Maryland
Best cosmetology programs in Maryland 2026
Baltimore. Photo by Bruce Emmerling, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Ranked on the share of students who finish what they started, within half again the program's normal length, as reported per institution to the US Department of Education. In a clock-hour trade this is the outcome that matters most: the license needs the full hour count, so a student who leaves early has paid for hours that will never qualify them.
There is no such thing as an accredited cosmetology program, in Maryland or anywhere else, because the field has no programmatic accreditor. NACCAS, the body most beauty schools advertise, accredits the institution rather than the course, so an accredited school and an unaccredited one can run the same program. What that accreditation buys a student is federal financial aid eligibility. The license from Maryland Higher Education Commission is what decides whether your hours count toward the exam.
37
schools currently licensed
14
qualify to be ranked
5
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Aveda Institute-Maryland
Bel Air, MD · Licensed school
97%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- $12,125 program cost
What the record shows
Aveda Institute-Maryland trains in Bel Air, licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Its license covers cosmetology and esthetics. The board lists no other licensed school in Bel Air. Of 77 enrolled in the fall count, 97 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $12,125 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 53 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 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, 39 points above the 58 percent median and 39 percent under the $20,013 median. It awarded 102 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 77, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Confirm the school's current license with the Maryland Higher Education Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the median cosmetologist earns $36,370, the bottom tenth $31,820 and the top tenth $59,530. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 2,700 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#2
The Temple-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
Frederick, MD · Licensed school
89%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- $20,765 program cost
What the record shows
The Temple-A Paul Mitchell Partner School trains in Frederick, licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Frederick. Of the 140 students in its fall count, 89 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $20,765 for the full program. The median graduate left with $9,833 in federal loans, across 287 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 31 points more of its students finish than the 58 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $20,013 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 81 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Ask the Maryland Higher Education Commission 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria earn under $37,020, with the tenth percentile at $26,900 and the ninetieth at $78,900. 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. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 7,010 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#3
The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
Annapolis, MD · Licensed school
85%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- $20,765 program cost
What the record shows
The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitchell Partner School is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in Annapolis. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Annapolis. 85 percent of students see the course through, out of 202 enrolled. It charges $20,765 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 287 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,833 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 27 points more of its students finish than the 58 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $20,013 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 99 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Maryland Higher Education Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
undefined Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Cortiva Institute
Linthicum, MD · Licensed school
70%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- $11,004 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Linthicum, Cortiva Institute is on the Maryland Higher Education Commission register. On the beauty side it trains toward an esthetics license only, which is a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes, leads to skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair, and does not license you to cut or color hair. That makes it a different decision from the full cosmetology schools on this page rather than a smaller version of one. The board lists no other licensed school in Linthicum. 70 percent of the 225 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $11,004 for the full program. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 70 percent, 12 points over the 58 percent median, is a good sign. $11,004 is 45 percent under the $20,013 median, which for a shorter course is about what it should cost. 233 credentials in the year from a fall count of 225: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. The license from the Maryland Higher Education Commission is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
For skincare specialists around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the range runs $36,050 to $85,420 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $58,930. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 26 percent higher on median pay. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. The occupation is about as common around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Award Beauty School
Hagerstown, MD · Licensed school
65%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- $25,580 program cost
What the record shows
Award Beauty School is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in Hagerstown. Its license covers barbering, cosmetology and nail technology. The board lists no other licensed school in Hagerstown. The school graduates 65 percent, on a fall headcount of 94. The published cost is $25,580 for the full program. 30 graduates borrowed, at a median of $10,375 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $110 a month. Paying 28 percent over the $20,013 median buys 7 points of completion over the 58 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. It awarded 50 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Ask the Maryland Higher Education Commission 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 Hagerstown-Martinsburg runs from $31,200 at the tenth percentile to $39,520 at the ninetieth, with a median of $32,710. The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Maryland figure. 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. Few places employ this trade as heavily: Hagerstown-Martinsburg runs at about 4.3 times the national rate, some 910 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Hair Academy
New Carrollton, MD · Licensed school
61%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- $25,500 program cost
What the record shows
Hair Academy is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in New Carrollton. Its license covers barbering, cosmetology and esthetics. It is the only licensed school the board lists in New Carrollton. The school graduates 61 percent, on a fall headcount of 229. Tuition is reported at $25,500 for the full program. It charges 27 percent over the $20,013 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. 165 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 13 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Confirm the school's current license with the Maryland Higher Education Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
undefined Washington-Arlington-Alexandria employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 7,010 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#7
