Nevada
Best cosmetology programs in Nevada 2026
Las Vegas skyline. Photo by Robert Conforti, licensed under CC BY 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.
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 Nevada is whether Nevada State Board of Cosmetology licensed the school while you were enrolled.
23
schools currently licensed
12
qualify to be ranked
0
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Medspa Academies-National Institute of Modern Aesthetics
Las Vegas, NV
93%
Share of students who finish
- 93% finish
- 128 graduates a year
- $17,500 program cost
What the record shows
Medspa Academies-National Institute of Modern Aesthetics runs its esthetics program in Las Vegas and reports to the US Department of Education. This is a specialist: an esthetics license, not cosmetology. The work is skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair, the course is a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes, and it does not license you to cut or color hair, so compare it with the other specialists here rather than with the full-service schools. 93 percent of its students finish, out of 215 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $17,500 for the full program. 214 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,443 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $90 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 93 percent, 17 points over the 76 percent median, is a good sign. $17,500 is within 10 percent of the $19,403 median for a course shorter than cosmetology, which is dear for esthetics and worth asking about. 128 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Look this school up on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
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#2
Paul Mitchell the School-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Licensed school
93%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- $21,005 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Las Vegas, Paul Mitchell the School-Las Vegas is on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics and instructor training. Las Vegas has 14 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The school graduates 93 percent, on a fall headcount of 204. Tuition is reported at $21,005 for the full program. The median graduate left with $11,367 in federal loans, across 225 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $121 a month. $21,005 is within 9 percent of the $19,403 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 93 percent against 76. That is the better half of the trade. 138 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology 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 around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas earn under $30,530, with the tenth percentile at $26,160 and the ninetieth at $69,250. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 10 percent under on median pay. There is almost no distance between entry pay and the middle, and a great deal between the middle and the top, so the first year is predictable and the tenth is what you make of it. Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, esthetics pays a $38,700 median, about 27 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,420 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#3
International Academy of Style
Reno, NV · Licensed school
93%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $19,350 program cost
What the record shows
International Academy of Style is licensed by the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology and trains in Reno. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. 93 percent of its students finish, out of 89 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $19,350 for the full program. 149 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,281 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $88 a month. 17 points more of its students finish than the 76 percent median, priced within 1 percent of the $19,403 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 115 credentials in the year from a fall count of 89: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. The license from the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
undefined The ninetieth percentile at $59,800 is 1.6 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 28 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Academy of Hair Design-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Licensed school
85%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $24,150 program cost
What the record shows
Academy of Hair Design-Las Vegas is licensed by the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology and trains in Las Vegas. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. Las Vegas has 14 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 85 percent of its students finish, out of 183 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $24,150 for the full program. 168 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,050 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $85 a month. Paying 24 percent over the $19,403 median buys 9 points of completion over the 76 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 182 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. Check its license with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, the median cosmetologist earns $30,530, the bottom tenth $26,160 and the top tenth $69,250. The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Nevada figure. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, nail technology pays a $40,010 median, about 31 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,420 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Avalon Institute-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Licensed school
84%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- $17,650 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Las Vegas, Avalon Institute-Las Vegas is on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics and instructor training. Las Vegas has 14 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The school graduates 84 percent, on a fall headcount of 304. Tuition is reported at $17,650 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,426 in federal loans, measured over 860 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $79 a month. 8 points more of its students finish than the 76 percent median, priced within 10 percent of the $19,403 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 315 credentials in the year from a fall count of 304: 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 Nevada State Board of Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas runs from $26,160 at the tenth percentile to $69,250 at the ninetieth, with a median of $30,530. The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Nevada figure. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, esthetics pays a $38,700 median, about 27 percent above cosmetology. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Sierra Academy of Style
Carson City, NV · Licensed school
76%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $19,600 program cost
What the record shows
Sierra Academy of Style operates in Carson City under license from the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. The board lists no other licensed school in Carson City. 76 percent of its students finish, out of 160 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $19,600 for the full program. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 76 percent, exactly the median and $19,600 against $19,403, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 87 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Around Carson City, the median cosmetologist earns $35,350, the bottom tenth $26,350 and the top tenth $48,810. In Nevada, nail technology pays a $41,880 median, about 24 percent above cosmetology. Carson City employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 50 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Paul Mitchell the School-Reno
Reno, NV · Licensed school
