Ranked on published program price
Most Affordable Cosmetology Schools (2026)
Published
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
The cheapest cosmetology school in this data charges $600 for the whole program. The most expensive charges $45,900. In between sit 1,162 schools that take federal student aid, publish a full program price and enroll at least 20 students, ordered here cheapest first. The median is $15,764.
Every price on this page carries the share of students who finish, because a cheap course you don't complete is the most expensive thing on the list. The state board wants the full hour count before it will let you sit the exam, and hours short of that buy you nothing. Half of these schools finish 75% of their students or better.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
The 1,162 Most Affordable Cosmetology Schools, Ranked
Ordered on the full price of the largest program, tuition and fees together, as each school reports it to the Department of Education for the College Scorecard. Only schools with at least 20 students are listed, and the share of students who finish sits beside every price.
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#1
M-DCPS The English Center
Miami, FL
$600
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 140 graduates a year
- $600 program cost
What the record shows
M-DCPS The English Center runs its cosmetology program in Miami and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 203 students at the school, 92 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. At 92 percent the school as a whole keeps its students better than most schools on this page. It is a good sign about the institution; the cosmetology program's own completion is a separate number to ask the cosmetology department for. The published tuition is $600. It awarded 140 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the Commission for Independent Education before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach earn under $29,790, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $54,850. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 4,910 people.
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#2
Traviss Technical College
Lakeland, FL
$760
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 24 graduates a year
- $760 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Lakeland, Traviss Technical College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 460 students at the college, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 13 points above the 77 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the college and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $760. Its 24 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 460. Confirm the school's current license with the Commission for Independent Education first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Lakeland-Winter Haven runs from $27,040 at the tenth percentile to $51,060 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,030. 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. On concentration, Lakeland-Winter Haven is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#3
Apollo Career Center
Lima, OH · Career Technical Schools List
$825
Published program cost
- $825 program cost
What the record shows
Apollo Career Center operates in Lima under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as a career technical school. 59 percent of students across the center finish, out of 574 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 59 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The published tuition is $825. Its 49 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a center of 574. Its board record is license 000304, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Lima runs from $22,570 at the tenth percentile to $71,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $33,530. The distance between $22,570 and $71,850 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. The metro median runs about 8 percent below the Ohio 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. On concentration, Lima is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County
Newark, OH · Career Technical Schools List
$852
Published program cost
- $852 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Newark, Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists it as a career technical school. 79 percent of students across the center finish, out of 237 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 79 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $852. A program that awarded 4 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Its board record is license 000582, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
Around Columbus, the median cosmetologist earns $36,260, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $78,040. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Columbus employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 2,420 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Mid-America Technology Center
Wayne, OK · Public School
$1,000
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- $1,000 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Wayne, Mid-America Technology Center is on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering register. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board lists no other licensed school in Wayne. Across all 173 students at the center, 100 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 23 points above the 77 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the center and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $1,000. It awarded 31 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Oklahoma City earn under $29,700, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $61,970. The distance between $18,980 and $61,970 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Oklahoma City employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Jupiter Beauty Academy
Boston, MA · Post-Secondary
$1,010
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- $1,010 program cost
What the record shows
Jupiter Beauty Academy trains in Boston, licensed by the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering. Its license covers cosmetology. 84 percent of the 201 students it enrolls finish. Tuition is reported at $1,010 for the full program. On completion it is an ordinary school for this page, 84 percent against the 87 percent private-school median, so it comes down to the price and the visit. The page median is set by public technology centers, so that comparison is against the other private schools here. 329 credentials in the year from a fall count of 201: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Check its license with the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Boston-Cambridge-Newton runs from $31,600 at the tenth percentile to $78,850 at the ninetieth, with a median of $37,430. This is a market with a long tail: the ninetieth percentile runs past double the median, and that gap is clientele rather than credentials. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Boston-Cambridge-Newton than nationally, at roughly 1.5 times the usual rate.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Occupational Licensure), read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Flagler Technical College
Palm Coast, FL
$1,074
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 26 graduates a year
- $1,074 program cost
What the record shows
Flagler Technical College teaches cosmetology in Palm Coast, with its results published federally. 81 percent of students across the college finish, out of 106 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 81 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $1,074. The school conferred 26 credentials in the year reported. Confirm the school's current license with the Commission for Independent Education first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach runs from $27,040 at the tenth percentile to $48,970 at the ninetieth, with a median of $28,370. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Concentration around Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.3 times, or 540 people in the occupation.
