 15 percent under the $5,682 median, which is what public pricing looks like. 5 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Verify the school's standing with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Oklahoma earn under $29,650, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $60,390. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#2
Mid-America Technology Center
Wayne, OK · Public School
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $1,000 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Wayne, Mid-America Technology Center is on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering register. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Wayne. Across all 173 students at the center, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 100 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $1,000. It awarded 31 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Oklahoma City, the median cosmetologist earns $29,700, the bottom tenth $18,980 and the top tenth $61,970. The distance between $18,980 and $61,970 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma City runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 810 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#3
Capital Area Career Center
Springfield, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST SCHOOL PUBLIC
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2020
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
What the record shows
Capital Area Career Center is licensed by the state board and trains in Springfield. Its license dates back to 2020 and has not lapsed since. Its license covers cosmetology. The board files it under Sangamon County, if you are checking the register yourself. Across all 161 students at the center, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 100 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. 15 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 015000556 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Springfield, the median cosmetologist earns $31,200, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $54,510. The metro median runs about 8 percent below the Illinois figure. The tenth percentile and the median are the same $31,200, which means at least four in ten report the floor; the published median is the entry wage here, and everything above it is tips and a following. Springfield is a small market, about 280 in the trade, but a dense one for its size at 1.4 times the national rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#4
Knox County Career Center
Mount Vernon, OH · Adult Education Schools List
100%
Share of students who finish
- $17,672 program cost
What the record shows
Knox County Career Center operates in Mount Vernon under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as an adult education school. 100 percent of students across the center finish, out of 126 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 100 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $17,672. That price is roughly 3.1 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. 20 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 111019 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in Ohio runs from $23,520 at the tenth percentile to $77,330 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,260. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Ohio employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Sandusky Career Center
Sandusky, OH · Adult Education Schools List
100%
Share of students who finish
- $21,086 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Sandusky, Sandusky Career Center is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists it as an adult education school. 100 percent of students across the center finish, out of 88 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 100 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $21,086. That price is roughly 3.7 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. Its board record is license 111749, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Around Sandusky, the median cosmetologist earns $29,030, the bottom tenth $22,790 and the top tenth $75,640. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. The metro median runs about 20 percent below the Ohio figure. Few people hold this occupation locally, so a graduate is competing in a small pool and is likely to be known in it quickly. Sandusky employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 100 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Charles H McCann Technical School
North Adams, MA · Post-Secondary
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $3,770 program cost
What the record shows
Based in North Adams, Charles H McCann Technical School is on the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering register. Its license covers cosmetology. It is the only licensed school the board lists in North Adams. Across all 41 students at the school, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 100 percent as the school's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. The published tuition is $3,770. That price is 34 percent under the $5,682 median, which is what public pricing looks like. 9 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The license from the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
In Massachusetts, the median cosmetologist earns $37,290, the bottom tenth $31,600 and the top tenth $79,330. The top of this market earns more than double the median, which is the part of the trade that rewards a following, and it takes years to build. Massachusetts employs the trade at about 1.3 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Occupational Licensure), read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Ridge Technical College
Winter Haven, FL
99%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 104 graduates a year
What the record shows
Ridge Technical College teaches cosmetology in Winter Haven, with its results published federally. 99 percent of students across the college finish, out of 407 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 99 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. It awarded 104 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Commission for Independent Education before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Lakeland-Winter Haven, the range runs $27,040 to $51,060 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,030. Starting pay and typical pay are close together in this market, which cuts both ways: less of a lean first year, and less immediate reward for getting quicker. On concentration, Lakeland-Winter Haven is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#8
Lorenzo Walker Technical College
Naples, FL
99%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 55 graduates a year
- $5,465 program cost
What the record shows
Lorenzo Walker Technical College runs its cosmetology program in Naples and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 875 students at the college, 99 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 99 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $5,465. Its 55 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 875. Ask the Commission for Independent Education 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 Naples-Marco Island, the median cosmetologist earns $33,480, the bottom tenth $29,790 and the top tenth $60,230. The metro median is about 13 percent above the Florida figure. A narrow bottom-to-middle gap means the pay you start on is close to the pay most people stay on, unless they build a following. The trade is unusually concentrated around Naples-Marco Island, about 2.3 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.