75%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $19,780 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Reno, Paul Mitchell the School-Reno is on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology, instructor training and nail technology. Of the 161 students in its fall count, 75 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $19,780 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $10,500 in federal loans, measured over 153 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $111 a month. Completion and price both sit close to the page median, 75 percent against 76 and $19,780 against $19,403, so the number that separates it is debt: 53 percent of the price arrives as federal loans, more than at the typical school here. It awarded 149 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. Verify the school's standing with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Reno runs from $26,280 at the tenth percentile to $59,800 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,490. The metro median is about 8 percent above the Nevada figure. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.6 times the median and a floor 28 percent below it, so a good first year and a good tenth year here are separated by a client book rather than by a cliff. Nail technology and cosmetology do not pay alike around Reno: nail technology carries a $43,530 median, roughly 19 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Reno runs at roughly 0.7 times the national concentration, about 380 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#8
Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Reno
Reno, NV · Licensed school
73%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $19,455 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Reno, Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Reno is on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology, instructor training and nail technology. The school graduates 73 percent, on a fall headcount of 235. The published cost is $19,455 for the full program. Milan Institute of Cosmetology campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $6,333 in federal loans at the median over 613 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. On completion and price it is close to the median school on this page, 73 percent against 76 and $19,455 against $19,403, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 181 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. Ask the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology 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 Reno, the median cosmetologist earns $36,490, the bottom tenth $26,280 and the top tenth $59,800. The metro median is about 8 percent above the Nevada figure. The ninetieth percentile at $59,800 is 1.6 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 28 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states. Around Reno, nail technology pays a $43,530 median, about 19 percent above cosmetology.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#9
Casal Institute of Nevada
Las Vegas, NV
70%
Share of students who finish
- 309 graduates a year
- $10,684 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Las Vegas, Casal Institute of Nevada is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 70 percent of the 271 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $10,684 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $6,333 in federal loans at the median, 309 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. Cheap, but 6 points fewer of its students finish than the 76 percent median, and in a clock-hour trade an unfinished course is the expensive outcome: you have paid for hours that never become a license. It awarded 309 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 271, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Licensing is the business of the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.
Where it leads
Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, the median cosmetologist earns $30,530, the bottom tenth $26,160 and the top tenth $69,250. The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Nevada figure.
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#10
Milan Institute-Sparks
Sparks, NV · Licensed school
62%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- $12,455 program cost
What the record shows
Milan Institute-Sparks operates in Sparks under license from the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology. 62 percent of students across the school finish, out of 171 enrolled, and esthetics is one of the programs inside that figure. That 62 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 $12,455. That price is 36 percent under the $19,403 median. It awarded 17 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Pay for skincare specialists around Reno runs from $25,720 at the tenth percentile to $81,190 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,060. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Few places employ this trade as heavily: Reno runs at about 1.6 times the national rate, some 200 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
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#11
L Makeup Institute
Las Vegas, NV
61%
Share of students who finish
- 61% finish
- 60 graduates a year
- $24,050 program cost
What the record shows
L Makeup Institute runs its esthetics program in Las Vegas and reports to the US Department of Education. 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 school graduates 61 percent, on a fall headcount of 73. Tuition is reported at $24,050 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $3,880 in federal loans, measured over 81 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $41 a month. That is a small share of the $24,050 price, so most of it is being met some other way. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 61 percent, 15 points under the 76 percent median, is the first thing to ask about. $24,050 is more than the full cosmetology courses on this page charge, for a shorter course, which needs a reason. It awarded 60 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Look this school up on the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology 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 ninetieth percentile at $62,530 is 1.6 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 24 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
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#12
Milan Institute-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Licensed school
58%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $16,381 program cost
What the record shows
Milan Institute-Las Vegas is licensed by the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology and trains in Las Vegas. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. Las Vegas has 14 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Across all 331 students at the school, 58 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 58 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 $16,381. That price is 16 percent under the $19,403 median. Graduates who borrowed took on $6,333 in federal loans at the median, 776 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 87 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Check its license with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, the range runs $26,160 to $69,250 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,530. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 10 percent under on median pay. The floor is almost the median here, so the whole spread is above it, and it belongs to people with a book. Around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, nail technology pays a $40,010 median, about 31 percent above cosmetology. This is a comparatively thin market: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,420 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, read 2026-08-31.
- Medspa Academies-National Instit... 93% 93%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Las Vegas 93% 93%
- International Academy of Style 93% 93%
- Academy of Hair Design-Las Vegas 85% 85%
- Avalon Institute-Las Vegas 84% 84%
- Sierra Academy of Style 76% 76%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Reno 75% 75%
- Milan Institute of Cosmetology-R... 73% 73%
- Casal Institute of Nevada 70% 70%
- Milan Institute-Sparks 62% 62%
Which other cosmetology schools in Nevada are state licensed?