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#8
Kaizen Beauty Academy
Pembroke Pines, FL
$1,400
Published program cost
- 93% finish
- 68 graduates a year
- $1,400 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Pembroke Pines, Kaizen Beauty Academy is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 93 percent of students see the course through, out of 95 enrolled. The published cost is $1,400 for the full program. More of its students finish than at most schools here, 93 percent against 87, which is the number to hold the school's price against when you get it. The school conferred 68 credentials in the year reported. Verify the school's standing with the Commission for Independent Education before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the range runs $28,160 to $54,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,790. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. On concentration, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#9
Asian-American International Beauty College
Westminster, CA · Board-approved school
$1,400
Published program cost
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- 193 exam candidates
- $1,400 program cost
What the record shows
Asian-American International Beauty College is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in Westminster. The board recorded 193 first-time candidates from this school, 139 of whom passed, at 72 percent. Most of its candidates, 108 of 193, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. Performance varies by license, from 81 percent in cosmetology down to 33 percent in esthetics. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 3 points above. It is one of the larger testing centers in the state by candidate volume. 90 percent of students see the course through, out of 442 enrolled. The published cost is $1,400 for the full program. On completion it is an ordinary school for this page, 90 percent against the 87 percent private-school median, so it comes down to the price and the visit. 568 credentials in the year from a fall count of 442: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. A 2.0-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Local concentration around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim sits near the national average.
Exam results by license
nail technology 79 of 108 73% cosmetology 54 of 67 81% esthetics 6 of 18 33% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#10
Manatee Technical College
Bradenton, FL
$1,500
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 209 graduates a year
- $1,500 program cost
What the record shows
Manatee Technical College teaches cosmetology in Bradenton, with its results published federally. Across all 1,486 students at the college, 64 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 64 percent is low for this page, but it is the college's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $1,500. It awarded 209 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the Commission for Independent Education first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota earn under $29,690, with the tenth percentile at $28,520 and the ninetieth at $60,300. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota carries roughly 2.3 times the national concentration of this work, among the denser markets in the country.
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#11
Academy of Career Training
Kissimmee, FL
$1,550
Published program cost
- 178 graduates a year
- $1,550 program cost
What the record shows
Academy of Career Training teaches cosmetology in Kissimmee, with its results published federally. 82 percent of the 100 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $1,550 for the full program. 54 graduates borrowed, at a median of $5,777 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $61 a month. That median loan is larger than the $1,550 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. 5 points fewer of its students finish than the 87 percent private-school median. Whatever the price turns out to be, that is the number it has to justify. 178 credentials in the year from a fall count of 100: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Check its license with the Commission for Independent Education before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, the median cosmetologist earns $29,470, the bottom tenth $27,080 and the top tenth $57,250. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 3,090 people.
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#12
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education
Baldwin Park, CA · Board-approved school
$1,665
Published program cost
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 28 exam candidates
- $1,665 program cost
What the record shows
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education trains in Baldwin Park, licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Of 28 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 15 passed, giving 54 percent. The median across the schools ranked here is 71 percent. Barbering is its largest cohort at 18 of 28 candidates, which makes it the school's center of gravity. The result is uneven by license: 67 percent in barbering against 30 percent in cosmetology. Against the 69 percent statewide rate it sits 15 points below, though a single school's cohort moves more than a state's does. Two quarters produced 28 candidates here, a mid-sized cohort for the state. The board lists no other licensed school in Baldwin Park. 71 percent of students across the school finish, out of 426 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 71 percent is low for this page, but it is the school's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $1,665. It awarded 68 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the range runs $36,490 to $73,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,500. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 16 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. The occupation is about as common around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
barbering 12 of 18 67% cosmetology 3 of 10 30% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#13
Chisholm Trail Technology Center
Omega, OK · Public School
$1,800
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- $1,800 program cost
What the record shows
Chisholm Trail Technology Center trains in Omega, licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology. The board lists no other licensed school in Omega. Across all 34 students at the center, 71 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 71 percent is low for this page, but it is the center's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $1,800. It awarded 10 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists in Oklahoma earn under $29,650, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $60,390. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. In Oklahoma, esthetics pays a $37,340 median, about 26 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#14
Meridian Technology Center
Stillwater, OK · Public School
$1,800
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- $1,800 program cost
What the record shows
Meridian Technology Center trains in Stillwater, licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. Its license covers cosmetology. 48 percent of students across the center finish, out of 307 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 48 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The published tuition is $1,800. It awarded 25 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The license from the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is 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 Oklahoma earn under $29,650, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $60,390. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#15
Pioneer Technology Center
