Illinois
Best cosmetology programs in Illinois 2026
Chicago skyline. Photo by Diego Delso, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Ranked on the share of students who finish what they started, within half again the program's normal length, as reported per institution to the US Department of Education. In a clock-hour trade this is the outcome that matters most: the license needs the full hour count, so a student who leaves early has paid for hours that will never qualify them.
There is no such thing as an accredited cosmetology program, in Illinois or anywhere else, because the field has no programmatic accreditor. NACCAS, the body most beauty schools advertise, accredits the institution rather than the course, so an accredited school and an unaccredited one can run the same program. What that accreditation buys a student is federal financial aid eligibility. The license from Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is what decides whether your hours count toward the exam.
225
schools currently licensed
60
qualify to be ranked
8
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
Every school below trains in person. Illinois permits at most 10 percent of the 1,500 required hours to be taken as online theory, and the practical hours are earned on the clinic floor. How online study actually works
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#1
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. 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 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 center and not about the cosmetology floor. 15 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. It is a district-run technical center, which prices the course by the district rather than as a private academy does. 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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#2
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria
Peoria, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2006
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria trains in Peoria, licensed by the state board. Its license dates back to 2006 and has not lapsed since. That predates 74 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. Peoria has 5 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The board files it under Peoria County, if you are checking the register yourself. 100 percent of its students finish, out of 125 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $13,184 for the full program. The federal file reports borrowing for Tricoci University of Beauty Culture campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $7,307 in federal loans across 157 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. That puts it in the rare corner of this table: 17 points more of its students finish than the 83 percent median, and it charges 25 percent less than the $17,650 median to do it. It awarded 78 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 013000727 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Peoria, the median cosmetologist earns $32,280, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $39,070. 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 Peoria sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#3
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology
Chicago, IL
100%
Share of students who finish
- 100% finish
- 35 graduates a year
- $16,900 program cost
What the record shows
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology runs its cosmetology program in Chicago and reports to the US Department of Education. Of the 53 students in its fall count, 100 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $16,900 for the full program. The median graduate left with $7,917 in federal loans, across 36 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. 17 points more of its students finish than the 83 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $17,650 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 35 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
undefined Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#4
Universal Spa Training Academy
Downers Grove, IL · LICENSED ESTHETICIAN SCHOOL
97%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Licensed since 2007
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $17,300 program cost
What the record shows
Universal Spa Training Academy operates in Downers Grove under license from the state board. This is a specialist: an esthetics license, not cosmetology. The work is skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair, the course is a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes, and it does not license you to cut or color hair, so compare it with the other specialists here rather than with the full-service schools. The board has licensed it continuously since 2007. That predates 72 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. Its record sits in Dupage County. 97 percent of the 139 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $17,300 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,917 in federal loans, measured over 141 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 97 percent, 14 points over the 83 percent median, is a good sign. $17,300 is within 2 percent of the $17,650 median for a course shorter than cosmetology, which is dear for esthetics and worth asking about. It awarded 171 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 139, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Its board record is license 133000114, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Half of skincare specialists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $45,330, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $59,170. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.3 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#5
Capri Beauty College
New Lenox, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
96%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2008
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $20,550 program cost
What the record shows
Capri Beauty College operates in New Lenox under license from the state board. It has held a license from the board since 2008, 18 years without a lapse. Some 70 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. It is the only licensed school the board lists in New Lenox. The board files it under Will County, if you are checking the register yourself. 96 percent of students see the course through, out of 75 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $20,550 for the full program. The federal file reports borrowing for Capri Beauty campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $9,833 in federal loans across 97 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. Paying 16 percent over the $17,650 median buys 13 points of completion over the 83 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. It awarded 46 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000755; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs from $31,200 at the tenth percentile to $58,960 at the ninetieth, with a median of $34,260. 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 work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#6
Pivot Point Academy
Bloomingdale, IL
91%
Share of students who finish
- 91% finish
- 111 graduates a year
- $21,100 program cost
What the record shows