These Nevada cosmetology schools hold a current license from Nevada State Board of Cosmetology 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 Nevada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am Beauty Institute | Elko | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute-Henderson | Henderson | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Amo School | Las Vegas | Licensed school | esthetics, nail-technology |
| Aveda Institute | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Beyond Beauty Institute | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Dermodality Institute of Modern Esthetics | Las Vegas | Licensed school | esthetics, instructor |
| Euphoria | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Expertise - New Path | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology, instructor, nail-technology |
| Expertise School of Beauty | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Nima | Las Vegas | Licensed school | esthetics, instructor |
| Prestige Nail School | Las Vegas | Licensed school | instructor, nail-technology |
| Southeast Career Technical Academy | Las Vegas | Licensed school | cosmetology |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute - Reno | Reno | Licensed school | esthetics, instructor |
| Academy of Nail Technology | Sparks | Licensed school | instructor, nail-technology |
How do you become a cosmetologist in Nevada in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Nevada you need 1,600 clock hours at a school licensed by Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 12.3 months full time. 40 of the 49 states with a published figure ask less, so this sits at the longer end of the national range.
The count is only good if the school was licensed by Nevada State Board of Cosmetology throughout, so the license is worth confirming before you enroll.
How much do cosmetologists make in Nevada in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Nevada earn a median of $33,840 , with the bottom tenth on $26,160 and the top tenth on $64,300 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $33,840 $33,840
- Salon managers $44,290 $44,290
- Estheticians $38,660 $38,660
- Nail technicians $41,880 $41,880
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Nevada?
Nevada writes its school curriculum as PERCENTAGE BANDS of total hours rather than fixed clock hours per subject, NAC 644A.630 requires cosmetology theory at 'a minimum of 10 percent and a maximum of 13 percent of the total hours of training,' infection control at a minimum of 3 percent, and state law at a minimum of 2 percent, while letting a student earn credit for up to 5 percent of total hours by attending board-approved field trips. It also licenses a 'shampoo technologist,' whose 50 training hours may be delivered online by the Board itself (NRS 644A.375), and its published school list includes a program operating inside the Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center. Read Nevada State Board of Cosmetology's own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Nevada?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Nevada around Reno, where the median is $36,490, and the least around Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas at $30,530. At 20 percent, the spread across Nevada is narrow, and location will not decide your income the way it does in some states.
Against a statewide median of $33,840, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Reno $36,490 $36,490
- Carson City $35,350 $35,350
- Las Vegas-Henderson-North ... $30,530 $30,530
Where are the cosmetology schools in Nevada?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Nevada cluster hardest in Las Vegas, which holds 14 of the 23 the board currently lists. One city holding 61 percent of the state's licensed schools means a reader elsewhere is often choosing between two or three, not twenty.
Another 3 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.
- Las Vegas 14 14
- Reno 4 4
- Sparks 2 2
- Carson City 1 1
- Elko 1 1
- Henderson 1 1
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Nevada?
In Nevada, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $44,290 median. Cosmetologists in Nevada sit at $33,840, below that, which is worth weighing before committing to the longest of the licenses.
Adding a second license later is common, so the question is less which career to pick than which of these programs to start with.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $44,290 | 1,760 |
| Nail technicians | $41,880 | 1,020 |
| Estheticians | $38,660 | 1,540 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Nevada?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Nevada means satisfying Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other West states, Nevada is it asks 91 more hours than the regional average of 1,509, and it pays about 14 percent below the regional average.
Hours earned under a lighter requirement can fall short in a neighboring state, so anyone likely to relocate should check the receiving board first rather than after.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada (this state) | 1,600 | $33,840 |
| Washington | 1,600 | $59,510 |
| Oregon | $57,580 | |
| California | 1,000 | $38,660 |
| Montana | 1,500 | $38,000 |
| New Mexico | 1,600 | $37,750 |
| Colorado | 1,500 | $37,690 |
| Arizona | 1,500 | $36,810 |
| Idaho | 1,600 | $35,480 |
| Utah | 1,250 | $35,140 |
| Hawaii | 1,800 | $35,040 |
| Alaska | 1,650 | $32,150 |
| Wyoming | 1,600 | $29,170 |
What does this Nevada cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Nevada 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 Nevada State Board of Cosmetology for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Nevada
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Nevada rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Nevada hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Nevada?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Nevada?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Nevada accredited?
Where does this Nevada cosmetology program data come from?
This Nevada cosmetology program data comes from Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, 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. Nevada writes its school curriculum as PERCENTAGE BANDS of total hours rather than fixed clock hours per subject, NAC 644A.630 requires cosmetology theory at 'a minimum of 10 percent and a maximum of 13 percent of the total hours of training,' infection control at a minimum of 3 percent, and state law at a minimum of 2 percent, while letting a student earn credit for up to 5 percent of total hours by attending board-approved field trips. It also licenses a 'shampoo technologist,' whose 50 training hours may be delivered online by the Board itself (NRS 644A.375), and its published school list includes a program operating inside the Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center.
Nevada State Board of CosmetologyRead 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 Nevada
- 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