Ponca City, OK · Public School
$1,825
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- $1,825 program cost
What the record shows
Pioneer Technology Center is licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and trains in Ponca City. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. 73 percent of students across the center finish, out of 89 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 73 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $1,825. 16 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Oklahoma, the range runs $18,980 to $60,390 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,650. The distance between $18,980 and $60,390 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#16
Northwest Technology Center-Alva
Alva, OK · Public School
$1,920
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- $1,920 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Fairview, Northwest Technology Center-Alva is on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering register. Its license covers cosmetology. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Fairview. 77 percent of students across the center finish, out of 58 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 77 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $1,920. 1 credential in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Check its license with the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in Oklahoma, the range runs $18,980 to $60,390 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,650. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#17
Trenz Beauty Academy
Calumet City, IL · LICENSED COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL
$1,940
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- Licensed since 2014
- Renews 2026-09
- No recorded discipline
- $1,940 program cost
What the record shows
Trenz Beauty Academy trains in Calumet City, licensed by the state board. Its license dates back to 2014 and has not lapsed since. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. The board files it under Cook County, if you are checking the register yourself. The school graduates 61 percent, on a fall headcount of 109. Tuition is reported at $1,940 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $16,500 in federal loans at the median, 43 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $175 a month. That median loan is larger than the $1,940 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. Only 61 in a hundred finish here, 26 points under the 87 percent private-school median. Treat that as the headline, not a footnote. 97 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 013000799 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, the range runs $31,200 to $58,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,260. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Concentration around Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.4 times, or 12,000 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read 2026-08-28.
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#18
George Stone Technical College
Pensacola, FL
$2,075
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 8 graduates a year
- $2,075 program cost
What the record shows
George Stone Technical College teaches cosmetology in Pensacola, with its results published federally. Across all 561 students at the college, 36 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 36 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Tuition is reported at $2,075. A program that awarded 8 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Ask the Commission for Independent Education 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 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent runs from $27,040 at the tenth percentile to $59,920 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,940. 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. Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
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#19
Autry Technology Center
Enid, OK · Licensed school
$2,100
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- $2,100 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Enid, Autry Technology Center is on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering register. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. Across all 259 students at the center, 75 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 75 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 $2,100. It awarded 20 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Ask the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering 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 in Oklahoma runs from $18,980 at the tenth percentile to $60,390 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,650. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#20
Kiamichi Technology Center-McAlester
McAlester, OK · Public School
$2,100
Published program cost
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $2,100 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Atoka, Kiamichi Technology Center-McAlester is on the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering register. Its license covers barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. The board lists no other licensed school in Atoka. 45 percent of students across the center finish, out of 540 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 45 percent is low for this page, but it is the center's rate and the cosmetology program is a small part of it; the cosmetology department's own completions are the check. The published tuition is $2,100. Its 29 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a center of 540. The license from the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is 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 Oklahoma earn under $29,650, with the tenth percentile at $18,980 and the ninetieth at $60,390. The distance between $18,980 and $60,390 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Esthetics and cosmetology do not pay alike in Oklahoma: esthetics carries a $37,340 median, roughly 26 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Oklahoma runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,920 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#21
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
La Puente, CA · Board-approved school
$2,123
Published program cost
- Esthetics
- Nail technology
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- 71 exam candidates
- $2,123 program cost
What the record shows
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education is licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and trains in La Puente. Of 71 first-time candidates sitting the state written exam, 53 passed, giving 75 percent. The bulk of its testing is esthetics, 40 of 71 candidates, though it is licensed more widely than that. The result is uneven by license: 83 percent in esthetics against 60 percent in barbering. Statewide, first-time candidates pass at 69 percent, so this runs 6 points above. Few schools in the state put through more candidates. The board lists no other licensed school in La Puente. 77 percent of students across the school finish, out of 491 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 77 percent as the school's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. The published tuition is $2,123. It awarded 274 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim earn under $43,500, with the tenth percentile at $36,490 and the ninetieth at $73,260. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 13 percent higher on median pay. A 2.0-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Nail technology pays a $36,570 median around Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 16 percent under cosmetology. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 10,910 people.
