Best Cosmetology Programs in North Carolina 2026

No cosmetology program anywhere is accredited, because nothing accredits the program itself. NACCAS, the name on most beauty school marketing, is an institutional accreditor whose practical effect is access to federal financial aid, and an accredited school says nothing about the course it runs. In North Carolina the binding credential is the school's license from North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners.

Best Cosmetology Programs in North Carolina

• 1

  Leons Beauty School Inc

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Greensboro, NC

  96% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $8,300 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Leons Beauty School Inc operates in Greensboro under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. The board records it as a private school. With 9 licensed schools in Greensboro, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 96 percent of students see the course through, out of 102 enrolled. It charges $8,300 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 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, 30 points above the 66 percent private-school median and 57 percent under the $19,260 private-school median. The page median is set by public colleges, so that comparison is against the other private schools here. It awarded 107 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 102, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The board files it under license 306; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Greensboro-High Point, the range runs $24,380 to $60,600 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $37,620. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. Greensboro-High Point employs the trade at only about 0.7 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.

• 2

  Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Chapel Hill, NC

  82% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $22,989 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill trains in Chapel Hill, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is a privately run school rather than part of a public college. The board lists no other licensed school in Chapel Hill. 82 percent of its students finish, out of 198 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $22,989 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 241 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. 16 points above the 66 percent private-school median at a price 19 percent over the $19,260 private-school median: the extra money buys a materially better chance of finishing, which in a clock-hour course is the thing you are paying for. 177 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 285 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.

  Where It Leads

  Around Durham-Chapel Hill, the median cosmetologist earns $48,060, the bottom tenth $28,610 and the top tenth $77,880. The metro median is about 25 percent above the North Carolina figure. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. Local concentration around Durham-Chapel Hill sits near the national average.

• 3

  Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College

  Durham, NC

  78% Share of students who finish
  • 78% finish
  • 9 graduates a year
  • $18,536 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College trains in Durham, and because it takes federal financial aid its outcomes are published per program. 78 percent of students see the course through, out of 41 enrolled. It charges $18,536 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Borrowing here runs to a median of $10,036 in federal loans, measured over 63 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $106 a month. 12 points more of its students finish than the 66 percent private-school median, priced within 4 percent of the $19,260 private-school median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. 9 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is a small cohort, which usually buys more chair time with an instructor and a shorter wait for the clinic floor. Licensing is the business of the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists around Durham-Chapel Hill runs from $28,610 at the tenth percentile to $77,880 at the ninetieth, with a median of $48,060. The metro median is about 25 percent above the North Carolina figure. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. On concentration, Durham-Chapel Hill is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

• 4

  Carolina College of Hair Design Inc

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Asheville, NC

  72% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $19,485 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Carolina College of Hair Design Inc trains in Asheville, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is a privately run school rather than part of a public college. 72 percent of its students finish, out of 46 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $19,485 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $5,611 in federal loans, measured over 22 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $59 a month. 6 points more of its students finish than the 66 percent private-school median, priced within 2 percent of the $19,260 private-school median, so you pay the going rate for better than average odds of getting through. It awarded 22 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 006 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 Asheville, the range runs $27,420 to $60,190 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $40,620. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. The occupation is about as common around Asheville as it is nationally.

• 5

  Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Fayetteville, NC

  66% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $18,575 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville trains in Fayetteville, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is a privately run school rather than part of a public college. With 8 licensed schools in Fayetteville, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 66 percent of its students finish, out of 149 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $18,575 for the full program. Paul Mitchell campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $10,564 in federal loans at the median over 545 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $112 a month. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 66 percent, exactly the median and $18,575 against $19,260. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 84 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 373; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Around Fayetteville, the median cosmetologist earns $38,290, the bottom tenth $23,490 and the top tenth $60,970. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration around Fayetteville, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.

