Miami, FL
Cosmetology Schools in Miami, FL, Ranked (2026)
Miami skyline. Photo by Wilfredor, licensed under CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Cosmetology schools in Miami give you an unusually long list to sort. Twenty-five schools in and around the city report completion figures to the federal government, 23 of them on cohorts big enough to rank, and ten sit inside Miami itself. The rest run out to 28 miles, through Hialeah, Hollywood, Davie and Oakland Park.
Florida publishes no downloadable roster of its cosmetology schools. The Commission for Independent Education's school search is a query form you run one name at a time, so this page rests on the federal completion figures, and so does the Florida ranking. What it shows is a list that runs from 100% completion at the top to 5% at the bottom.
Figures in this section: Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 23 Cosmetology Schools in and Near Miami, Ranked on Completion
25 cosmetology programs report to the US Department of Education from inside Miami or within 30 miles of downtown. 23 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 2 had too few students to rank, so the list stops at 23.
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 Florida page links the board's own lookup.
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#1
Florida Professional Institute
Miami, FL
100%
Share of students who finish
- 12 graduates a year
- $10,650 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Miami, Florida Professional Institute is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 117 students at the school, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 17 points above the 83 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the school and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $10,650. 12 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
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. The bottom and the middle sit close together here, which means early pay is predictable and the upside has to be built rather than waited for. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#2
La Belle Beauty Academy
Miami, FL
98%
Share of students who finish
- 241 graduates a year
- $16,495 program cost
What the record shows
La Belle Beauty Academy runs its cosmetology program in Miami and reports to the US Department of Education. 98 percent of the 106 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $16,495 for the full program. 162 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,149 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $86 a month. 15 points above the 83 percent median at a price 57 percent over the $10,500 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. It awarded 241 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 106, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
Pay for cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. On concentration, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#3
American Beauty and Trade School
Miami, FL
98%
Share of students who finish
- 98% finish
- 108 graduates a year
- $12,650 program cost
What the record shows
American Beauty and Trade School runs its cosmetology program in Miami and reports to the US Department of Education. The school graduates 98 percent, on a fall headcount of 83. It charges $12,650 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $3,000 in federal loans at the median, 52 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $32 a month. That is a small share of the $12,650 price, so most of it is being met some other way. 15 points above the 83 percent median at a price 20 percent over the $10,500 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. It awarded 108 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 83, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
For cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. 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. On concentration, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#4
Kaizen Beauty Academy
Pembroke Pines, FL
93%
Share of students who finish
- 93% finish
- 68 graduates a year
- $1,400 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Pembroke Pines, Kaizen Beauty Academy is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 93 percent of students see the course through, out of 95 enrolled. The published cost is $1,400 for the full program. More of its students finish than at most schools here, 93 percent against 83, which is the number to hold the school's price against when you get it. The school conferred 68 credentials in the year reported. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#5
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. At 92 percent the school as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. The 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
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#6
Futura Career Institute
Hialeah, FL
89%
Share of students who finish
- 126 graduates a year
- $11,700 program cost
What the record shows
Futura Career Institute teaches cosmetology in Hialeah, with its results published federally. Of 404 enrolled in the fall count, 89 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $11,700 for the full program. $11,700 is within 12 percent of the $10,500 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 89 percent against 83. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 126 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
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. The bottom and the middle sit close together here, which means early pay is predictable and the upside has to be built rather than waited for. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#7
Prestige Health & Beauty Sciences Academy
Hallandale Beach, FL
89%
Share of students who finish
- 96 graduates a year
- $6,400 program cost
What the record shows
Prestige Health & Beauty Sciences Academy runs its cosmetology program in Hallandale Beach and reports to the US Department of Education. Of 119 enrolled in the fall count, 89 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $6,400 for the full program. More finish here than at the typical school on this page, 89 percent against 83, and the price is 39 percent under the $10,500 median: the two numbers point the same way. The school conferred 96 credentials in the year reported. 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. On concentration, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#8
La Belle Beauty School
Hialeah, FL
89%
Share of students who finish
- 301 graduates a year
- $16,645 program cost
What the record shows
