New Mexico
Best cosmetology programs in New Mexico 2026
Albuquerque skyline. Photo by Quintin Soloviev, 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.
There is no such thing as an accredited cosmetology program, in New Mexico or anywhere else, because the field has no programmatic accreditor. NACCAS, the body most beauty schools advertise, accredits the institution rather than the course, so an accredited school and an unaccredited one can run the same program. What that accreditation buys a student is federal financial aid eligibility. The license from New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division) is what decides whether your hours count toward the exam.
15
schools reporting federally
12
qualify to be ranked
3
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Avenue Academy, A Cosmetology Institute
Albuquerque, NM
94%
Share of students who finish
- 94% finish
- 118 graduates a year
- $11,250 program cost
What the record shows
Avenue Academy, A Cosmetology Institute teaches cosmetology in Albuquerque, with its results published federally. The school graduates 94 percent, on a fall headcount of 96. Tuition is reported at $11,250 for the full program. 37 graduates borrowed, at a median of $6,333 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. Finishing well and charging under the median is the combination worth looking for, and this is one of the few schools on the page that does both, 31 points above the 63 percent median and 30 percent under the $16,184 median. 118 credentials in the year from a fall count of 96: 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 New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
Around Albuquerque, the median cosmetologist earns $38,330, the bottom tenth $27,600 and the top tenth $50,030. Albuquerque employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 850 people.
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#2
Aveda Institute-New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM
88%
Share of students who finish
- 88% finish
- 95 graduates a year
- $16,818 program cost
What the record shows
Aveda Institute-New Mexico teaches cosmetology in Albuquerque, with its results published federally. 88 percent of students see the course through, out of 161 enrolled. The published cost is $16,818 for the full program. 135 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,028 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $85 a month. 25 points more of its students finish than the 63 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $16,184 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 95 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 15 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Confirm the school's current license with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists first: federal reporting is about financial aid, and it is the state license that qualifies your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Albuquerque, the range runs $27,600 to $50,030 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,330. The ninetieth percentile at $50,030 is 1.3 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. On concentration, Albuquerque is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#3
A Better U Beauty Barber Academy
Albuquerque, NM
79%
Share of students who finish
- 79% finish
- 39 graduates a year
- $19,500 program cost
What the record shows
A Better U Beauty Barber Academy runs its cosmetology program in Albuquerque and reports to the US Department of Education. Of the 46 students in its fall count, 79 percent complete the course they started. It charges $19,500 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 16 points above the 63 percent median at a price 20 percent over the $16,184 median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. The school conferred 39 credentials in the year reported. The license from the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
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#4
Paul Mitchell the School-Albuquerque
Albuquerque, NM
78%
Share of students who finish
- 78% finish
- 98 graduates a year
- $9,500 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Albuquerque trains in Albuquerque, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. The school graduates 78 percent, on a fall headcount of 119. Tuition is reported at $9,500 for the full program. The median graduate left with $10,556 in federal loans, across 157 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $112 a month. That median loan is larger than the $9,500 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. That puts it in the rare corner of this table: 15 points more of its students finish than the 63 percent median, and it charges 41 percent less than the $16,184 median to do it. The school conferred 98 credentials in the year reported. That is roughly 15 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 New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists around Albuquerque runs from $27,600 at the tenth percentile to $50,030 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,330. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.3 times the median and the floor sits 28 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. On concentration, Albuquerque is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#5
Vogue College of Cosmetology-Santa Fe
Santa Fe, NM
75%
Share of students who finish
- 75% finish
- 47 graduates a year
- $15,550 program cost
What the record shows
Vogue College of Cosmetology-Santa Fe teaches cosmetology in Santa Fe, with its results published federally. 75 percent of its students finish, out of 55 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $15,550 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,593 in federal loans at the median, 53 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $80 a month. 12 points more of its students finish than the 63 percent median, priced within 4 percent of the $16,184 median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. The school conferred 47 credentials in the year reported. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Santa Fe, the median cosmetologist earns $30,990, the bottom tenth $30,160 and the top tenth $48,600. The metro median runs about 18 percent below the New Mexico figure. The lower end of this market is unusually close to its middle, so what changes a graduate's income here is building a following, not surviving an underpaid stretch. Local concentration around Santa Fe sits near the national average.
