Chicago, IL
Cosmetology Schools in Chicago, IL, Ranked (2026)
Chicago skyline. Photo by Diego Delso, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Cosmetology schools in Chicago are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which keeps the most detailed school file of any state board in the country. IDFPR records six separate school license types, the year each school was first licensed, and whether it has ever been disciplined. You can check a school here in a way you can't in most states.
51 licensed schools carry a Chicago address right now. The federal completion file covers 30 schools in and around Chicago, eight more were too small to rank, and 45 of the 51 licensed schools aren't in it at all. So the ranked list and the state roster answer two different questions.
Figures in this section: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 30 Cosmetology Schools in and Near Chicago, Ranked on Completion
38 cosmetology programs report to the US Department of Education from inside Chicago or within 30 miles of downtown. 30 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 8 had too few students to rank, so the list stops at 30.
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 Illinois page links the board's own lookup.
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#1
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. 33 points more of its students finish than the 67 percent median, priced within 7 percent of the $18,020 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
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. 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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#2
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, 30 points over the 67 percent median, is a good sign. $17,300 is within 4 percent of the $18,020 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. 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. Concentration around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.3 times, or 2,720 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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#3
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. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 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. More of its students finish than at most schools on this page, 96 percent against 67, and the price is 14 percent over the $18,020 median. The premium buys better odds of reaching the exam, and the course you do not finish is the one that costs the most. 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 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. 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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#4
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. 24 points above the 67 percent median at a price 17 percent over the $18,020 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. 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
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 first rung and the middle of this market are close enough that the early years are less about pay than about who comes back. 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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#5
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 16 years. Some 93 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 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. 21 points more of its students finish than the 67 percent median, and it charges 20 percent less than the $18,020 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
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.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#6
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, 19 points over the 67 percent median, is a good sign. $10,875 is 40 percent under the $18,020 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
Around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the median skincare specialist earns $45,330, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $59,170. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. 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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#7
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. $18,791 is within 5 percent of the $18,020 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 84 percent against 67. That is the better half of the trade. 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
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.
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#8
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. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 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. $16,400 is within 9 percent of the $18,020 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 78 percent against 67. That is the better half of the trade. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $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. 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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#9
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Highland
Highland, IN
75%
Share of students who finish
- 75% finish
- 234 graduates a year
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Highland teaches cosmetology in Highland, with its results published federally. 75 percent of its students finish, out of 319 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $13,184 for the full program. The median graduate left with $7,307 in federal loans, across 239 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. 8 points more of its students finish than the 67 percent median, and it charges 27 percent less than the $18,020 median to do it, which is the right direction on both counts. 234 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 11 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Ask the state board directly whether the license is in good standing, because a lapse while you are enrolled costs you the hours rather than the school.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs from $31,200 at the tenth percentile to $58,960 at the ninetieth, with a median of $34,260. 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. 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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#10
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, 6 points over the 67 percent median, is a good sign. $19,300 is within 8 percent of the $18,020 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here. 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 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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#11
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. A median completion at a price 17 percent over the $18,020 median: ask what the extra 17 percent pays for, because it is not finishing. 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
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. 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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#12
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 licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 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. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 71 percent against 67 and $18,020, exactly the median, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 20 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is a small cohort, which usually buys more chair time with an instructor and a shorter wait for the clinic floor. 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
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. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. 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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#13
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. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 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. It charges 27 percent less than the $18,020 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. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. 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 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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#14