All-State Career-Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
60%
Share of students who finish
- $12,314 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Baltimore, All-State Career-Baltimore is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 563 students at the school, 60 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 60 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $12,314. That price is 38 percent under the $20,013 median. Licensing is the business of the Maryland Higher Education Commission rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the range runs $31,820 to $59,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,370. 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. On concentration, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#8
Hair Academy II
Hillcrest Heights, MD · Licensed school
55%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- $25,500 program cost
What the record shows
Hair Academy II is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in Hillcrest Heights. Its license covers barbering, cosmetology and esthetics. The board lists no other licensed school in Hillcrest Heights. The school graduates 55 percent, on a fall headcount of 218. Tuition is reported at $25,500 for the full program. It charges 27 percent over the $20,013 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the extra price is not buying a better completion rate. It awarded 110 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 8 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Ask the Maryland Higher Education Commission 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
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#9
Paul Mitchell the School-Jessup
Jessup, MD · Licensed school
51%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- $18,800 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Jessup, Paul Mitchell the School-Jessup is on the Maryland Higher Education Commission register. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Jessup. The school graduates 51 percent, on a fall headcount of 131. The published cost is $18,800 for the full program. The price is close to the $20,013 median and the completion is not: 51 percent against 58. 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 66 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Maryland Higher Education Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the median cosmetologist earns $36,370, the bottom tenth $31,820 and the top tenth $59,530.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#10
Montgomery Beauty School
Silver Spring, MD · Licensed school
50%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- $25,500 program cost
What the record shows
Montgomery Beauty School is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in Silver Spring. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Silver Spring. The school graduates 50 percent, on a fall headcount of 101. The published cost is $25,500 for the full program. 8 points fewer finish than the 58 percent median and it costs 27 percent over the $20,013 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 50 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Maryland Higher Education Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, the range runs $26,900 to $78,900 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $37,020. This is a market with a long tail: the ninetieth percentile runs past double the median, and that gap is clientele rather than credentials. On concentration, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#11
Aspen Beauty Academy of Laurel
Laurel, MD · Licensed school
47%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $20,990 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Laurel, Aspen Beauty Academy of Laurel is on the Maryland Higher Education Commission register. Its license covers cosmetology. The school graduates 47 percent, on a fall headcount of 118. Tuition is reported at $20,990 for the full program. 11 points fewer of its students finish than the 58 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $20,013 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 33 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 118 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Confirm the school's current license with the Maryland Higher Education Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
undefined Maryland employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 5,860 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#12
Fortis Institute-Towson
Towson, MD · Licensed school
44%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- $16,669 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Towson, Fortis Institute-Towson is on the Maryland Higher Education Commission register. Across all 354 students at the school, 44 percent finish, which covers esthetics along with everything else it teaches. That 44 percent is low for this page, but it is the school's rate and the esthetics program is a small part of it; the esthetics department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $16,669. That price is 17 percent under the $20,013 median. It awarded 48 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Maryland Higher Education Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of skincare specialists around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson earn under $58,930, with the tenth percentile at $36,050 and the ninetieth at $85,420. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 26 percent higher on median pay. 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. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 630 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#13
Empire Beauty School-Owings Mills
Owings Mills, MD · Licensed school
39%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $19,260 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Owings Mills is licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and trains in Owings Mills. Its license covers cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Owings Mills. 39 percent of students see the course through, out of 121 enrolled. The published cost is $19,260 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Empire Beauty campuses in the federal file, 817 borrowers at a median of $13,000 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. The price is close to the $20,013 median and the completion is not: 39 percent against 58. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. 40 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the Maryland Higher Education Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the range runs $31,820 to $59,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,370. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. The occupation is about as common around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
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#14
Empire Beauty School-Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, MD · Licensed school
36%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- $19,260 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Glen Burnie trains in Glen Burnie, licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Of the 77 students in its fall count, 36 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $19,260 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Empire Beauty campuses in the federal file, 817 borrowers at a median of $13,000 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. 22 points fewer of its students finish than the 58 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $20,013 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 32 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The license from the Maryland Higher Education Commission is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, the range runs $31,820 to $59,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,370. 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. On concentration, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Maryland Higher Education Commission, read 2026-08-31.