Exam results by license
esthetics 33 of 40 83% nail technology 7 of 11 64% barbering 6 of 10 60% cosmetology 7 of 10 70% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
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#22
Fort Myers Technical College
Fort Myers, FL
$2,257
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 28 graduates a year
- $2,257 program cost
What the record shows
Fort Myers Technical College runs its cosmetology program in Fort Myers and reports to the US Department of Education. 81 percent of students across the college finish, out of 737 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 81 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $2,257. Its 28 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 737. Ask the Commission for Independent Education 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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers runs from $28,090 at the tenth percentile to $55,240 at the ninetieth, with a median of $29,760. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.7 times the usual concentration around Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
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#23
Davis Technical College
Kaysville, UT
$2,280
Published program cost
- Public institution
- 273 graduates a year
- $2,280 program cost
What the record shows
Davis Technical College runs its cosmetology program in Kaysville and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 3,027 students at the college, 57 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 57 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Tuition is reported at $2,280. The school conferred 273 credentials in the year reported. Ask the Utah Division of Professional Licensing 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
Around Ogden, the median cosmetologist earns $30,080, the bottom tenth $21,190 and the top tenth $52,220. The metro median runs about 14 percent below the Utah figure. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 30 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Ogden 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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#24
Red River Technology Center
Duncan, OK · Public School
$2,385
Published program cost
- Cosmetology
- $2,385 program cost
What the record shows
Red River Technology Center is licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and trains in Duncan. Its license covers cosmetology. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Duncan. Across all 516 students at the center, 53 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 53 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Tuition is reported at $2,385. Its 16 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a center of 516. Ask the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering 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 Lawton runs from $19,600 at the tenth percentile to $46,940 at the ninetieth, with a median of $28,050. Few people hold this occupation locally, so a graduate is competing in a small pool and is likely to be known in it quickly. The occupation is about as common around Lawton as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, read 2026-08-31.
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#25
My Le's Beauty College
Sacramento, CA · Board-approved school
$2,600
Published program cost
- Nail technology
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Barbering
- 82 exam candidates
- $2,600 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Sacramento, My Le's Beauty College is on the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology register. 58 of its 82 first-time candidates passed the state written exam, a rate of 71 percent. Most of its candidates, 46 of 82, tested in nail technology, so that is what it mainly trains people to do. The result is uneven by license: 85 percent in esthetics against 50 percent in cosmetology. The statewide first-time rate is 69 percent, so it is about average on this measure. It is one of the larger testing centers in the state by candidate volume. Sacramento has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 97 percent of students see the course through, out of 150 enrolled. It charges $2,600 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Paying 76 percent over the $1,475 private-school median buys 10 points of completion over the 87 percent private-school median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 287 credentials in the year from a fall count of 150: 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 California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, the range runs $34,610 to $60,440 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,780. 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. The occupation is about as common around Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom as it is nationally.
Exam results by license
nail technology 35 of 46 76% cosmetology 10 of 20 50% esthetics 11 of 13 85% barbering 2 of 3 67% Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, read 2026-08-28.
Positions 26 to 1,162 are listed by state below, and every school is on its own state page with the full record.
Most Affordable Cosmetology Schools by State
How many schools in each state meet the definition, with the three that lead the list there, from the College Scorecard and IPEDS. Each state page carries the board's own roster and hour requirement.
| State | Schools |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 9 |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Arkansas | 19 |
| California | 101 |
| Colorado | 17 |
| Connecticut | 10 |
| Delaware | 6 |
| District of Columbia | 2 |
| Florida | 100 |
| Georgia | 19 |
| Hawaii | 2 |
| Idaho | 14 |
| Illinois | 52 |
| Indiana | 25 |
| Iowa | 17 |
| Kansas | 12 |
| Kentucky | 17 |
| Louisiana | 31 |
| Maine | 3 |
| Maryland | 19 |
| Massachusetts | 19 |
| Michigan | 31 |
| Minnesota | 8 |
| Mississippi | 15 |
| Missouri | 25 |
| Montana | 4 |
| Nebraska | 5 |
| Nevada | 12 |
| New Hampshire | 5 |
| New Jersey | 23 |
| New Mexico | 6 |
| New York | 41 |
| North Carolina | 18 |
| North Dakota | 4 |
| Ohio | 55 |
| Oklahoma | 44 |
| Oregon | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | 52 |
| Puerto Rico | 20 |
| Rhode Island | 3 |
| South Carolina | 19 |
| South Dakota | 3 |
| Tennessee | 43 |
| Texas | 103 |
| Utah | 28 |
| Vermont | 1 |
| Virginia | 19 |
| Washington | 15 |
| West Virginia | 11 |
| Wisconsin | 17 |
| Wyoming | 1 |
What a Cosmetology School's Price Actually Covers
One number orders this page: what the school charges for its largest program, tuition and fees together, in the file it sends the Department of Education. That is a sticker price. It is what the school lists, not what a student with a Pell grant ends up paying, and the gap between those two can be most of the bill.