Pivot Point Academy runs its cosmetology program in Bloomingdale and reports to the US Department of Education. 91 percent of students see the course through, out of 103 enrolled. The published cost is $21,100 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,833 in federal loans, measured over 92 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. Paying 20 percent over the $17,650 median buys 8 points of completion over the 83 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 111 credentials in the year from a fall count of 103: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. 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
undefined 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#7
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin
Elgin, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
89%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2014
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin operates in Elgin under license from the state board. The board has licensed it continuously since 2014. Its record sits in Kane County. Of the 138 students in its fall count, 89 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $13,184 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Tricoci University of Beauty Culture campuses in the federal file, 230 borrowers at a median of $9,000 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $95 a month. 6 points more of its students finish than the 83 percent median, and it charges 25 percent less than the $17,650 median to do it, which is the right direction on both counts. 100 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 013000802, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. 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 work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#8
Rosel School of Cosmetology
Niles, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
88%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 1989
- Renews 2028-09
- Board discipline on record
- $14,500 program cost
What the record shows
Rosel School of Cosmetology operates in Niles under license from the state board. The board has recorded disciplinary action against this license. Ask the school what it was and how it was resolved. The board has licensed it continuously since 1989. The schools ranked alongside it average 19 years. Some 93 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. 88 percent of students see the course through, out of 55 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $14,500 for the full program. 5 points more of its students finish than the 83 percent median, and it charges 18 percent less than the $17,650 median to do it, which is the right direction on both counts. 55 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 55 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Its board record is license 013000614, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#9
Gem City College
Quincy, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
87%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2013
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $22,425 program cost
What the record shows
Gem City College is licensed by the state board and trains in Quincy. It has held a license from the board since 2013, 13 years without a lapse. Its record sits in Adams County. Of 41 enrolled in the fall count, 87 percent finish. The published cost is $22,425 for the full program. It charges 27 percent over the $17,650 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. It awarded 19 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000795; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#10
Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute
Skokie, IL
86%
Share of students who finish
- 86% finish
- 135 graduates a year
- $10,875 program cost
What the record shows
Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute teaches esthetics in Skokie, with its results published federally. This is a specialist: an esthetics license, not cosmetology. The work is skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair, the course is a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes, and it does not license you to cut or color hair, so compare it with the other specialists here rather than with the full-service schools. The school graduates 86 percent, on a fall headcount of 141. It charges $10,875 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 156 graduates borrowed, at a median of $7,645 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $81 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 86 percent, 3 points over the 83 percent median, is about what this page does. $10,875 is 38 percent under the $17,650 median, which for a shorter course is about what it should cost. 135 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 141 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Licensing is the business of the state board rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
Pay for skincare specialists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs from $31,200 at the tenth percentile to $59,170 at the ninetieth, with a median of $45,330. 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.3 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#11
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville
Libertyville, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
84%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2006
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Libertyville, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville is on the state board register. The board has licensed it continuously since 2006. That predates 74 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. The board lists no other licensed school in Libertyville. The board files it under Lake County, if you are checking the register yourself. Of the 162 students in its fall count, 84 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $13,184 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Tricoci University of Beauty Culture campuses in the federal file, 230 borrowers at a median of $9,000 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $95 a month. It charges 25 percent less than the $17,650 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. It awarded 134 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 013000735, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#12
John Amico School of Hair Design
Oak Forest, IL
84%
Share of students who finish
- 84% finish
- 158 graduates a year
- $18,791 program cost
What the record shows
John Amico School of Hair Design trains in Oak Forest, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. The school graduates 84 percent, on a fall headcount of 162. Tuition is reported at $18,791 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,917 in federal loans at the median, 209 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. Completion and price both sit close to the page median, 84 percent against 83 and $18,791 against $17,650, so the number that separates it is debt: 42 percent of the price arrives as federal loans, less than at the typical school here. It awarded 158 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 162 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. 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 work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
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#13
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru
Peru, IL
83%
Share of students who finish
- 83% finish
- 34 graduates a year
- $20,575 program cost
What the record shows
