Missouri
Best cosmetology programs in Missouri 2026
St. Louis skyline. Photo by Wisconsin Denizen, 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.
Cosmetology has no programmatic accreditor, which is why nothing on this page is ranked on accreditation. NACCAS accredits schools as institutions, not their cosmetology courses, so an "accredited cosmetology program" is a category error however often it appears in a brochure. What counts in Missouri is whether Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance) licensed the school while you were enrolled.
84
schools currently licensed
18
qualify to be ranked
8
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Skin Institute
Saint Louis, MO · School of Cosmetology
93%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $14,500 program cost
What the record shows
Skin Institute operates in Saint Louis under license from the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 93 percent of students see the course through, out of 88 enrolled. The published cost is $14,500 for the full program. 78 graduates borrowed, at a median of $6,895 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $73 a month. $14,500 is within 3 percent of the $14,925 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 93 percent against 73. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 77 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 2011025103; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Statewide, pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#2
The Salon Professional Academy-St Charles
St. Charles, MO · School of Cosmetology
92%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $20,154 program cost
What the record shows
The Salon Professional Academy-St Charles is licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and trains in St. Charles. Its license covers cosmetology. 92 percent of students see the course through, out of 132 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $20,154 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,917 in federal loans, measured over 122 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. 19 points above the 73 percent median at a price 35 percent over the $14,925 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. It awarded 180 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 132, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Its board record is license 2006010418, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Missouri, the range runs $28,600 to $58,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,750. A narrow bottom-to-middle gap means the pay you start on is close to the pay most people stay on, unless they build a following. The occupation is about as common in Missouri as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#3
Renaissance Beauty Academy
Cape Girardeau, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
88%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $14,500 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Cape Girardeau, Renaissance Beauty Academy is on the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners register. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. Of the 66 students in its fall count, 88 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $14,500 for the full program. $14,500 is within 3 percent of the $14,925 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 88 percent against 73. That is the better half of the trade. 48 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 2022014568 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
undefined
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri
Springfield, MO · School of Cosmetology
80%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $18,716 program cost
What the record shows
Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri trains in Springfield, licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 80 percent of students across the school finish, out of 396 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That completion rate is 7 points above the 73 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the school and not about the cosmetology floor. The published tuition is $18,716. That price is 25 percent over the $14,925 median, and nothing on this record explains the premium. 162 graduates borrowed, at a median of $11,450 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $121 a month. 28 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 2012040963 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 in Missouri earn under $30,750, with the tenth percentile at $28,600 and the ninetieth at $58,530. Statewide, pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. Missouri employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 5,430 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield
Springfield, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
80%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $9,075 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield is licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and trains in Springfield. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. Of the 297 students in its fall count, 80 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $9,075 for the full program. 233 graduates borrowed, at a median of $7,917 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. That is most of the $9,075 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. 7 points more of its students finish than the 73 percent median, and it charges 39 percent less than the $14,925 median to do it, which is the right direction on both counts. It awarded 306 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 297, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Its board record is license 2017032197, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Missouri, the range runs $28,600 to $58,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,750. 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. In Missouri, barbering pays a $47,880 median, about 56 percent above cosmetology. The occupation is about as common in Missouri as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics
Jefferson City, MO
79%
Share of students who finish
- 79% finish
- 61 graduates a year
- $17,925 program cost
What the record shows
Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics trains in Jefferson City, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. The school graduates 79 percent, on a fall headcount of 97. It charges $17,925 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 56 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,500 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. Paying 20 percent over the $14,925 median buys 6 points of completion over the 73 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. The school conferred 61 credentials in the year reported. Look this school up on the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined The tenth percentile sits within $30 of the median, so the published median is close to the entry wage here, and what sits above it is tips and a following.