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#9
Union County Vocational Technical School
Scotch Plains, NJ
99%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 16 graduates a year
- $5,500 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Scotch Plains, Union County Vocational Technical School is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 88 students at the center, 99 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 99 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $5,500. The school conferred 16 credentials in the year reported. Its hours count only under a current entry with the state board, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around New York-Newark-Jersey City, the range runs $33,480 to $91,780 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,120. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. Concentration around New York-Newark-Jersey City runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.5 times, or 27,660 people in the occupation.
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#10
Fred W Eberle Technical Center
Buckhannon, WV · Licensed school
98%
Share of students who finish
- $10,800 program cost
What the record shows
Fred W Eberle Technical Center is licensed by the state board and trains in Buckhannon. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Buckhannon. 98 percent of students across the center finish, out of 109 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 98 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $10,800. That price is 90 percent over the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. It awarded 26 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in West Virginia earn under $34,480, with the tenth percentile at $23,580 and the ninetieth at $60,300. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. West Virginia employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 1,020 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.
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#11
Northeast Technology Center
Pryor, OK · Public School
97%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $2,787 program cost
What the record shows
Northeast Technology Center is licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and trains in Pryor. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Pryor. Across all 1,498 students at the center, 97 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 97 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. The published tuition is $2,787. That price is 51 percent under the $5,682 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. Its 82 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a center of 1,498. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
In Oklahoma, the median cosmetologist earns $29,650, the bottom tenth $18,980 and the top tenth $60,390. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration in Oklahoma, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#12
Emily Griffith Technical College
Denver, CO
97%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 220 graduates a year
- $11,935 program cost
What the record shows
Emily Griffith Technical College teaches cosmetology in Denver, with its results published federally. Across all 6,123 students at the college, 97 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 97 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $11,935. That price is roughly 2.1 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. 220 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 9 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Look this school up on the Division of Private Occupational Schools register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Denver-Aurora-Centennial earn under $36,530, with the tenth percentile at $34,300 and the ninetieth at $100,340. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. Denver-Aurora-Centennial employs the trade at about 1.3 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#13
Erie 1 BOCES
West Seneca, NY
96%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 133 graduates a year
- $15,000 program cost
What the record shows
Erie 1 BOCES runs its cosmetology program in West Seneca and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 383 students at the center, 96 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 96 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $15,000. That price is roughly 2.6 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. Graduates who borrowed took on $5,023 in federal loans at the median, 32 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $53 a month. It awarded 133 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its hours count only under a current entry with the state board, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
Around Buffalo-Cheektowaga, the median cosmetologist earns $32,950, the bottom tenth $32,240 and the top tenth $80,430. The metro median runs about 8 percent below the New York figure. Entry pay and typical pay nearly meet, and everything past the median is a following: the upside is real and it is all earned above the middle. Local concentration around Buffalo-Cheektowaga sits near the national average.
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#14
EHOVE Career Center
Milan, OH · Career Technical Schools List
96%
Share of students who finish
- $16,028 program cost
What the record shows
EHOVE Career Center operates in Milan under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as a career technical school. Across all 398 students at the center, 96 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 96 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $16,028. That price is roughly 2.8 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. It awarded 37 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000204; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Sandusky runs from $22,790 at the tenth percentile to $75,640 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,030. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. The metro median runs about 20 percent below the Ohio figure. Few people hold this occupation locally, so a graduate is competing in a small pool and is likely to be known in it quickly. On concentration, Sandusky is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#15
Technical College of the Rockies
Delta, CO
95%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 122 graduates a year
- $3,353 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Delta, Technical College of the Rockies is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 95 percent of students across the college finish, out of 165 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 95 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $3,353. That price is 41 percent under the $5,682 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. The median graduate left with $5,500 in federal loans, across 38 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $58 a month. 122 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Look this school up on the Division of Private Occupational Schools register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Colorado earn under $37,690, with the tenth percentile at $31,520 and the ninetieth at $98,860. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Colorado employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#16
Great Plains Technology Center
Lawton, OK · Public School
95%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $5,349 program cost
What the record shows
Great Plains Technology Center trains in Lawton, licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 95 percent of students across the center finish, out of 314 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 95 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $5,349. A program that awarded 6 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. The license from the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Around Lawton, the median cosmetologist earns $28,050, the bottom tenth $19,600 and the top tenth $46,940. It is a small occupational market locally, so openings are fewer and word of mouth carries more weight than a resume. Lawton employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 70 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#17
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
Pleasant Gap, PA
95%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 11 graduates a year
- $17,104 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Pleasant Gap, Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 171 students at the school, 95 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 95 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $17,104. That price is roughly 3 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. 11 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around State College, the median cosmetologist earns $36,540, the bottom tenth $24,080 and the top tenth $76,920. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. State College carries roughly 1.8 times the national concentration of this work, among the denser markets in the country.