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru runs its cosmetology program in Peru and reports to the US Department of Education. Of the 52 students in its fall count, 83 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $20,575 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,500 in federal loans at the median, 34 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. It charges 17 percent over the $17,650 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. It awarded 34 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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 Illinois, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,040. 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, Illinois is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#14
Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy
Joliet, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
82%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 1983
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $18,000 program cost
What the record shows
Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy trains in Joliet, licensed by the state board. The board has licensed it continuously since 1983. The schools ranked alongside it average 19 years. That predates 96 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. With 8 licensed schools in Joliet, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. The board files it under Will County, if you are checking the register yourself. 82 percent of students see the course through, out of 53 enrolled. The published cost is $18,000 for the full program. 20 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,645 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $92 a month. It is close to the median school on this page on completion, price and borrowing, 82 percent against 83 and $18,000 against $17,650, 48 percent of the price borrowed against 50 for the page, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. It awarded 19 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 013000528, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs from $31,200 at the tenth percentile to $58,960 at the ninetieth, with a median of $34,260. 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. Concentration around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.4 times, or 12,000 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#15
Oehrlein School of Cosmetology
East Peoria, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
81%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2001
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $19,510 program cost
What the record shows
Oehrlein School of Cosmetology operates in East Peoria under license from the state board. The board has licensed it continuously since 2001. That predates 82 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. It is the only licensed school the board lists in East Peoria. Its record sits in Tazewell County. 81 percent of students see the course through, out of 65 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $19,510 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,833 in federal loans at the median, 43 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. It is close to the median school on this page on completion, price and borrowing, 81 percent against 83 and $19,510 against $17,650, 50 percent of the price borrowed against 50 for the page, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 18 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 65 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Its board record is license 013000690, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Peoria earn under $32,280, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $39,070. 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. Local concentration around Peoria sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#16
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal
Normal, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
79%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2018
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal is licensed by the state board and trains in Normal. It has held a license from the board since 2018, 8 years without a lapse. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Normal. The board files it under Mclean County, if you are checking the register yourself. 79 percent of its students finish, out of 171 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $13,184 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Tricoci University of Beauty Culture campuses in the federal file, 157 borrowers at a median of $7,307 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. $13,184 is 25 percent under the $17,650 median, and completion is within 4 points of the 83 percent median, which is the cheap-without-a-catch pairing. It awarded 63 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000826; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Statewide, 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.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#17
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford
Rockford, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
78%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2005
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,684 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Rockford, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford is on the state board register. It has held a license from the board since 2005, 21 years without a lapse. That predates 76 percent of the state's currently licensed schools. Rockford has 5 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The board files it under Winnebago County, if you are checking the register yourself. Of the 170 students in its fall count, 78 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $13,684 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,307 in federal loans at the median, 199 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. Cheap, but 5 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. 98 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000712; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Illinois, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,040. Entry and median pay nearly meet across the state. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. On concentration, Illinois is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#18
The Aveda Institute of Beauty and Wellness Chicago
Chicago, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
78%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2025
- Renews 2028-09
- No recorded discipline
- $16,400 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Chicago, The Aveda Institute of Beauty and Wellness Chicago is on the state board register. The board has licensed it continuously since 2025. Chicago has 51 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Its record sits in Cook County. 78 percent of its students finish, out of 93 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $16,400 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,917 in federal loans, measured over 127 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. The price is close to the $17,650 median and the completion is not: 78 percent against 83. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. It awarded 81 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 013000859, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#19
Networks Barber College
Calumet City, IL · LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL
73%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Licensed since 2010