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#6
Glitz School of Cosmetology
Las Cruces, NM
69%
Share of students who finish
- 69% finish
- 121 graduates a year
- $22,000 program cost
What the record shows
Glitz School of Cosmetology runs its cosmetology program in Las Cruces and reports to the US Department of Education. 69 percent of students see the course through, out of 124 enrolled. The published cost is $22,000 for the full program. 94 graduates borrowed, at a median of $7,308 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $77 a month. Paying 36 percent over the $16,184 median buys 6 points of completion over the 63 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. It awarded 121 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 19 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 New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
undefined The ninetieth percentile at $52,560 is 1.4 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.
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#7
New Mexico Junior College
Hobbs, NM
58%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 61 graduates a year
What the record shows
New Mexico Junior College runs its cosmetology program in Hobbs and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 2,175 students at the college, 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. The school conferred 61 credentials in the year reported. That is roughly 9 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 New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before enrolling, because that record and not the federal listing is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for cosmetologists in New Mexico runs from $27,190 at the tenth percentile to $52,560 at the ninetieth, with a median of $37,750. A 1.9-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. On concentration, New Mexico is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#8
San Juan College
Farmington, NM
37%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 9 graduates a year
What the record shows
San Juan College teaches cosmetology in Farmington, with its results published federally. Across all 4,304 students at the college, 37 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 37 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. A program that awarded 9 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Farmington, the median cosmetologist earns $27,360, the bottom tenth $26,900 and the top tenth $43,150. The metro median runs about 28 percent below the New Mexico figure. The tenth percentile sits within $460 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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#9
Clovis Community College
Clovis, NM
34%
Share of students who finish
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 7 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Clovis, Clovis Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 1,309 students at the college, 34 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 34 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. 7 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The award here is an associate degree rather than the certificate most cosmetology programs issue, so the hours come with transferable college credit attached. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
undefined New Mexico employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 1,230 people.
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#10
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, NM
31%
Share of students who finish
- Associate degree
- Public institution
- 29 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 15,203 students at the college, 31 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Most of the students behind that 31 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Its 29 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 15,203. Unusually, this program leads to an associate degree instead of a certificate, which matters if you later want to teach or move into salon management. Verify the school's standing with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Albuquerque, the range runs $27,600 to $50,030 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,330. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.3 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. On concentration, Albuquerque is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#11
Luna Community College
Las Vegas, NM
28%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 13 graduates a year
What the record shows
Based in Las Vegas, Luna Community College is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. Across all 423 students at the college, 28 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 28 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. Its 13 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 423. The license from the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists is still the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
In New Mexico, the median cosmetologist earns $37,750, the bottom tenth $27,190 and the top tenth $52,560.
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#12
University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus
Gallup, NM
20%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
- 2 graduates a year
What the record shows
University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus teaches cosmetology in Gallup, with its results published federally. Across all 808 students at the college, 20 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 20 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. A program that awarded 2 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Ask the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists directly whether the license is in good standing, because a lapse while you are enrolled costs you the hours rather than the school.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists in New Mexico, the range runs $27,190 to $52,560 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $37,750. A 1.9-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. On concentration, New Mexico is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
- Avenue Academy, A Cosmetology In... 94% 94%
- Aveda Institute-New Mexico 88% 88%
- A Better U Beauty Barber Academy 79% 79%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Albuque... 78% 78%
- Vogue College of Cosmetology-San... 75% 75%
- Glitz School of Cosmetology 69% 69%
- New Mexico Junior College 58% 58%
- San Juan College 37% 37%
- Clovis Community College 34% 34%
- Central New Mexico Community Col... 31% 31%
Where can you find the licensed cosmetology programs in New Mexico?