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#7
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Blue Springs
Blue Springs, MO
78%
Share of students who finish
- 78% finish
- 118 graduates a year
- $14,300 program cost
What the record shows
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Blue Springs trains in Blue Springs, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. The school graduates 78 percent, on a fall headcount of 109. Tuition is reported at $14,300 for the full program. The median graduate left with $7,917 in federal loans, across 134 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. $14,300 is within 5 percent of the $14,925 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 78 percent against 73. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 118 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 109, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners 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
Half of cosmetologists around Kansas City earn under $31,520, with the tenth percentile at $28,300 and the ninetieth at $79,350. A flat floor and a long tail: nobody starts far below the median here, and the people well above it got there on repeat clients, not seniority. Local concentration around Kansas City sits near the national average.
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#8
Trend Setters School
Cape Girardeau, MO · School of Cosmetology
74%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $15,100 program cost
What the record shows
Trend Setters School operates in Cape Girardeau under license from the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 74 percent of students see the course through, out of 65 enrolled. It charges $15,100 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 74 percent against 73 and $15,100 against $14,925. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 41 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 2003011021, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
In Missouri, the median cosmetologist earns $30,750, the bottom tenth $28,600 and the top tenth $58,530. Statewide, pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. Missouri employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 5,430 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#9
Neosho Beauty and Barber College
Neosho, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
74%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $12,850 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Neosho, Neosho Beauty and Barber College is on the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners register. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. 74 percent of students see the course through, out of 47 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $12,850 for the full program. It charges 14 percent less than the $14,925 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 32 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 2025034286; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Missouri, the range runs $28,600 to $58,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,750. Entry and median pay nearly meet across the state. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Barbering and cosmetology do not pay alike in Missouri: barbering carries a $47,880 median, roughly 56 percent above cosmetology. The occupation is about as common in Missouri as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#10
Grabber School of Hair Design
St. Louis, MO · School of Cosmetology
73%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $17,596 program cost
What the record shows
Grabber School of Hair Design operates in St. Louis under license from the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. Its license covers cosmetology. 73 percent of its students finish, out of 182 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $17,596 for the full program. 217 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,715 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $103 a month. It charges 18 percent over the $14,925 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. 185 credentials in the year from a fall count of 182: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Its board record is license 2013006288, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Missouri, the range runs $28,600 to $58,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,750. Entry and median pay nearly meet across the state. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. On concentration, Missouri is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#11
SPBK Enterprises Inc
Webb City, MO
71%
Share of students who finish
- 47 graduates a year
- $21,786 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Webb City, SPBK Enterprises Inc is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Of 96 enrolled in the fall count, 71 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $21,786 for the full program. 71 graduates borrowed, at a median of $7,917 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. A median completion at a price 46 percent over the $14,925 median: ask what the extra 46 percent pays for, because it is not finishing. 47 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
undefined The tenth percentile and the median are the same $28,600, which means at least four in ten report the floor; the published median is the entry wage here, and everything above it is tips and a following.
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#12
Paul Mitchell the School-Missouri Columbia
Columbia, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
69%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $16,050 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Missouri Columbia is licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and trains in Columbia. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. 69 percent of students see the course through, out of 107 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $16,050 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,500 in federal loans, measured over 119 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. Completion, price and borrowing all sit near the page's middle here, 69 percent against 73 and $16,050 against $14,925, 59 percent of the price borrowed against 57 for the page. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 123 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 107, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Its board record is license 2019014017, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Missouri, the range runs $28,600 to $58,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,750. 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. Barbering and cosmetology do not pay alike in Missouri: barbering carries a $47,880 median, roughly 56 percent above cosmetology. On concentration, Missouri is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#13
Central College of Cosmetology
Saint Robert, MO · School of Cosmetology
