Indiana
Best cosmetology programs in Indiana 2026
Indianapolis skyline. Photo by Chris Bowman, licensed under CC BY 2.0, 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.
No cosmetology program anywhere is accredited, because nothing accredits the program itself. NACCAS, the name on most beauty school marketing, is an institutional accreditor whose practical effect is access to federal financial aid, and an accredited school says nothing about the course it runs. In Indiana the binding credential is the school's license from Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency).
28
schools reporting federally
22
qualify to be ranked
6
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Lafayette
Lafayette, IN
100%
Share of students who finish
- 100% finish
- 89 graduates a year
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Lafayette runs its cosmetology program in Lafayette and reports to the US Department of Education. 100 percent of its students finish, out of 126 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $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 407 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. Finishing well and charging under the median is the combination worth looking for, and this is one of the few schools on the page that does both, 26 points above the 74 percent median and 26 percent under the $17,754 median. 89 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Lafayette-West Lafayette, the median cosmetologist earns $31,270, the bottom tenth $24,130 and the top tenth $50,900.
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#2
Christina and Company Education Center
Lafayette, IN
89%
Share of students who finish
- 89% finish
- 43 graduates a year
- $14,300 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Lafayette, Christina and Company Education Center is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Of the 44 students in its fall count, 89 percent complete the course they started. It charges $14,300 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Finishing well and charging under the median is the combination worth looking for, and this is one of the few schools on the page that does both, 15 points above the 74 percent median and 19 percent under the $17,754 median. 43 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 44 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Confirm the school's current license with the state board first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Around Lafayette-West Lafayette, the median cosmetologist earns $31,270, the bottom tenth $24,130 and the top tenth $50,900. The local occupation is small in absolute terms, which tends to mean hiring runs through personal contacts. Local concentration around Lafayette-West Lafayette sits near the national average.
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#3
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Carmel, IN
88%
Share of students who finish
- 88% finish
- 165 graduates a year
- $21,575 program cost
What the record shows
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis trains in Carmel, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. 88 percent of its students finish, out of 265 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $21,575 for the full program. 145 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,624 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $91 a month. Paying 22 percent over the $17,754 median buys 14 points of completion over the 74 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. The school conferred 165 credentials in the year reported. The license from the state board is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
undefined
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#4
Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville
Merrillville, IN
86%
Share of students who finish
- 86% finish
- 66 graduates a year
- $18,202 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Merrillville, Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. The school graduates 86 percent, on a fall headcount of 107. Tuition is reported at $18,202 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,833 in federal loans, measured over 64 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. $18,202 is within 3 percent of the $17,754 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 86 percent against 74. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 66 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock 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. 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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#5
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture LLC-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
85%
Share of students who finish
- 85% finish
- 73 graduates a year
- $18,463 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture LLC-Bloomington teaches cosmetology in Bloomington, with its results published federally. The school graduates 85 percent, on a fall headcount of 109. Tuition is reported at $18,463 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,980 in federal loans at the median, 91 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $85 a month. 11 points more of its students finish than the 74 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $17,754 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 73 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Bloomington, the median cosmetologist earns $30,360, the bottom tenth $23,230 and the top tenth $45,880. The metro median runs about 8 percent below the Indiana figure. Few people hold this occupation locally, so a graduate is competing in a small pool and is likely to be known in it quickly. Bloomington employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 120 people.