- Aveda Institute-Maryland 97% 97%
- The Temple-A Paul Mitchell Partn... 89% 89%
- The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitc... 85% 85%
- Cortiva Institute 70% 70%
- Award Beauty School 65% 65%
- Hair Academy 61% 61%
- All-State Career-Baltimore 60% 60%
- Hair Academy II 55% 55%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Jessup 51% 51%
- Montgomery Beauty School 50% 50%
Which other cosmetology schools in Maryland are state licensed?
These Maryland cosmetology schools hold a current license from Maryland Higher Education Commission but have no published earnings figure, because the ranking above reads federal data that covers only schools taking federal financial aid. Their hours count toward the Maryland exam exactly as the ranked schools' hours do. They are listed by city rather than ordered, since nothing published about them supports an ordering.
| School | City | Board record | Approved to teach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake School of Esthetics: Skin Care & MakeUp | Arnold | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Avara's Academy of Hair Design | Baltimore | Licensed school | barbering |
| Baltimore Beauty & Barber School | Baltimore | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology |
| Baltimore Studio of Hair Design School of Cosmetology | Baltimore | Licensed school | cosmetology |
| Maryland Beauty Academy - Essex | Baltimore | Licensed school | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Bladensburg Barber School | Bladensburg | Licensed school | barbering |
| Top Curl Beauty Academy | Bowie | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Medassage School of Esthetics | Clinton | Licensed school | esthetics |
| MIAA Beauty Institute | Forestville | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Shawntay's School of Creative Nails - South | Glen Burnie | Licensed school | nail-technology |
| Inst Int'l de Cosmo Ado Beauty Sch | Laurel | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Maryland Electrolysis Education Ctr | Laurel | Licensed school | electrology |
| The Institute of Epidermal Sciences | Laurel | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Revolutionary Institute of Beauty | Oxon Hill | Licensed school | instructor |
| BEAT - Beauty Expert Artistry Training | Pikesville | Licensed school | |
| Hair Expressions--Paul Mitchell Partner School | Rockville | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics |
| Special K Academy, LLC | Rockville | Licensed school | cosmetology |
| Maryland Institute of Nail Technology | Rosedale | Licensed school | nail-technology |
| Del-Mar-Va Beauty Academy | Salisbury | Licensed school | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Snob Nails Technician School | Temple Hills | Licensed school | nail-technology |
| Shawntay's School of Creative Nails | Towson | Licensed school | nail-technology |
| Maryland Beauty Academy - Westminster | Westminster | Licensed school | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Academy of Professional Barber/Stylists | Wheaton | Licensed school | barbering |
| Fernanda's Beauty Institute | Wheaton | Licensed school | esthetics, nail-technology |
How do you become a cosmetologist in Maryland in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Maryland you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Maryland Higher Education Commission, 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 Maryland Higher Education Commission licensed the school at the time you sat them.
How much do cosmetologists make in Maryland in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Maryland earn a median of $36,420 , with the bottom tenth on $31,830 and the top tenth on $72,940 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $36,420 $36,420
- Salon managers $51,510 $51,510
- Nail technicians $37,300 $37,300
- Estheticians $46,590 $46,590
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Maryland?