The licensed cosmetology programs in New Mexico are searched one at a time rather than published as a list, so this page links New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division)'s own records instead of reprinting a commercial directory. The schools above are drawn from the 15 New Mexico cosmetology programs that take federal financial aid and therefore report their results to the Department of Education. That is a large share of the field and not all of it, so a school missing here is one that takes no federal aid rather than one that is unlicensed. Look up the school you are considering in the board's records and confirm the license is current before you pay anything.
How do you become a cosmetologist in New Mexico in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in New Mexico you need 1,600 clock hours at a school licensed by New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division), then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 12.3 months full time. That is above what 40 other states require, putting New Mexico among the longer programs in the country.
The count is only good if the school was licensed by New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division) throughout, so the license is worth confirming before you enroll.
How much do cosmetologists make in New Mexico in 2026?
Cosmetologists in New Mexico earn a median of $37,750 , with the bottom tenth on $27,190 and the top tenth on $52,560 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Cosmetologists $37,750 $37,750
- Salon managers $49,100 $49,100
- Estheticians $47,230 $47,230
- Barbers $39,100 $39,100
What is different about cosmetology licensing in New Mexico?
New Mexico wrote its distance-education rule in 2004, roughly two decades before most states touched the question, and it is the only one of these five that permits a program to be delivered ENTIRELY online: 16.34.8.22 NMAC says instructor training 'may be completely accomplished via distance learning,' while capping practitioner programs at 25%. It also expresses every curriculum in the alternative as 'course hours or equivalent credit,' letting community colleges satisfy the 1,600 hours in academic credit rather than clock hours, reflected in a school roster heavy with public institutions (Central New Mexico Community College, San Juan College, Clovis Community College, NM Junior College, Northern New Mexico College, UNM-Gallup). Read New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division)'s own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in New Mexico?
Cosmetologists make the most money in New Mexico around Albuquerque, where the median is $38,330, and the least around Farmington at $27,360. That is a 40 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 $37,750, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Albuquerque $38,330 $38,330
- Santa Fe $30,990 $30,990
- Farmington $27,360 $27,360
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in New Mexico?
In New Mexico, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $49,100 median. That is above the $37,750 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.
Hour requirements differ by license too, so a route that pays slightly less can still reach a paycheck sooner.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $49,100 | 580 |
| Estheticians | $47,230 | 370 |
| Barbers | $39,100 | 50 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in New Mexico?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in New Mexico means satisfying New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division), which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other West states, New Mexico is it asks 91 more hours than the regional average of 1,509, and pay tracks the regional average closely.
Crossing a state line with a license means satisfying the new board, not the one that trained you, and the gap it cares about is hours.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico (this state) | 1,600 | $37,750 |
| Washington | 1,600 | $59,510 |
| Oregon | $57,580 | |
| California | 1,000 | $38,660 |
| Montana | 1,500 | $38,000 |
| 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 |
| Nevada | 1,600 | $33,840 |
| Alaska | 1,650 | $32,150 |
| Wyoming | 1,600 | $29,170 |
What does this New Mexico cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This New Mexico 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 New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division) for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in New Mexico
What makes the best cosmetology programs in New Mexico rank highly here?
How many cosmetology schools are there in New Mexico?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in New Mexico?
How much does cosmetology school cost in New Mexico?
Are the best cosmetology programs in New Mexico accredited?
Where does this New Mexico cosmetology program data come from?
This New Mexico cosmetology program data comes from New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division), 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. New Mexico wrote its distance-education rule in 2004, roughly two decades before most states touched the question, and it is the only one of these five that permits a program to be delivered ENTIRELY online: 16.34.8.22 NMAC says instructor training 'may be completely accomplished via distance learning,' while capping practitioner programs at 25%. It also expresses every curriculum in the alternative as 'course hours or equivalent credit,' letting community colleges satisfy the 1,600 hours in academic credit rather than clock hours, reflected in a school roster heavy with public institutions (Central New Mexico Community College, San Juan College, Clovis Community College, NM Junior College, Northern New Mexico College, UNM-Gallup).
New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Boards and Commissions Division)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