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#6
J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy
Terre Haute, IN
84%
Share of students who finish
- 84% finish
- 102 graduates a year
- $16,850 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Terre Haute, J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. The school graduates 84 percent, on a fall headcount of 88. It charges $16,850 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 45 graduates borrowed, at a median of $5,500 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $58 a month. $16,850 is within 6 percent of the $17,754 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 84 percent against 74. That is the better half of the trade. 102 credentials in the year from a fall count of 88: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Terre Haute, the median cosmetologist earns $28,280, the bottom tenth $22,990 and the top tenth $46,670. The metro median runs about 14 percent below the Indiana figure. Terre Haute employs the trade at only about 0.7 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
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#7
The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville
Evansville, IN
81%
Share of students who finish
- 81% finish
- 119 graduates a year
- $18,950 program cost
What the record shows
The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville runs its cosmetology program in Evansville and reports to the US Department of Education. The school graduates 81 percent, on a fall headcount of 162. The published cost is $18,950 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,833 in federal loans at the median, 160 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 7 points more of its students finish than the 74 percent median, priced within 7 percent of the $17,754 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 119 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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
For cosmetologists around Evansville, the range runs $23,240 to $49,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,700. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 10 percent under on median pay. Few people hold this occupation locally, so a graduate is competing in a small pool and is likely to be known in it quickly. On concentration, Evansville is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#8
Summit Salon Academy
Anderson, IN
80%
Share of students who finish
- 80% finish
- 111 graduates a year
- $15,800 program cost
What the record shows
Summit Salon Academy teaches cosmetology in Anderson, with its results published federally. 80 percent of its students finish, out of 130 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $15,800 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 89 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,833 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. $15,800 is within 12 percent of the $17,754 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 80 percent against 74. That is the better half of the trade. The school conferred 111 credentials in the year reported. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
undefined The ninetieth percentile at $58,620 is 1.8 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 27 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
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#9
Rudae's School of Beauty Culture-Ft Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN
79%
Share of students who finish
- 79% finish
- 76 graduates a year
- $16,410 program cost
What the record shows
Rudae's School of Beauty Culture-Ft Wayne runs its cosmetology program in Fort Wayne and reports to the US Department of Education. Of the 91 students in its fall count, 79 percent complete the course they started. It charges $16,410 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The median graduate left with $9,500 in federal loans, across 135 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. $16,410 is within 8 percent of the $17,754 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 79 percent against 74. That is the better half of the trade. The school conferred 76 credentials in the year reported. The license from the state board is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
undefined The metro median runs about 9 percent below the Indiana figure. The ninetieth percentile at $50,410 is 1.7 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 22 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
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#10
Denmark College
Merrillville, IN
75%
Share of students who finish
- 65 graduates a year
- $21,000 program cost
What the record shows
Denmark College runs its cosmetology program in Merrillville and reports to the US Department of Education. 75 percent of the 175 students it enrolls finish. Tuition is reported at $21,000 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,962 in federal loans, measured over 125 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $106 a month. It charges 18 percent over the $17,754 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. The school conferred 65 credentials in the year reported. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock 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. 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.
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#11
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. $13,184 is 26 percent under the $17,754 median, and completion is within 1 points of the 74 percent median, which is the cheap-without-a-catch pairing. 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
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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#12
Taylor Institute of Cosmetology II
Knox, IN
73%
Share of students who finish
- 73% finish
- 15 graduates a year
- $11,250 program cost
What the record shows
Taylor Institute of Cosmetology II runs its cosmetology program in Knox and reports to the US Department of Education. The school graduates 73 percent, on a fall headcount of 44. The published cost is $11,250 for the full program. It charges 37 percent less than the $17,754 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 15 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The license from the state board is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Indiana earn under $32,830, with the tenth percentile at $23,890 and the ninetieth at $58,620. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.8 times the median and a floor 27 percent below it, so a good first year and a good tenth year here are separated by a client book rather than by a cliff. Local concentration in Indiana sits near the national average.
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#13
PJ's College of Cosmetology-Clarksville
Clarksville, IN
69%
Share of students who finish
- 69% finish
- 138 graduates a year
- $18,616 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Clarksville, PJ's College of Cosmetology-Clarksville is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 69 percent of students see the course through, out of 125 enrolled. The published cost is $18,616 for the full program. The median graduate left with $9,833 in federal loans, across 126 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. The price is close to the $17,754 median and the completion is not: 69 percent against 74. 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 138 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 125, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. 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 Louisville/Jefferson County runs from $23,580 at the tenth percentile to $89,750 at the ninetieth, with a median of $33,620. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. This is a comparatively thin market: Louisville/Jefferson County runs at roughly 0.7 times the national concentration, about 930 people in the occupation.
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#14
Rogers Academy of Hair Design
Evansville, IN
68%
Share of students who finish
- 68% finish
- 58 graduates a year
- $18,850 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Evansville, Rogers Academy of Hair Design is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 68 percent of its students finish, out of 72 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $18,850 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The median graduate left with $12,250 in federal loans, across 76 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $130 a month. The price is close to the $17,754 median and the completion is not: 68 percent against 74. 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 58 beauty credentials in the reporting year. 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
undefined The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Indiana figure.
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#15
Summit Salon Academy-Kokomo
Kokomo, IN
68%
Share of students who finish
- 68% finish
- 83 graduates a year
- $17,808 program cost
What the record shows
Summit Salon Academy-Kokomo runs its cosmetology program in Kokomo and reports to the US Department of Education. The school graduates 68 percent, on a fall headcount of 98. It charges $17,808 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 81 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,120 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $97 a month. The price is close to the $17,754 median and the completion is not: 68 percent against 74. 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 83 credentials in the year reported. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Kokomo runs from $21,940 at the tenth percentile to $61,290 at the ninetieth, with a median of $30,320. The metro median runs about 8 percent below the Indiana figure. The top of this market earns more than double the median, which is the part of the trade that rewards a following, and it takes years to build. Kokomo is a small market, about 90 in the trade, but a dense one for its size at 1.4 times the national rate.