Maryland splits cosmetology school oversight three ways, which almost no other state does. The Maryland Higher Education Commission issues the school's certificate of approval; the Board of Cosmetologists only reviews and approves the curriculum; and public high school programs sit with the Maryland State Department of Education. Curriculum changes require sign-off from both MHEC and the Board. The upshot is that no single Maryland agency holds a list of cosmetology schools. Maryland also keeps a full 24-month registered salon apprenticeship as a complete substitute for the 1,500 school hours. Read Maryland Higher Education Commission's own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Maryland?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Maryland around Salisbury, where the median is $39,400, and the least around Hagerstown-Martinsburg at $32,710. At 20 percent, the spread across Maryland is narrow, and location will not decide your income the way it does in some states.
Against a statewide median of $36,420, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Salisbury $39,400 $39,400
- Lexington Park $37,420 $37,420
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmin... $37,320 $37,320
- Washington-Arlington-Alexa... $37,020 $37,020
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson $36,370 $36,370
- Hagerstown-Martinsburg $32,710 $32,710
Where are the cosmetology schools in Maryland?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Maryland cluster hardest in Baltimore, which holds 4 of the 37 the board currently lists. At 11 percent of the state total, no single city dominates training in Maryland.
Another 21 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.
- Baltimore 4 4
- Laurel 4 4
- Glen Burnie 2 2
- Rockville 2 2
- Towson 2 2
- Wheaton 2 2
- Annapolis 1 1
- Arnold 1 1
- Bel Air 1 1
- Bladensburg 1 1
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Maryland?
In Maryland, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $51,510 median. That is above the $36,420 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.
A narrower license limits what you can charge for, and that ceiling matters more over a career than the opening figure does.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $51,510 | 4,010 |
| Estheticians | $46,590 | 1,130 |
| Nail technicians | $37,300 | 2,080 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Maryland?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Maryland means satisfying Maryland Higher Education Commission, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other South states, Maryland is it asks 70 more hours than the regional average of 1,430, and it pays about 11 percent above the regional average.
Someone who expects to follow work across the region should train to the heavier requirement, because hours are easier to hold than to add later.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland (this state) | 1,500 | $36,420 |
| District of Columbia | 1,250 | $54,570 |
| North Carolina | 1,500 | $38,410 |
| Georgia | 1,500 | $34,560 |
| West Virginia | 2,000 | $34,480 |
| Delaware | $34,350 | |
| South Carolina | 1,500 | $33,700 |
| Tennessee | 1,500 | $31,310 |
| Texas | 1,000 | $30,680 |
| Kentucky | 1,500 | $29,840 |
| Oklahoma | 1,500 | $29,650 |
| Florida | 1,200 | $29,530 |
| Alabama | 1,500 | $29,150 |
| Arkansas | 1,500 | $28,830 |
| Mississippi | 1,500 | $27,560 |
| Louisiana | 1,500 | $26,030 |
| Virginia | 1,000 |
What does this Maryland cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Maryland 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 Maryland Higher Education Commission for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Maryland
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Maryland rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Maryland hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Maryland?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Maryland?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Maryland accredited?
Where does this Maryland cosmetology program data come from?
This Maryland cosmetology program data comes from Maryland Higher Education Commission, 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. Maryland splits cosmetology school oversight three ways, which almost no other state does. The Maryland Higher Education Commission issues the school's certificate of approval; the Board of Cosmetologists only reviews and approves the curriculum; and public high school programs sit with the Maryland State Department of Education. Curriculum changes require sign-off from both MHEC and the Board. The upshot is that no single Maryland agency holds a list of cosmetology schools. Maryland also keeps a full 24-month registered salon apprenticeship as a complete substitute for the 1,500 school hours.
Maryland Higher Education CommissionRead 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
On this page
- Other licensed schools
- How to become one
- What it pays
- What is different in Maryland
- Where do cosmetologists make the most money
- Where are the cosmetology schools
- Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech
- Can you use a cosmetology license from another state
- What this does not tell you
- Common questions
- Sources