- Renews 2027-07
- No recorded discipline
- $19,300 program cost
What the record shows
Networks Barber College trains in Calumet City, licensed by the state board. 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. It has held a license from the board since 2010, 16 years without a lapse. Some 65 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. 73 percent of its students finish, out of 54 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $19,300 for the full program. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 73 percent, 10 points under the 83 percent median, is the first thing to ask about. $19,300 is within 10 percent of the $17,650 median for a similar hour count, which is the going rate. 28 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 008000110; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#20
Hair Professionals Career College
Palos Hills, IL
71%
Share of students who finish
- 71% finish
- 28 graduates a year
- $21,162 program cost
What the record shows
Hair Professionals Career College runs its cosmetology program in Palos Hills and reports to the US Department of Education. 71 percent of its students finish, out of 86 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $21,162 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 46 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,203 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $87 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 20 percent over the $17,650 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. The school conferred 28 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
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#21
Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park
Villa Park, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
71%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2020
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $18,020 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Villa Park, Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park is on the state board register. Its license dates back to 2020 and has not lapsed since. The board lists no other licensed school in Villa Park. The board files it under Dupage County, if you are checking the register yourself. 71 percent of its students finish, out of 51 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $18,020 for the full program. The price is close to the $17,650 median and the completion is not: 71 percent against 83. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. 20 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 013000845 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#22
Cosmetology & Spa Academy
Crystal Lake, IL
70%
Share of students who finish
- 70% finish
- 261 graduates a year
- $23,000 program cost
What the record shows
Cosmetology & Spa Academy trains in Crystal Lake, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. Of the 445 students in its fall count, 70 percent complete the course they started. It charges $23,000 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The median graduate left with $9,833 in federal loans, across 148 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. That is the pairing to be wary of: 13 points fewer of its students finish than the 83 percent median, at a price 30 percent over the $17,650 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. The school conferred 261 credentials in the year reported. The state board holds the record that counts your hours; find this school on it by its legal name and check it is current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#23
Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills
Vernon Hills, IL
70%
Share of students who finish
- 70% finish
- 30 graduates a year
- $19,260 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills runs its cosmetology program in Vernon Hills and reports to the US Department of Education. 70 percent of students see the course through, out of 50 enrolled. The published cost is $19,260 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Empire Beauty campuses in the federal file, 802 borrowers at a median of $13,583 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $144 a month. The price is close to the $17,650 median and the completion is not: 70 percent against 83. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. The school conferred 30 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
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. 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. Concentration around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.4 times, or 12,000 people in the occupation.
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#24
Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois
Springfield, IL
69%
Share of students who finish
- 18 graduates a year
- $16,195 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Springfield, Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 69 percent of students across the school finish, out of 1,326 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 $16,195. 162 graduates borrowed, at a median of $11,450 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $121 a month. Its 18 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a school of 1,326. 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
undefined 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.
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#25
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview
Bridgeview, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
67%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2006
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview is licensed by the state board and trains in Bridgeview. Its license dates back to 2006 and has not lapsed since. Some 74 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Bridgeview. Its record sits in Cook County. The school graduates 67 percent, on a fall headcount of 470. The published cost is $13,184 for the full program. The median graduate left with $7,307 in federal loans, across 271 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. $13,184 is 25 percent under the $17,650 median, and 16 points fewer finish than the 83 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. 292 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 013000732 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median cosmetologist earns $34,260, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $58,960. 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin employs the trade at about 1.4 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
- Capital Area Career Center 100% 100%
- Tricoci University of Beauty Cul... 100% 100%
- University of Aesthetics & Cosme... 100% 100%
- Universal Spa Training Academy 97% 97%
- Capri Beauty College 96% 96%
- Pivot Point Academy 91% 91%
- Tricoci University of Beauty Cul... 89% 89%
- Rosel School of Cosmetology 88% 88%
- Gem City College 87% 87%
- Estelle Skin Care and Spa Instit... 86% 86%
Which other cosmetology schools in Illinois are state licensed?
These Illinois cosmetology schools hold a current license from Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation but have no published earnings figure, because the ranking above reads federal data that covers only schools taking federal financial aid. Their hours count toward the Illinois exam exactly as the ranked schools' hours do. They are listed by city rather than ordered, since nothing published about them supports an ordering.