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#16
Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
67%
Share of students who finish
- 67% finish
- 100 graduates a year
- $17,010 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Indianapolis, Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 67 percent of students see the course through, out of 178 enrolled. It charges $17,010 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 98 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,811 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 7 points fewer of its students finish than the 74 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $17,754 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. 100 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. 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
undefined The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for.
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#17
Ravenscroft Beauty College
Fort Wayne, IN
63%
Share of students who finish
- 63% finish
- 69 graduates a year
- $16,850 program cost
What the record shows
Ravenscroft Beauty College trains in Fort Wayne, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. 63 percent of students see the course through, out of 104 enrolled. The published cost is $16,850 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,389 in federal loans, measured over 120 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $78 a month. The price is close to the $17,754 median and the completion is not: 63 percent against 74. 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 69 credentials in the year reported. 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
undefined Fort Wayne employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 470 people.
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#18
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
55%
Share of students who finish
- 55% finish
- 235 graduates a year
- $13,184 program cost
What the record shows
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis teaches cosmetology in Indianapolis, with its results published federally. 55 percent of its students finish, out of 346 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 407 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. Cheap, but 19 points fewer of its students finish than the 74 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. 235 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. Confirm the school's current license with the state board first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, the range runs $23,890 to $62,640 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,380. 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. The occupation is about as common around Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood as it is nationally.
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#19
Kenny's Academy of Barbering
Indianapolis, IN
55%
Share of students who finish
- 55% finish
- 48 graduates a year
- $20,140 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Indianapolis, Kenny's Academy of Barbering is one of the barbering programs the federal government tracks. This is a specialist: a barber license, not cosmetology. The work is men's cutting, shaving and beard work, the course is a similar hour count to cosmetology, and it does not license color, chemical services or the full cosmetology scope, so it is a different decision from the full-service schools on this page. The school graduates 55 percent, on a fall headcount of 178. It charges $20,140 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $16,500 in federal loans at the median, 57 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $175 a month. That is most of the $20,140 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 55 percent, 19 points under the 74 percent median, is the first thing to ask about. $20,140 is 13 percent over the $17,754 median for a similar hour count, which needs a reason. It awarded 48 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 178 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
undefined The trade is unusually concentrated around Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, about 1.9 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.
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#20
PJ's College of Cosmetology-Richmond
Richmond, IN
54%
Share of students who finish
- 54% finish
- 38 graduates a year
- $18,616 program cost
What the record shows
PJ's College of Cosmetology-Richmond trains in Richmond, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. Of the 55 students in its fall count, 54 percent complete the course they started. It charges $18,616 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 20 points fewer of its students finish than the 74 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $17,754 median, so you would be paying the going rate for worse odds of getting through. Ask the school what happens to the ones who leave. The school conferred 38 credentials in the year reported. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in Indiana runs from $23,890 at the tenth percentile to $58,620 at the ninetieth, with a median of $32,830. The upside is capped near 1.8 times the median and the floor is 27 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. On concentration, Indiana is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#21
Empire Beauty School-Speedway
Speedway, IN
43%
Share of students who finish
- 43% finish
- 115 graduates a year
- $19,260 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Speedway runs its cosmetology program in Speedway and reports to the US Department of Education. 43 percent of its students finish, out of 166 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $19,260 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The federal file reports borrowing for Empire Beauty campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $13,583 in federal loans across 802 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $144 a month. Only 43 in a hundred finish here, 31 points under the 74 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $19,260 price against it. The school conferred 115 credentials in the year reported. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, the median cosmetologist earns $34,380, the bottom tenth $23,890 and the top tenth $62,640. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for.
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#22
Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College
Gary, IN
33%
Share of students who finish
- 33% finish
- 12 graduates a year
- $17,700 program cost
What the record shows
Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College runs its cosmetology program in Gary and reports to the US Department of Education. 33 percent of its students finish, out of 40 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $17,700 for the full program. The federal file reports borrowing for Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $15,579 in federal loans across 54 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $165 a month. Only 33 in a hundred finish here, 41 points under the 74 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $17,700 price against it. It awarded 12 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 40 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. 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
Half of cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn under $34,260, with the tenth percentile at $31,200 and the ninetieth at $58,960. Starting pay and typical pay are close together in this market, which cuts both ways: less of a lean first year, and less immediate reward for getting quicker. Concentration around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.4 times, or 12,000 people in the occupation.