G Skin & Beauty Institute
Schaumburg, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
64%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2026
- Renews 2027-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,900 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Schaumburg, G Skin & Beauty Institute is on the state board register. The board has licensed it continuously since 2026. Its license covers cosmetology. With 5 licensed schools in Schaumburg, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. Its record sits in Cook County. 64 percent of its students finish, out of 490 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $13,900 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $6,333 in federal loans at the median, 474 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. $13,900 is 23 percent under the $18,020 median, and completion is within 3 points of the 67 percent median, which is the cheap-without-a-catch pairing. It awarded 377 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 9 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Its board record is license 013011012, 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. 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
Larry's Barber College
Chicago, IL
63%
Share of students who finish
- 69 graduates a year
- $18,540 program cost
What the record shows
Larry's Barber College runs its barbering program in Chicago and reports to the US Department of Education. On the beauty side 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. 63 percent of the 68 students it enrolls finish. Tuition is reported at $18,540 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Larry's Barber campuses in the federal file, 64 borrowers at a median of $3,481 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $37 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 63 percent, 4 points under the 67 percent median, is about what this page does. $18,540 is within 3 percent of the $18,020 median for a similar hour count, which is the going rate. It awarded 69 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 68, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here. 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. 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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#16
Trenz Beauty Academy
Calumet City, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
61%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2014
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $1,940 program cost
What the record shows
Trenz Beauty Academy trains in Calumet City, licensed by the state board. Its license dates back to 2014 and has not lapsed since. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. The school graduates 61 percent, on a fall headcount of 109. Tuition is reported at $1,940 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $16,500 in federal loans at the median, 43 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $175 a month. That median loan is larger than the $1,940 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. 6 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 percent median. Whatever the price turns out to be, that is the number it has to justify. 97 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 013000799 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a 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. 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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#17
Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park
Tinley Park, IL
60%
Share of students who finish
- 81 graduates a year
- $23,252 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park runs its cosmetology program in Tinley Park and reports to the US Department of Education. 60 percent of the 191 students it enrolls finish. Tuition is reported at $23,252 for the full program. 195 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,722 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $92 a month. 7 points fewer finish than the 67 percent median and it costs 29 percent over the $18,020 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. It awarded 81 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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 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. 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.
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#18
Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago
Chicago, IL
60%
Share of students who finish
- 60% finish
- 103 graduates a year
- $24,075 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago runs its cosmetology program in Chicago and reports to the US Department of Education. 60 percent of students see the course through, out of 160 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $24,075 for the full program. 245 graduates borrowed, at a median of $12,513 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $133 a month. That is the pairing to be wary of: 7 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 percent median, at a price 34 percent over the $18,020 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. 103 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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
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. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. 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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#19
Cameo Beauty Academy
Oak Lawn, IL
59%
Share of students who finish
- 59% finish
- 47 graduates a year
- $17,985 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Oak Lawn, Cameo Beauty Academy is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 59 percent of students see the course through, out of 82 enrolled. The published cost is $17,985 for the full program. 8 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 percent median, priced within 1 percent of the $18,020 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. 47 students completed a credential here 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
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. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. 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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#20
G Skin & Beauty Institute
Oakbrook, IL
56%
Share of students who finish
- 56% finish
- 294 graduates a year
- $15,600 program cost
What the record shows
G Skin & Beauty Institute runs its cosmetology program in Oakbrook and reports to the US Department of Education. 56 percent of students see the course through, out of 337 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $15,600 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,917 in federal loans at the median, 346 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. $15,600 is 13 percent under the $18,020 median, and 11 points fewer finish than the 67 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. It awarded 294 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 around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. 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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#21
Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago
Chicago, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
53%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2020
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $18,020 program cost
What the record shows
Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago trains in Chicago, licensed by the state board. It has held a license from the board since 2020, 6 years without a lapse. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Chicago has 51 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Its record sits in Cook County. 53 percent of its students finish, out of 64 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $18,020 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 14 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 percent median, priced exactly at the $18,020 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. 20 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000846; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
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.