| School | City | Board record | Approved to teach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology Center of Dupage | Addison | No. 015000435 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Official Cuts Academy | Alsip | No. 008000153 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| J Burkert INC DBA Capelli | Arlington Heights | No. 013000805 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Sandra Rossi Education Center INC | Arlington Heights | No. 013000827 · to 2026-09 | cosmetology |
| All About Nails Academy LLC | Aurora | No. 171000159 · to 2028-10 | nail-technology |
| Champions Beauty-Barber University INC | Aurora | No. 013000807 · to 2026-09 | cosmetology |
| Champions Barber College | Belleville | No. 008000099 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Champions Barber College | Belleville | No. 008000099 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Miracle Miracles | Belleville | No. 008000137 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Extreme Exigency LLC | Benton | No. 008000155 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Dfr LLC | Bloomingdale | No. 013000817 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Bloomington Normal Barber College | Bloomington | No. 008000130 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Chicago Nail School | Blue Island | No. 171000106 · to 2026-10 | nail-technology |
| Chicago Nail School | Blue Island | No. 171000106 · to 2026-10 | nail-technology |
| Chicago Nail School | Blue Island | No. 171000106 · to 2026-10 | nail-technology |
| Unique Nail & Beauty Academy, LLC | Blue Island | No. 171000179 · to 2026-10 | nail-technology |
| Midwest Barber Academy | Bolingbrook | No. 008000133 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Kankakee Area Career Center | Bourbonnais | No. 015000415 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Phipps Academy INC | Bradley | No. 008000149 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Lavish School of Cosmetology and Barbering at | Calumet City | No. 015000558 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Calumet Park | No. 260010161 · to 2026-10 | natural-hair | |
| Carbondale Community High School Dist 165 | Carbondale | No. 015000563 · to 2028-09 | cosmetology |
| Southern Illinois School of Cosmetology | Centralia | No. 013000718 · to 2026-09 | cosmetology |
| A Cut Above the Rest Barber Academy LLC | Champaign | No. 008000160 · to 2027-07 | barbering |
| Logistic Natural Hair Care School (lnhc) | Champaign | No. 260000005 · to 2026-10 | natural-hair |
Showing 25 of the 200 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation .
How do you become a cosmetologist in Illinois in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Illinois you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 11.5 months full time. 13 states set a lower requirement and the rest set a higher one, in a national range topping out at 2,000 hours.
The count is only good if the school was licensed by Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation throughout, so the license is worth confirming before you enroll.
How much do cosmetologists make in Illinois in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Illinois earn a median of $34,040 , with the bottom tenth on $31,200 and the top tenth on $58,960 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $34,040 $34,040
- Estheticians $45,330 $45,330
- Salon managers $49,150 $49,150
- Nail technicians $37,050 $37,050
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Illinois?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Illinois around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, where the median is $34,260, and the least around Paducah at $28,350. At 21 percent, the spread across Illinois is narrow, and location will not decide your income the way it does in some states.
Against a statewide median of $34,040, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin $34,260 $34,260
- Champaign-Urbana $33,840 $33,840
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island $33,580 $33,580
- St. Louis $33,350 $33,350
- Decatur $32,620 $32,620
- Peoria $32,280 $32,280
- Kankakee $31,200 $31,200
- Springfield $31,200 $31,200
- Cape Girardeau $28,800 $28,800
- Paducah $28,350 $28,350
Where are the cosmetology schools in Illinois?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Illinois cluster hardest in Chicago, which holds 51 of the 225 the board currently lists. That is only 23 percent of the state total, so schools are spread more evenly here than in states with a single dominant city.
Another 66 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.
- Chicago 51 51
- Joliet 8 8
- Waukegan 6 6
- Peoria 5 5
- Rockford 5 5
- Schaumburg 5 5
- Skokie 5 5
- Blue Island 4 4
- Downers Grove 4 4
- Springfield 4 4
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Illinois?
In Illinois, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $49,150 median. That is above the $34,040 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.
Each is a separate license with its own program and its own hour count, which is why the highest median is not automatically the best return on the time.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $49,150 | 2,670 |
| Estheticians | $45,330 | 2,960 |
| Nail technicians | $37,050 | 2,470 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Illinois?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Illinois means satisfying Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other Midwest states, Illinois is its 1,500 hour requirement is about the regional norm, and it pays about 5 percent below the regional average.