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#18
Carver Career Center
Charleston, WV
92%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 58 graduates a year
- $7,950 program cost
What the record shows
Carver Career Center teaches cosmetology in Charleston, with its results published federally. 92 percent of students across the center finish, out of 169 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 92 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. The published tuition is $7,950. That price is 40 percent over the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. It awarded 58 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 13 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Look this school up on the state board register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in West Virginia, the range runs $23,580 to $60,300 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,480. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. On concentration, West Virginia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#19
M-DCPS The English Center
Miami, FL
92%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 140 graduates a year
- $600 program cost
What the record shows
M-DCPS The English Center runs its cosmetology program in Miami and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 203 students at the school, 92 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 92 percent as the school's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. The published tuition is $600. It awarded 140 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the Commission for Independent Education before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the median cosmetologist earns $29,790, the bottom tenth $28,160 and the top tenth $54,850. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#20
Moore Norman Technology Center
Norman, OK · Public School
91%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- $2,850 program cost
What the record shows
Moore Norman Technology Center operates in Norman under license from the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. Its license covers cosmetology and esthetics. Across all 419 students at the center, 91 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 91 percent is low for this page, but it is the center'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 $2,850. That price is 50 percent under the $5,682 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. Its 33 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a center of 419. The license from the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Oklahoma City runs from $18,980 at the tenth percentile to $61,970 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,700. The distance between $18,980 and $61,970 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Esthetics and cosmetology do not pay alike around Oklahoma City: esthetics carries a $41,220 median, roughly 39 percent above cosmetology. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration around Oklahoma City, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#21
Buckeye Hills Career Center
Rio Grande, OH · Adult Education Schools List
90%
Share of students who finish
- $15,202 program cost
What the record shows
Buckeye Hills Career Center trains in Rio Grande, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as an adult education school. Across all 122 students at the center, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 90 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Tuition is reported at $15,202. That price is roughly 2.7 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. 12 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 111003; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Ohio earn under $36,260, with the tenth percentile at $23,520 and the ninetieth at $77,330. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Ohio employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#22
York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education
York, PA
90%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 6 graduates a year
- $20,141 program cost
What the record shows
York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education runs its cosmetology program in York and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 229 students at the school, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 90 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The published tuition is $20,141. That price is roughly 3.5 times the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. A program that awarded 6 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Check its license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around York-Hanover earn under $36,050, with the tenth percentile at $23,140 and the ninetieth at $74,850. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Concentration around York-Hanover runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.4 times, or 510 people in the occupation.
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#23
Traviss Technical College
Lakeland, FL
90%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 24 graduates a year
- $760 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Lakeland, Traviss Technical College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 460 students at the college, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 90 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. Tuition is reported at $760. Its 24 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 460. Confirm the school's current license with the Commission for Independent Education first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Lakeland-Winter Haven runs from $27,040 at the tenth percentile to $51,060 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,030. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. The occupation is about as common around Lakeland-Winter Haven as it is nationally.
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#24
Lorain County Joint Vocational School District
Oberlin, OH · Career Technical Schools List
90%
Share of students who finish
- $7,592 program cost
What the record shows
Lorain County Joint Vocational School District is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Oberlin. The board lists it as a career technical school. 90 percent of students across the center finish, out of 87 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 90 percent is low for this page, but it is the center's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. Tuition is reported at $7,592. That price is 34 percent over the $5,682 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. It awarded 45 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 000236 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Cleveland earn under $35,640, with the tenth percentile at $23,420 and the ninetieth at $70,750. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. The trade is unusually concentrated around Cleveland, about 1.5 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
-
#25
Gordon Cooper Technology Center
Shawnee, OK · Public School
90%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $5,682 program cost
What the record shows
Gordon Cooper Technology Center trains in Shawnee, licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Across all 173 students at the center, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 90 percent is low for this page, but it is the center'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 $5,682. It awarded 13 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Oklahoma earn under $29,650, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $60,390. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Oklahoma employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
Positions 26 to 387 are listed by state below, and every school is on its own state page with the full record.