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#22
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE
Chicago, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
53%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2004
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE trains in Chicago, licensed by the state board. The board has licensed it continuously since 2004. Some 78 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Chicago has 51 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. 53 percent of students see the course through, out of 160 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $13,184 for the full program. Tricoci University of Beauty Culture campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $9,000 in federal loans at the median over 165 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $95 a month. Cheap, but 14 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 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 84 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 013000709, 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. 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. 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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#23
Steven Papageorge Hair Academy
Chicago, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
50%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2002
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $18,750 program cost
What the record shows
Steven Papageorge Hair Academy is licensed by the state board and trains in Chicago. The board has licensed it continuously since 2002. The schools ranked alongside it average 16 years. Some 81 percent of the state's licensed schools were licensed later. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Chicago has 51 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. The school graduates 50 percent, on a fall headcount of 60. It charges $18,750 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The price is close to the $18,020 median and the completion is not: 50 percent against 67. 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 18 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 60 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Its board record is license 013000702, 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. 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.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#24
Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture
Hillside, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
44%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2015
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $19,900 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Hillside, Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture is on the state board register. It has held a license from the board since 2015, 11 years without a lapse. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. Of the 52 students in its fall count, 44 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $19,900 for the full program. 23 points fewer of its students finish than the 67 percent median, priced within 11 percent of the $18,020 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. It awarded 21 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 013000814; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
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. 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.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#25
Empire Beauty School-Stone Park
Stone Park, IL
38%
Share of students who finish
- 38% finish
- 46 graduates a year
- $19,260 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Stone Park, Empire Beauty School-Stone Park is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 38 percent of students see the course through, out of 136 enrolled. It charges $19,260 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 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. Only 38 in a hundred finish here, 29 points under the 67 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $19,260 price against it. It awarded 46 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin than nationally, at roughly 1.4 times the usual rate.
Other Licensed Cosmetology Schools in Chicago
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation lists 51 currently licensed schools in Chicago. These 45 appear above, either because the school takes no federal aid and so reports no completion figure, or because its cohort was too small to rank. Being on this list means the board licenses the school, which is the thing that makes your hours count. The board's file also holds 229 Chicago records that are no longer active, which is why the roster is longer than this table.
| School | License |
|---|---|
| Botanic School of Nail Technology INC | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2006 |
| Botanic Spa Institute | LICENSED ESTHETICIAN SCHOOL, since 2016 |
| Capelli Academy of Cosmetology II INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2008 |
| Capelli Academy of Cosmetology INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 1993 |
| Capelli Academy of Cosmetology INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 1993 |
| Chaste Essentials INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2025 |
| Chaste Essentials INC | LICENSED HAIR BRAIDING SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| Chicago Natural Hair Care & Braiders Assoc | LICENSED HAIR BRAIDING SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| Chicago Vocational Career Academy | LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST SCHOOL PUBLIC, since 1994 |
| Christian Fields INC | LICENSED HAIR BRAIDING SCHOOL, since 2014 |
| Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Ctr | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2017 |
| Cook County Sheriff's Doc | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2011 |
| Denmark Education LLC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2016 |
| Dfr LLC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2023 |
| Dudley Beauty College | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 1993 |
| Dunbar Vocational School | LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST SCHOOL PUBLIC, since 1998 |
| Elle Beauty Salon Pc | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2011 |
| Elma Nail Corporation | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2012 |
| Epic Academy | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2025 |
| Excel Academy of South Shore | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| Futurama Beauty Academy Business | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 1988 |
| Hair Experts Barber College INC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2024 |
| Harry S Truman College, Cosmetology and Barbering School | LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST SCHOOL PUBLIC, since 1980 |
| Head Quarters Barber Academy | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2015 |
| His and Hers Barber School INC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2000 |
| Kelley Education INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2016 |
| LA Rocka Co | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2016 |
| LA Style School of Cosmetology | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2019 |
| Legacy Cutz Corporation | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2024 |
| Lse Enterprises INC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2006 |
| Lse Enterprises INC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2019 |
| Lse Enterprises INC | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2004 |
| Lys | LICENSED HAIR BRAIDING SCHOOL, since 2017 |
| Marco Polo Esthetics School INC | LICENSED ESTHETICIAN SCHOOL, since 1998 |
| Marco Polo Nail Technology School INC | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 1997 |
| Meraki Nail Tech School Co | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2017 |
| Musa Nail & Beauty Academy, LLC | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2024 |
| Nailionaire LLC Banana Nail School | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2025 |
| Networks Barber College | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2019 |
| Nyra's Barber School, Pllc | LICENSED BARBER SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| One Stop Beauty Salon, INC | LICENSED ESTHETICIAN SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| One Stop Beauty Salon, INC | LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN SCHOOL, since 2021 |
| Trenz Beauty Academy | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2014 |
| U.p. Academy of Hair Design, INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 2008 |
| Your School of Beauty Culture INC | LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL, since 1988 |
What Illinois Requires, and Why Chicago's School List Runs Long
A cosmetologist license in Illinois takes 1,500 hours, and the state lets only 10% of that be done online. That's 150 hours of coursework you can do at home and 1,350 you can't, which makes the drive to campus part of the decision here in a way it isn't in states with a 50% ceiling. We track how far each state lets online hours go.