- Tricoci University of Beauty Cul... 100% 100%
- Christina and Company Education ... 89% 89%
- Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indian... 88% 88%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Merrill... 86% 86%
- Tricoci University of Beauty Cul... 85% 85%
- J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy 84% 84%
- The Salon Professional Academy-E... 81% 81%
- Summit Salon Academy 80% 80%
- Rudae's School of Beauty Culture... 79% 79%
- Denmark College 75% 75%
Where can you find the licensed cosmetology programs in Indiana?
The licensed cosmetology programs in Indiana are searched one at a time rather than published as a list, so this page links Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency)'s own records instead of reprinting a commercial directory. The schools above are drawn from the 28 Indiana cosmetology programs that take federal financial aid and therefore report their results to the Department of Education. That is a large share of the field and not all of it, so a school missing here is one that takes no federal aid rather than one that is unlicensed. Look up the school you are considering in the board's records and confirm the license is current before you pay anything.
How do you become a cosmetologist in Indiana in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Indiana you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency), then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 11.5 months full time. Only 13 states ask less, so this is at the shorter end of a range that reaches 2,000 hours.
None of those hours count unless Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) licensed the school at the time you sat them.
How much do cosmetologists make in Indiana in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Indiana earn a median of $32,830 , with the bottom tenth on $23,890 and the top tenth on $58,620 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $32,830 $32,830
- Salon managers $48,590 $48,590
- Estheticians $44,450 $44,450
- Nail technicians $36,140 $36,140
- Barbers $33,600 $33,600
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Indiana?
Indiana calls the licensed institution a "beauty culture school," a term no other state in this group uses, and the license is a distinct board license with a $400 application fee. The distance-learning position is unusual: IC 25-8-5-4.6 (added 2016) gives the board explicit power to authorize online delivery, but the board never adopted the enabling rule, so 820 IAC 4 still contains no distance-education provision and all 1,500 hours must be earned on the school premises apart from a 10% off-site allowance. Indiana also caps enrollment intensity at both ends (20-50 hours/week) and forces completion within three years of enrollment, and it bars a license from being denied because the applicant graduated from a beauty culture school operated by a penal institution. Read Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency)'s own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Indiana?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Indiana around Cincinnati, where the median is $36,790, and the least around Terre Haute at $28,280. That is a 30 percent gap inside one state, which is wider than the gap between many states and worth more than most differences between schools.
The statewide median sits at $32,830, so the metros above it are carrying the average up.
- Cincinnati $36,790 $36,790
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenw... $34,380 $34,380
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin $34,260 $34,260
- Louisville/Jefferson County $33,620 $33,620
- Columbus $31,300 $31,300
- Lafayette-West Lafayette $31,270 $31,270
- Muncie $31,020 $31,020
- Michigan City-La Porte $30,820 $30,820
- South Bend-Mishawaka $30,770 $30,770
- Bloomington $30,360 $30,360
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Indiana?
In Indiana, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $48,590 median. That is above the $32,830 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.
Adding a second license later is common, so the question is less which career to pick than which of these programs to start with.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $48,590 | 1,950 |
| Estheticians | $44,450 | 1,120 |
| Nail technicians | $36,140 | 510 |
| Barbers | $33,600 | 370 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Indiana?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Indiana means satisfying Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency), which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other Midwest states, Indiana is its 1,500 hour requirement is about the regional norm, and it pays about 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana (this state) | 1,500 | $32,830 |
| 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 |
| Illinois | 1,500 | $34,040 |
| Missouri | 1,500 | $30,750 |
| Kansas | 1,500 | $29,710 |
What does this Indiana cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Indiana 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 Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Indiana
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Indiana rank highly here?
How many cosmetology schools are there in Indiana?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Indiana?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Indiana?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Indiana accredited?
Where does this Indiana cosmetology program data come from?
This Indiana cosmetology program data comes from Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency), read on 2026-08-31, 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. Indiana calls the licensed institution a "beauty culture school," a term no other state in this group uses, and the license is a distinct board license with a $400 application fee. The distance-learning position is unusual: IC 25-8-5-4.6 (added 2016) gives the board explicit power to authorize online delivery, but the board never adopted the enabling rule, so 820 IAC 4 still contains no distance-education provision and all 1,500 hours must be earned on the school premises apart from a 10% off-site allowance. Indiana also caps enrollment intensity at both ends (20-50 hours/week) and forces completion within three years of enrollment, and it bars a license from being denied because the applicant graduated from a beauty culture school operated by a penal institution.
Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency)Read 2026-08-31.
- 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