69%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $12,400 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Saint Robert, Central College of Cosmetology is on the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners register. Its license covers cosmetology. Of the 61 students in its fall count, 69 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $12,400 for the full program. $12,400 is 17 percent under the $14,925 median, and completion is within 4 points of the 73 percent median, which is the cheap-without-a-catch pairing. It awarded 29 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 2014009934 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 in Missouri earn under $30,750, with the tenth percentile at $28,600 and the ninetieth at $58,530. 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. Missouri employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 5,430 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#14
Academy of Salon Professionals
Sedalia, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
67%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $13,500 program cost
What the record shows
Academy of Salon Professionals is licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and trains in Sedalia. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. The school graduates 67 percent, on a fall headcount of 50. The published cost is $13,500 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,589 in federal loans, measured over 38 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $102 a month. The price is close to the $14,925 median and the completion is not: 67 percent against 73. 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 51 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 50, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The board files it under license 2011001592; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Statewide, pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title. In Missouri, barbering pays a $47,880 median, about 56 percent above cosmetology.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#15
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield
Springfield, MO · School of Cosmetology
64%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $14,750 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Springfield, Academy of Hair Design-Springfield is on the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners register. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Of the 275 students in its fall count, 64 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $14,750 for the full program. 255 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,833 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. The price is close to the $14,925 median and the completion is not: 64 percent against 73. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. 187 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 10 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. The board files it under license 000291; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in Missouri runs from $28,600 at the tenth percentile to $58,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $30,750. Wages start near the local middle, so the question here is not surviving the first year but whether you build a book in it. The occupation is about as common in Missouri as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#16
Summit Salon Academy Kansas City
Independence, MO · School of Cosmetology & Barbering
61%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $10,030 program cost
What the record shows
Summit Salon Academy Kansas City is licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and trains in Independence. Its license covers barbering and cosmetology. 61 percent of students see the course through, out of 157 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $10,030 for the full program. The median graduate left with $11,400 in federal loans, across 43 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $121 a month. That median loan is larger than the $10,030 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. $10,030 is 33 percent under the $14,925 median, and 12 points fewer finish than the 73 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. 84 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 2024018731, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
In Missouri, the median cosmetologist earns $30,750, the bottom tenth $28,600 and the top tenth $58,530.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#17
Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis
St. Louis, MO · School of Cosmetology
59%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-09
- $20,350 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis trains in St. Louis, licensed by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. 59 percent of its students finish, out of 214 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $20,350 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,833 in federal loans at the median, 195 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 14 points fewer finish than the 73 percent median and it costs 36 percent over the $14,925 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. It awarded 95 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 2009020908, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Missouri earn under $30,750, with the tenth percentile at $28,600 and the ninetieth at $58,530. The first rung and the middle of this market are close enough that the early years are less about pay than about who comes back. Local concentration in Missouri sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), read 2026-08-31.
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#18
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
44%
Share of students who finish
- 44% finish
- 29 graduates a year
- $22,100 program cost
What the record shows
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Kansas City teaches cosmetology in Kansas City, with its results published federally. The school graduates 44 percent, on a fall headcount of 55. Tuition is reported at $22,100 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $16,500 in federal loans at the median, 20 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $175 a month. Only 44 in a hundred finish here, 29 points under the 73 percent median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote, and hold the $22,100 price against it. It awarded 29 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Licensing is the business of the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
Around Kansas City, the median cosmetologist earns $31,520, the bottom tenth $28,300 and the top tenth $79,350. Entry pay and typical pay nearly meet, and everything past the median is a following: the upside is real and it is all earned above the middle. Local concentration around Kansas City sits near the national average.
- Skin Institute 93% 93%
- The Salon Professional Academy-S... 92% 92%
- Renaissance Beauty Academy 88% 88%
- Midwest Technical Institute-Miss... 80% 80%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Springf... 80% 80%
- Missouri College of Cosmetology ... 79% 79%
- House of Heavilin Beauty College... 78% 78%
- Trend Setters School 74% 74%
- Neosho Beauty and Barber College 74% 74%
- Grabber School of Hair Design 73% 73%
Which other cosmetology schools in Missouri are state licensed?