Community College Cosmetology Programs by State
How many schools in each state meet the definition, with the three that lead the list there, from the College Scorecard and IPEDS. Each state page carries the board's own roster and hour requirement.
| State | Schools |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 18 |
| Arizona | 2 |
| Arkansas | 10 |
| California | 29 |
| Colorado | 6 |
| Florida | 37 |
| Georgia | 22 |
| Hawaii | 1 |
| Illinois | 15 |
| Iowa | 3 |
| Kansas | 11 |
| Kentucky | 9 |
| Louisiana | 7 |
| Massachusetts | 5 |
| Michigan | 6 |
| Minnesota | 7 |
| Mississippi | 12 |
| New Jersey | 5 |
| New Mexico | 6 |
| New York | 5 |
| North Carolina | 49 |
| Ohio | 17 |
| Oklahoma | 24 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 |
| South Carolina | 6 |
| South Dakota | 1 |
| Tennessee | 17 |
| Texas | 23 |
| Utah | 5 |
| Virginia | 2 |
| West Virginia | 6 |
| Wisconsin | 11 |
| Wyoming | 1 |
Public Programs Too Small to Rank
These 77 public institutions teach cosmetology and report to the Department of Education, but with fewer than 40 students or no published completion figure there is nothing to order them on. They are listed, not ranked.
| Institution | Where | Award |
|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica, CA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Indian River State College | Fort Pierce, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Pensacola State College | Pensacola, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Daytona State College | Daytona Beach, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Northland Pioneer College | Holbrook, AZ | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Houston City College | Houston, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Navarro College | Corsicana, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Grayson College | Denison, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Arapahoe Community College | Littleton, CO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Skyline College | San Bruno, CA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Lone Star College System | The Woodlands, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Clover Park Technical College | Lakewood, WA | Associate's Degree |
| Odessa College | Odessa, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Trinidad State College | Trinidad, CO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| College of the Mainland | Texas City, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Florida Gateway College | Lake City, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville, SC | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Pueblo Community College | Pueblo, CO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Red Rocks Community College | Lakewood, CO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Palo Alto College | San Antonio, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Del Mar College | Corpus Christi, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Weatherford College | Weatherford, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Snow College | Ephraim, UT | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Midland College | Midland, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Laredo College | Laredo, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Mesa Community College | Mesa, AZ | Associate's Degree |
| Eastern Arizona College | Thatcher, AZ | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello, ID | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Culpeper Cosmetology Training Center | Culpeper, VA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Everett Community College | Everett, WA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Spokane Community College | Spokane, WA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Galveston College | Galveston, TX | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Madison Area Technical College | Madison, WI | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Eastern Suffolk BOCES | Oakdale, NY | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center | Springville, PA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Solano Community College | Fairfield, CA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Northern Michigan University | Marquette, MI | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Toledo Public Schools Adult and Continuing Education | Toledo, OH | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Eastern Suffolk BOCES | Riverhead, NY | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Utah State University | Logan, UT | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Chipola College | Marianna, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| South Florida State College | Avon Park, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Eastern Florida State College | Melbourne, FL | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Chisholm Trail Technology Center | Omega, OK | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Colorado Northwestern Community College | Rangely, CO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Walla Walla Community College | Walla Walla, WA | Associate's Degree |
| Boone Career and Technical Center | Foster, WV | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Olympic College | Bremerton, WA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Clinton Essex Warren Washington BOCES | Plattsburgh, NY | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Warrensburg Area Career Center | Warrensburg, MO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Waynesville Career Center | Waynesville, MO | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Central Wyoming College | Riverton, WY | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Tri-County Adult Career Center | Nelsonville, OH | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Vincennes University | Vincennes, IN | Associate's Degree |
| Roane-Jackson Technical Center | Leroy, WV | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Northern New Mexico College | Espanola, NM | Associate's Degree |
| Bates Technical College | Tacoma, WA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Schoolcraft Community College District | Livonia, MI | Associate's Degree |
| Central Ohio Technical College | Newark, OH | Associate's Degree |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton, GA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Bellingham Technical College | Bellingham, WA | Associate's Degree |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | Clearfield, PA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| GateWay Community College | Phoenix, AZ | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside, CA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Mt Hood Community College | Gresham, OR | Associate's Degree |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana, CA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Seattle Central College | Seattle, WA | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Shoreline College | Shoreline, WA | Associate's Degree |
| Trinity Valley Community College | Athens, TX | Associate's Degree |
| United Technical Center | Clarksburg, WV | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus | Albuquerque, NM | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
| Washburn University | Topeka, KS | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma |
How a Community College Cosmetology Program Differs From a Beauty School
The state board sets the hours and issues the license, not the school. A cosmetology program at a community college runs the same clock-hour requirement as the private academy down the road, and its graduates sit the same state board exam. What changes is the calendar, the price, and what else ends up on your transcript.