Your kit sits on top of it. So do books, the fees the state board charges to test you and license you, and everything it costs to live while you are training full time. A cheap course with an expensive kit is not a cheap course, so ask what the kit runs before you put two schools side by side.
Ask each school for the total cost of attendance it files with the Department of Education, which is the figure that carries those extras, and ask what students pay after grants. Then look at what the work pays where you want to work, on the cosmetologist salary page, and see whether the two numbers sit sensibly against each other. The methodology page explains how this list is built.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
Why the Cheapest Cosmetology Schools Are Public Career Centers
Nineteen of the 25 cheapest schools here are public: technical colleges and district career centers rather than beauty academies. M-DCPS The English Center in Miami leads at $600, with 92% finishing across the college and 203 students enrolled. Traviss Technical College in Lakeland, Florida is $760 with 90% finishing and 460 students.
Oklahoma supplies eight of those 25 on its own, from 44 schools in the data. Mid-America Technology Center in Wayne charges $1,000 and finished 100% of its 173 students. Autry Technology Center in Enid charges $2,100 with 75% finishing across 259 students. Florida supplies another eight.
Read those completion figures for what they are. At a college teaching several trades, the share who finish covers the whole college and not the cosmetology course alone. It still tells you how the place finishes what it starts, which is more than a price tells you on its own.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
How to Read a Cheap Price Against Completion
Take two Florida technical colleges $182 apart. George Stone Technical College in Pensacola charges $2,075, and 36% of its 561 students finish across the college. Fort Myers Technical College charges $2,257, and 81% of its 737 students finish. For anyone who wants a license at the end of it, the second one is the cheaper school.
It happens again further down the list. Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College is $2,655, with 5% finishing across a college of 665 students. My Le's Beauty College in Sacramento is $2,600, so it costs $55 less, and 97% of its 150 students finish. The cheaper of the two is also the one where nearly everybody gets out with the hours.
A high price proves nothing either way, and the $45,900 at the far end of this data buys no guarantee. Reading the two columns together is just a way of asking whether a low price is buying you hours you will actually bank. The board counts finished hours, and an unfinished course is money spent for no credential.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
Where the Cheapest Cosmetology Schools Are
By volume, Texas has the most schools in this data at 103, then California at 101 and Florida at 100. Ohio has 55, Illinois and Pennsylvania 52 each, Oklahoma 44. The cheap end is not spread the same way: Florida and Oklahoma hold 16 of the cheapest 25 between them.
Hours explain part of what a state costs. Texas licenses a cosmetologist at 1,000 hours, and 1,500 is the most common requirement in the country, so a Texas course is selling you a third fewer hours to pay for and to sit through. Some states also let part of the theory hours be taken online, which changes what a cheap program is asking of your week.
The catch shows up when you move. A license earned on 1,000 hours is a license in that state, and a board in a 1,500-hour state decides for itself what to do with your hours when you apply to it. So price the state you want to work in, not only the one you want to study in.
Figures in this section: College Scorecard, June 2026.
What This List Does Not Tell You
The price is for the school’s largest program, which at a beauty school is nearly always the cosmetology course but at a barber college is barbering. It excludes kits, books and living costs, and it is the sticker price rather than what a student pays after grants. Community colleges report tuition per academic year rather than per program and so are mostly absent here; the community college list covers them. Every figure is quoted as published in the College Scorecard.
Nothing here checks a school's state board license, which is what makes your hours count toward the exam. Before you pay a deposit, find the school on its state page and confirm the license is current in the board's own lookup. How the rankings are built explains every figure used on this site.
Common Questions About Most Affordable Cosmetology Schools
Answers draw on the College Scorecard and IPEDS figures behind the list above, and on the state board rules linked from each state page.
How much does cosmetology school cost?
What is the cheapest cosmetology school?
Does financial aid cover cosmetology school?
Is a cheap cosmetology school a bad sign?
Why aren't community colleges on this list?
Which states have the cheapest cosmetology schools?
Sources
- US Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study and institution files, June 2026 release. Completion, cost, debt, enrollment, ownership and credential for 1,574 institutions with a cosmetology program (CIP 12.04).
- National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and Directory files, 2023. Veteran services, religious affiliation, HBCU status and metro area, as reported by each institution.
- State board license files, read from each board directly and matched to the federal record by name and city. Each card cites its board and the date the file was read.