La Belle Beauty School teaches cosmetology in Hialeah, with its results published federally. Of 63 enrolled in the fall count, 89 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $16,645 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $8,149 in federal loans at the median, 137 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $86 a month. Paying 59 percent over the $10,500 median buys 6 points of completion over the 83 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 301 credentials in the year from a fall count of 63: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. On concentration, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#9
Nouvelle Institute
Miami, FL
87%
Share of students who finish
- 87% finish
- 253 graduates a year
- $14,886 program cost
What the record shows
Nouvelle Institute trains in Miami, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. 87 percent of students see the course through, out of 75 enrolled. The published cost is $14,886 for the full program. A median completion at a price 42 percent over the $10,500 median: ask what the extra 42 percent pays for, because it is not finishing. 253 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. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#10
South Dade Technical College-South Dade Skills Center Campus
Homestead, FL
86%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 86 graduates a year
- $3,568 program cost
What the record shows
South Dade Technical College-South Dade Skills Center Campus runs its cosmetology program in Homestead and reports to the US Department of Education. 86 percent of students across the college finish, out of 196 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 86 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $3,568. That price is 66 percent under the $10,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. 86 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. 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. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#11
New Concept Massage and Beauty School
Miami, FL
85%
Share of students who finish
- 57 graduates a year
- $14,780 program cost
What the record shows
New Concept Massage and Beauty School runs its cosmetology program in Miami and reports to the US Department of Education. 85 percent of the 123 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $14,780 for the full program. $14,780 is 41 percent over the $10,500 median, for a completion rate within 2 points of the 83 percent median, which is a premium with nothing on this record to justify it. 57 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. 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. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#12
Florida Academy of Health & Beauty
Oakland Park, FL
83%
Share of students who finish
- 83% finish
- 67 graduates a year
- $13,700 program cost
What the record shows
Florida Academy of Health & Beauty runs its cosmetology program in Oakland Park and reports to the US Department of Education. Of the 54 students in its fall count, 83 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $13,700 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $4,903 in federal loans, measured over 64 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $52 a month. It charges 30 percent over the $10,500 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. 67 credentials in the year from a fall count of 54: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#13
Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers
Hollywood, FL
79%
Share of students who finish
- 236 graduates a year
- $9,520 program cost
What the record shows
Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers runs its cosmetology program in Hollywood and reports to the US Department of Education. Of 218 enrolled in the fall count, 79 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $9,520 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers campuses in the federal file, 787 borrowers at a median of $6,333 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 79 percent against 83 and $9,520 against $10,500, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. It awarded 236 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 218, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
Pay for cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. The lower end of this market is unusually close to its middle, so what changes a graduate's income here is building a following, not surviving an underpaid stretch. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#14
Praxis Institute
Miami, FL
78%
Share of students who finish
- 110 graduates a year
- $10,500 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Miami, Praxis Institute is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 78 percent of students across the school finish, out of 422 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 78 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 $10,500. The school conferred 110 credentials in the year reported. 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
For cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. The first rung and the middle of this market are close enough that the early years are less about pay than about who comes back. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#15
Aveda Institute-South Florida
Davie, FL
73%
Share of students who finish
- 740 graduates a year
- $9,900 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Davie, Aveda Institute-South Florida is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Of 923 enrolled in the fall count, 73 percent finish. The published cost is $9,900 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,364 in federal loans at the median, 481 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $78 a month. 10 points fewer of its students finish than the 83 percent median, priced within 6 percent of the $10,500 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. The school conferred 740 credentials in the year reported. 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
Pay for cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#16
Beauty Academy of South Florida
Hialeah Gardens, FL
72%
Share of students who finish
- 72% finish
- 238 graduates a year
- $19,500 program cost
What the record shows
Beauty Academy of South Florida teaches cosmetology in Hialeah Gardens, with its results published federally. The school graduates 72 percent, on a fall headcount of 544. The published cost is $19,500 for the full program. The median graduate left with $7,316 in federal loans, across 209 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $78 a month. 11 points fewer finish than the 83 percent median and it costs 86 percent over the $10,500 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 238 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $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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#17
Paul Mitchell the School-Fort Lauderdale
Plantation, FL
71%
Share of students who finish
- 71% finish
- 28 graduates a year