Reciprocity is decided case by case, and the state you trained in is only the starting point for that conversation.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois (this state) | 1,500 | $34,040 |
| South Dakota | 1,500 | $49,800 |
| Minnesota | 1,550 | $39,170 |
| Ohio | 1,500 | $36,260 |
| Wisconsin | 1,550 | $36,230 |
| Iowa | 1,550 | $35,700 |
| North Dakota | 1,500 | $34,850 |
| Michigan | 1,500 | $34,820 |
| Nebraska | 1,800 | $34,320 |
| Indiana | 1,500 | $32,830 |
| Missouri | 1,500 | $30,750 |
| Kansas | 1,500 | $29,710 |
Which Illinois cosmetology schools have lapsed or lost their license?
729 Illinois cosmetology schools appear in Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's file with a license that is no longer current. Some closed, some let the license lapse, and some had it taken away. They are here because they still appear in commercial school directories, and because a reader holding a brochure from one of them deserves to know.
| School | City | Board status |
|---|---|---|
| Bentons School of Hair | Alton | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| Central Illinois Beauty School | Alton | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| F W Olin Vocational School | Alton | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| Jb Johnson Career Developmnt Ctr | Alton | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Kitzmiller Beauty College | Alton | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Southern Illinois School of Cosmetology | Anna | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Arlington Academy of | Arlington Heights | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| Eeg INC | Arlington Heights | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Empire Beauty School | Arlington Heights | Superseded (ownership change) (CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP) |
| Il Nail Technicians Academy Ltd | Arlington Heights | Superseded (ownership change) (CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP) |
| Ill Nail Technicians Academy | Arlington Heights | Expired (NOT RENEWED) |
| Ippolito Beauty Academy INC | Arlington Heights | Closed (CLOSED) |
| John & Louis Beauty School | Arlington Heights | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| Sunny's Nail School | Arlington Heights | Expired (NOT RENEWED) |
| Aurora Barber College | Aurora | Closed (CANCELLED) |
| Aurora Career Center | Aurora | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Aurora Career Center | Aurora | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Fox Valley Beauty Culture Academy | Aurora | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Hair Prof School of Cosmetology INC | Aurora | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Moler Hairstyling College | Aurora | Superseded (ownership change) (CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP) |
| Moler Hairstyling College INC | Aurora | Superseded (ownership change) (CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP) |
| Regency Corporation | Aurora | Superseded (ownership change) (CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP) |
| Regency Corporation | Aurora | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Illinois Academy of Nail Technology | Bartonville | Closed (CLOSED) |
| Academy of Beauty Culture | Belleville | Closed (CANCELLED) |
Showing 25 of 729, most recently recorded first. The rest are in the board's own file .
What does this Illinois cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Illinois cosmetology program ranking does not tell you everything you need. This is a completion rate, not a teaching inspection, and a school can lift it by enrolling only students likely to finish just as easily as by teaching well. It is reported for the institution rather than for the cosmetology course alone, which is exact at the beauty schools that teach nothing else and broader at a community college, where cosmetology is one program among many; each card says which kind it is describing. Schools enrolling fewer than 40 students are left out, because a completion rate over a handful of people moves too far on one person's decision to be worth ordering on. It covers only schools that take federal financial aid, a large share of the field but not all of it, so a school missing here takes no federal aid rather than performing badly. Finishing also says nothing about whether a school's hours will count toward your license, which is what the board record on this page is for.
Check a school against the NACCAS accredited school search if federal financial aid matters to you, and against Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Illinois
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Illinois rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Illinois hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Illinois?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Illinois?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Illinois accredited?
Where does this Illinois cosmetology program data come from?
This Illinois cosmetology program data comes from Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read on 2026-08-28, from the board's own license records rather than from any school directory. The cost and debt figures come from the US Department of Education's College Scorecard , which publishes them per institution for cosmetology programs at every school taking federal financial aid.
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationRead 2026-08-28.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , metro and state pay, employment and concentration behind every wage figure on this page
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study CIP 12.04 , full program cost, median federal debt and the monthly cost of that debt, per institution
On this page
- Other licensed schools
- How to become one
- What it pays
- Where do cosmetologists make the most money
- Where are the cosmetology schools
- Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech
- Can you use a cosmetology license from another state
- Lapsed and revoked licenses
- What this does not tell you
- Common questions
- Sources