Private schools tend to enroll continuously, so you start within a few weeks of signing up. Public colleges run on semesters. A cohort starts in August or January, seats are capped, and in a popular program you may wait a term for one. Tuition is quoted per academic year rather than per program, and the median across the 387 ranked colleges is $4,942 a year.
You can also take general-education classes at a college, which a private academy does not offer, and a handful of colleges award an associate degree in cosmetology instead of a certificate. The degree does not shorten the hours or change the exam. If it matters to you, the associate degree list is a separate page.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
What the Completion Figure Means at a College
The number on each card is the institution's, not the cosmetology department's. It counts students who finished within half again the normal length of their program, across every program the college runs. At a college with a large nursing school, nursing carries that figure and cosmetology rides along on it.
Cohort size decides how much the number is worth. Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver posts 97% across 6,123 students, which is hard to post by accident. Charles H McCann Technical School in North Adams, Massachusetts posts 100% across 41 students, and 41 is a small enough group that one rough year would move it.
So read it as a signal about the college, then ask the cosmetology department its own questions: how many students started last year's cohort, and how many of them took the state board exam. Our methodology page names the federal file behind every figure on these cards.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
Which States Lean on Public Cosmetology Programs
North Carolina has 49 public institutions teaching cosmetology, more than any other state. Florida has 37, California 29, Oklahoma 24 and Texas 23. Georgia adds 22 and Alabama 18. Ohio and Tennessee have 17 each.
The pattern is regional. Southern states and Texas run most of their post-secondary trade training through public technical college systems, so a cosmetology program sits inside a state college catalog rather than in a standalone academy. In the Northeast the same course is more often an adult program at a school district's career center, which is why New York and New Jersey each show five.
Thirty-three states have at least one public institution on this list, and ten of them have five or fewer. Hawaii, South Dakota and Wyoming have one each. In a state like that, the public option is a single college, and if it sits three hours from you, the private school in your town wins by default.
Figures in this section: IPEDS 2023 and College Scorecard, June 2026.
What to Ask a Community College Before You Enroll
Start with the school license. The state board licenses the school that banks your hours, and the college's accreditation is a different document from a different agency. Ask which school license the cosmetology department operates under and whether it is current. We counted how often those licenses lapse.
Then ask how often cohorts start. Once a year, twice a year, or rolling changes your plan by months. Ask whether the kit is included in your fees or billed separately, because a college quotes tuition by the year and the kit is often its own line. Ask what happens to your hours if you have to sit out a semester.
Last, ask whether hours earned here count at another school inside the same state system, and get that answer from the board's rules rather than from the admissions office. Hours do not move between states as a matter of course anywhere.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
What This List Does Not Tell You
A community college’s completion rate is the college’s, not the cosmetology department’s, and a large college with a strong nursing school can carry a weak beauty program on that number. Public colleges also report tuition per academic year rather than per program, so the price is not on these cards; it is in the college’s own catalogue and on its Scorecard page. Every figure is quoted as published in the College Scorecard.
Nothing here checks a school's state board license, which is what makes your hours count toward the exam. Before you pay a deposit, find the school on its state page and confirm the license is current in the board's own lookup. How the rankings are built explains every figure used on this site.
Common Questions About Community College Cosmetology Programs
Answers draw on the College Scorecard and IPEDS figures behind the list above, and on the state board rules linked from each state page.
Can you do cosmetology at a community college?
Is community college cosmetology cheaper than a private beauty school?
How long does a community college cosmetology program take?
Do you get an associate degree in cosmetology at a community college?
Which states have the most community college cosmetology programs?
Is the cosmetology license the same from a community college?
Sources
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study and institution files, June 2026 release. Completion, cost, debt, enrollment, ownership and credential for 1,574 institutions with a cosmetology program (CIP 12.04).
- National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and Directory files, 2023. Veteran services, religious affiliation, HBCU status and metro area, as reported by each institution.
- State board license files, read from each board directly and matched to the federal record by name and city. Each card cites its board and the date the file was read.
On this page
- The ranking
- By state
- Too small to rank
- How a Community College Cosmetology Program Differs From a Beauty School
- What the Completion Figure Means at a College
- Which States Lean on Public Cosmetology Programs
- What to Ask a Community College Before You Enroll
- What this does not tell you
- Common questions
- Sources