- $16,900 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Fort Lauderdale teaches cosmetology in Plantation, with its results published federally. 71 percent of students see the course through, out of 64 enrolled. The published cost is $16,900 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Paul Mitchell campuses in the federal file, 136 borrowers at a median of $6,492 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $69 a month. That is the pairing to be wary of: 12 points fewer of its students finish than the 83 percent median, at a price 61 percent over the $10,500 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. It awarded 28 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $54,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,790. Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#18
Celebrity School of Beauty
Miami, FL
71%
Share of students who finish
- 426 graduates a year
- $16,145 program cost
What the record shows
Celebrity School of Beauty teaches cosmetology in Miami, with its results published federally. Of 855 enrolled in the fall count, 71 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $16,145 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 342 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 12 points fewer finish than the 83 percent median and it costs 54 percent over the $10,500 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. It awarded 426 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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
For cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. The bottom and the middle sit close together here, which means early pay is predictable and the upside has to be built rather than waited for. The occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
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#19
Sheridan Technical College
Hollywood, FL
69%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 250 graduates a year
- $3,855 program cost
What the record shows
Sheridan Technical College runs its cosmetology program in Hollywood and reports to the US Department of Education. 69 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,352 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 69 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 $3,855. That price is 63 percent under the $10,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. It awarded 250 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
Around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the median cosmetologist earns $29,790, the bottom tenth $28,160 and the top tenth $54,850. The first rung and the middle of this market are close enough that the early years are less about pay than about who comes back. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#20
Salon Professional Academy-Elevate Salon Institute
Miami Beach, FL
68%
Share of students who finish
- 68% finish
- 32 graduates a year
- $4,500 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Miami Beach, Salon Professional Academy-Elevate Salon Institute is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. The school graduates 68 percent, on a fall headcount of 59. The published cost is $4,500 for the full program. 106 graduates borrowed, at a median of $6,774 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $72 a month. That median loan is larger than the $4,500 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. Cheap, but 15 points fewer of its students finish than the 83 percent median, and in a clock-hour trade an unfinished course is the expensive outcome: you have paid for hours that never become a license. It awarded 32 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
Around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the median cosmetologist earns $29,790, the bottom tenth $28,160 and the top tenth $54,850. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#21
Lindsey Hopkins Technical College
Miami, FL
66%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 56 graduates a year
- $3,280 program cost
What the record shows
Lindsey Hopkins Technical College teaches cosmetology in Miami, with its results published federally. 66 percent of students across the college finish, out of 393 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 66 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 $3,280. That price is 69 percent under the $10,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. It awarded 56 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The license from the Commission for Independent Education is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. The first rung and the middle of this market are close enough that the early years are less about pay than about who comes back. Local concentration around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach sits near the national average.
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#22
Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College
Miami, FL
13%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 68 graduates a year
- $5,525 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Miami, Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 13 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,045 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 13 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 $5,525. That price is 47 percent under the $10,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. Its 68 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,045. 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
Around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the median cosmetologist earns $29,790, the bottom tenth $28,160 and the top tenth $54,850. Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#23
Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College
Miami Lakes, FL
5%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 9 graduates a year
- $2,655 program cost
What the record shows
Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College teaches cosmetology in Miami Lakes, with its results published federally. 5 percent of students across the college finish, out of 665 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 5 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. The published tuition is $2,655. That price is 75 percent under the $10,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. A program that awarded 9 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. 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 occupation is about as common around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach as it is nationally.
Who Licenses a Miami Beauty School, and for How Many Hours
A cosmetologist license in Florida takes 1,200 hours. F.S. 477.019 also directs the board to set up a rule under which a school or program may certify that a person is qualified to take the required examination after completing a minimum of 1,000 actual school hours. The exam can arrive 200 hours before the nominal finish, and that door is written into the statute itself.