These Missouri cosmetology schools hold a current license from Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance) 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 Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Beauty Professionals | No. 2020039411 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Academy of Hair Design | No. 2003026376 · to 2027-09 | barbering | |
| Academy of Hair Design & Beauty | No. 2021047281 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Academy of Therapeutic Esthetics and Massage | No. 2026003237 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Aesthetics Institute | No. 2017034635 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Aesthetics Institute | No. 2020018327 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Alternative Beauty Academy | No. 2023004849 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Artichely Hair Academy | No. 2023005174 · to 2027-09 | barbering | |
| Beaumont Technical High School | No. 2012032421 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Black River Beauty Academy | No. 2026007899 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| Bloom Beauty Institute | No. 2024042322 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Brillare Beauty Institute | No. 2026006405 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Capital Barber Academy | No. 2019024585 · to 2027-09 | barbering | |
| Chillicothe Beauty Academy & Barbering LLC | No. 2020025621 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| City Pointe Beauty Academy | No. 2009017901 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Crave Beauty Academy | No. 2019003686 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| CTC Nail Tech Program | No. 2019029975 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| CTS Beauty Academy | No. 2022037591 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Current Trends Academy | No. 2016031368 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Ea La Mar's Cosmetology & Barber College | No. 2021031081 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| Elite Nail Institute | No. 2023047939 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Evolve Beauty Academy | No. 2019010252 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology | |
| Grabber School of Hair Design | No. 2026009710 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| Hannibal Career and Technical Center | No. 2026032507 · to 2027-09 | barbering, cosmetology | |
| Herndon Career Center | No. 2008015276 · to 2027-09 | cosmetology |
Showing 25 of the 66 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance) .
How do you become a cosmetologist in Missouri in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Missouri you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), 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.
A cosmetology program whose school lost its license mid-course takes your hours with it, which is the argument for checking Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance) first.
How much do cosmetologists make in Missouri in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Missouri earn a median of $30,750 , with the bottom tenth on $28,600 and the top tenth on $58,530 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $30,750 $30,750
- Nail technicians $39,100 $39,100
- Salon managers $43,720 $43,720
- Estheticians $45,200 $45,200
- Barbers $47,880 $47,880
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Missouri?
Missouri is the only state in this group where the required clock hours depend on who owns the school: a student at a private licensed cosmetology school needs 1,500 hours, but a student at a licensed public vocational-technical school needs only 1,220 hours for the same license. 20 CSR 2085-12.050(1)(A)2 states that 'All public vocational-technical schools of cosmetology in Missouri shall provide a minimum of one thousand two hundred twenty (1,220) hours of training for cosmetology over a period of not less than six (6) months.' A 3,000-hour registered apprenticeship is a third route. Read Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance)'s own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Missouri?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Missouri around Columbia, where the median is $35,900, and the least around Joplin at $28,600. That is a 26 percent gap inside one state, which is wider than the gap between many states and worth more than most differences between schools.
Against a statewide median of $30,750, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Columbia $35,900 $35,900
- St. Louis $33,350 $33,350
- Kansas City $31,520 $31,520
- Springfield $29,500 $29,500
- Cape Girardeau $28,800 $28,800
- St. Joseph $28,730 $28,730
- Jefferson City $28,630 $28,630
- Joplin $28,600 $28,600
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Missouri?
In Missouri, barbers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $47,880 median. That is above the $30,750 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Barbers | $47,880 | 580 |
| Estheticians | $45,200 | 1,390 |
| Salon managers | $43,720 | 1,600 |
| Nail technicians | $39,100 | 1,630 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Missouri?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Missouri means satisfying Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other Midwest states, Missouri is its 1,500 hour requirement is about the regional norm, and it pays about 15 percent below the regional average.
It is worth knowing before you train if there is any chance you will move, since transferring a license is an application to the receiving board rather than a formality.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri (this state) | 1,500 | $30,750 |
| 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 |
| Indiana | 1,500 | $32,830 |
| Kansas | 1,500 | $29,710 |
What does this Missouri cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Missouri 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 Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance) for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Missouri
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Missouri rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Missouri hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Missouri?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Missouri?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Missouri accredited?
Where does this Missouri cosmetology program data come from?
This Missouri cosmetology program data comes from Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance), 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. Missouri is the only state in this group where the required clock hours depend on who owns the school: a student at a private licensed cosmetology school needs 1,500 hours, but a student at a licensed public vocational-technical school needs only 1,220 hours for the same license. 20 CSR 2085-12.050(1)(A)2 states that 'All public vocational-technical schools of cosmetology in Missouri shall provide a minimum of one thousand two hundred twenty (1,220) hours of training for cosmetology over a period of not less than six (6) months.' A 3,000-hour registered apprenticeship is a third route.
Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance)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