IDFPR licenses schools by discipline, so one building can hold more than one license. Chicago's 51 active records break down as 18 cosmetology school licenses, 16 barber, 7 nail technician, 4 hair braiding, 3 esthetician and 3 public cosmetology licenses. Barbering is close to a third of that roster, and barbering is licensed separately from cosmetology in Illinois.
The agency keeps closed schools on the file instead of deleting them, and it separates a school that closed from one that never renewed, one that was cancelled and one that was revoked. 229 Chicago records sit in that history, which is why a school's license status is worth checking before you sign anything.
Figures in this section: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What the Chicago Ranked List Actually Measures
What puts a school at the top of this page is completion. University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology finished 100% of its students, three miles from the center, at $16,900 for the program. That figure comes from a cohort of 53, so read it as a small class that held together rather than a promise about yours.
Universal Spa Training Academy in Downers Grove, 20 miles out, finished 97% of 139 students and has held an esthetician school license since 2007. Capri Beauty College in New Lenox is further, 30 miles, at 96% of 75 students and $20,550. Both have clean discipline records on the state file.
One school on this list, Rosel School of Cosmetology, carries IDFPR's ever-disciplined flag next to a license first issued in 1989. That flag doesn't say what happened or when, only that something did, and it's a question to ask rather than an answer. Tuition across the 30 ranked schools runs from $1,940 to $24,075, and our methodology explains the ordering.
Figures in this section: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Chicago Salons and Spas Pay
The metro employs 12,000 hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, about 1.35 times the national concentration, at a $34,260 median. The 10th percentile is $31,200 and the 90th is $58,960, so the best-paid tenth earns not quite double the lowest-paid tenth. Illinois as a whole sits at $34,040, making the city premium $220 a year at the middle.
Two other trades pay better here than hair does. Skincare specialists earn a $45,330 median on 2,720 employed in the metro, and esthetician pay holds up across the state. Manicurists earn a $38,100 median, above stylists, though there are only 2,090 of them and the trade is less than half as concentrated here as nationally.
These are employee wages. A big share of stylists rent a chair or work on commission, and booth renters don't appear in the BLS series at all, so the median describes salaried work rather than everyone holding shears. Compare the whole state on the Illinois ranking before you settle on a neighborhood.
Figures in this section: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; BLS OEWS, May 2025; College Scorecard, June 2026.
What Cosmetology Careers Pay in Chicago
Median annual pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, from the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. A cosmetologist here earns a median of $34,260 against $34,040 across Illinois, with 12,000 employed in the metro. Booth renters and salon owners are self-employed and outside the survey, so these figures describe stylists on a payroll.
- Estheticians $45,330 $45,330
- Nail technicians $38,100 $38,100
- Cosmetologists $34,260 $34,260
| Occupation | Metro median | Illinois median |
|---|---|---|
| Estheticians | $45,330 | $45,330 |
| Nail technicians | $38,100 | $37,050 |
| Cosmetologists | $34,260 | $34,040 |
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.
Common Questions About Cosmetology School in Chicago
Answers draw on Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the College Scorecard and the May 2025 BLS wage release.
How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Chicago?
How do I check whether a Chicago beauty school is still licensed?
Why are there 229 inactive school records in Chicago?
Which Chicago cosmetology schools have the best completion rates?
What do hairstylists earn in Chicago?
Sources
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, school license records, read 2026-08-28. Hour requirement for a cosmetologist license: 1,500 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 Chicago. 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area.