The school you attend is licensed by a different arm of state government. Private cosmetology schools in Miami hold a license from the Commission for Independent Education at the Florida Department of Education, under the education code, while public programs run through school districts. The Board of Cosmetology licenses individuals and salons, and its own FAQ sends school questions to the Department of Education.
Florida sets no percentage cap on how much of the 1,200 hours can be taught online. Delivery mode is decided further up, when the commission licenses an institution for distance or nontraditional delivery under Rule 6E-2.0041. The board's one online-delivery rule, covering hair braiding, hair wrapping and body wrapping, was repealed in November 2020, so anything citing it is out of date.
Figures in this section: Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What the Miami Ranking Shows Across 23 Schools
The order here is the federal completion figure, the share of students who finished what they started. Florida Professional Institute is first at 100% of 117 students, eight miles out, at $10,650. La Belle Beauty Academy follows at 98% of 106 students, three miles from the center, at $16,495 with $8,149 in median debt.
American Beauty and Trade School reports the same 98%, on 83 students at $12,650, and its median debt is $3,000, well under La Belle's. Read the top of this list with the cohort sizes in view: a hundred-odd students is a class where a handful of people leaving moves the percentage several points.
Price is not the divider you would expect. M-DCPS The English Center, a public school four miles out, finished 92% of 203 students at $600 for the program. Beauty Academy of South Florida in Hialeah Gardens charges $19,500, the most on this list, and finished 72% of 544. Our most affordable schools collect the cheap end nationally.
The bottom is where the caution belongs. Six of the 23 ranked schools are public, and the two lowest finishers are both public technical colleges: Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College at 13% of 1,045 students, and Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College at 5% of 665. Those figures describe a whole institution, one of the limits the methodology spells out.
Figures in this section: BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Hair and Barber Work Pays in the Miami Metro
The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro employs 4,910 hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists at a median of $29,790 in the BLS May 2025 release, barely above Florida's $29,530. What stands out is how flat the bottom of that scale is. The 10th percentile is $28,160, only $1,630 under the middle, and the 90th reaches $54,850.
Barbering pays better here and the gap is not small. The metro's 340 barbers report a $36,300 median, $6,510 above the hairdresser median, with a top tenth of $79,490 against $54,850. Barbers are also more concentrated in this metro than nationally, at 1.26 times the national rate. Barber pay nationally is the wider comparison.
Statewide, barbers do better still: a $49,410 median across 1,240 people, so the Miami barber figure sits well under the Florida one while the two hairdresser medians are nearly level. Nail work lands in between, with 1,290 manicurists and pedicurists at a $37,690 median, close to Florida's $37,840, on 0.47 times the national concentration.
None of these numbers include booth renters. BLS surveys employers, so a Miami stylist who rents her chair and bills her own clients is outside the count, and that is a large share of this trade. The Tampa list is built from the same two sources if you are weighing a move up the coast.
Figures in this section: BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Cosmetology Careers Pay in Miami
Median annual pay in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area, from the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. A cosmetologist here earns a median of $29,790 against $29,530 across Florida, with 4,910 employed in the metro. Booth renters and salon owners are self-employed and outside the survey, so these figures describe stylists on a payroll.
- Nail technicians $37,690 $37,690
- Barbers $36,300 $36,300
- Cosmetologists $29,790 $29,790
| Occupation | Metro median | Florida median |
|---|---|---|
| Nail technicians | $37,690 | $37,840 |
| Barbers | $36,300 | $49,410 |
| Cosmetologists | $29,790 | $29,530 |
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
Common Questions About Cosmetology School in Miami
Answers draw on Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education, the College Scorecard and the May 2025 BLS wage release.
How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Miami?
Which agency approves cosmetology schools in Miami?
Can you do cosmetology hours online in Miami?
Which Miami beauty school has the highest completion rate?
How much does beauty school cost in Miami?
What do hairdressers earn in Miami?
Sources
- Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education, school license records, read 2026-08-31. Hour requirement for a cosmetologist license: 1,200 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 Miami. 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL area.