• 6

  Empire Beauty School-Concord

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Concord, NC

  65% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $19,260 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Empire Beauty School-Concord is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners and trains in Concord. The board records it as a private school. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Concord. The school graduates 65 percent, on a fall headcount of 110. The published cost is $19,260 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Empire Beauty campuses in the federal file, 746 borrowers at a median of $13,000 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 65 percent against 66 and $19,260, exactly the median. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 55 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 276, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia runs from $28,160 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,530. A 2.2-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, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

• 7

  Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Greenville, NC

  64% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $17,915 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design operates in Greenville under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is a privately run school rather than part of a public college. 64 percent of its students finish, out of 55 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $17,915 for the full program. The median graduate left with $8,750 in federal loans, across 46 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $93 a month. It is close to the median private school on this page on completion, price and borrowing, 64 percent against 66 and $17,915 against $19,260, 49 percent of the price borrowed against 56 for the page, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. It awarded 30 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 328, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Around Greenville, the median cosmetologist earns $34,980, the bottom tenth $23,290 and the top tenth $59,420. The metro median runs about 9 percent below the North Carolina figure. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. This is a comparatively thin market: Greenville runs at roughly 0.5 times the national concentration, about 80 people in the occupation.

• 8

  Gaston College

  Cosmetic Art School (High School)

  Dallas, NC

  63% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Gaston College operates in Gastonia under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is filed as a high school program, which means it serves students still in school. 63 percent of students across the college finish, out of 3,518 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 63 percent the college 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. Its 33 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 3,518. Its board record is license 509, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, the range runs $28,160 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,530. A 2.2-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. The occupation is about as common around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia as it is nationally.

• 9

  Randolph Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Asheboro, NC

  58% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Asheboro, Randolph Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board lists no other licensed school in Asheboro. 58 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,417 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 58 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 37 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,417. The board files it under license 332; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Around Greensboro-High Point, the median cosmetologist earns $37,620, the bottom tenth $24,380 and the top tenth $60,600. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. This is a comparatively thin market: Greensboro-High Point runs at roughly 0.7 times the national concentration, about 470 people in the occupation.

• 10

  Sampson Community College

  Clinton, NC

  56% Share of students who finish
  • Associate degree
  • Public institution
  • 19 graduates a year

  What the Record Shows

  Sampson Community College runs its cosmetology program in Clinton and reports to the US Department of Education. 56 percent of students across the college finish, out of 846 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 56 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Its 19 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 846. This is one of the few cosmetology programs recorded as awarding an associate degree; the state license still turns on the clock hours and the exam, not the degree. Licensing is the business of the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners rather than the federal file's, so its register is where to confirm this school by its legal name first.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists in North Carolina earn under $38,410, with the tenth percentile at $26,880 and the ninetieth at $61,530. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. North Carolina employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 8,490 people.

• 11

  Paul Mitchell the School-Charlotte

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Charlotte, NC

  56% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $19,425 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Paul Mitchell the School-Charlotte operates in Charlotte under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is a privately run school rather than part of a public college. Charlotte has 21 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Of the 97 students in its fall count, 56 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $19,425 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $15,541 in federal loans at the median, 270 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $165 a month. That is most of the $19,425 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. 10 points fewer of its students finish than the 66 percent private-school median, priced within 1 percent of the $19,260 private-school median, so you would be paying the going rate for worse odds of getting through. Ask the school what happens to the ones who leave. 30 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 354, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, the median cosmetologist earns $38,530, the bottom tenth $28,160 and the top tenth $61,530. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.6 times the median and the floor sits 27 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 2,940 people.

• 12

  Isothermal Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Spindale, NC

  55% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Spindale, Isothermal Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board lists no other licensed school in Spindale. Across all 1,169 students at the college, 55 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 55 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 44 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,169. License 058 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists in North Carolina earn under $38,410, with the tenth percentile at $26,880 and the ninetieth at $61,530. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Local concentration in North Carolina sits near the national average.

• 13

  Tri-County Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Murphy, NC

  54% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Tri-County Community College trains in Murphy, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Murphy. Across all 472 students at the college, 54 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 54 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Its 13 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 472. Its board record is license 109, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists in North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.

• 14

  Pamlico Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Grantsboro, NC

  54% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Pamlico Community College operates in Bayboro under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Bayboro. 54 percent of students across the college finish, out of 165 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 54 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. It awarded 13 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 274; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists in North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. On concentration, North Carolina is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

• 15

  Southwestern Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Sylva, NC

  53% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Southwestern Community College is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners and trains in Sylva. The board lists no other licensed school in Sylva. Across all 1,249 students at the college, 53 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 53 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Its 20 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,249. The board files it under license 107; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists in North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. On concentration, North Carolina is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

• 16

  Sandhills Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Pinehurst, NC

  53% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Pinehurst, Sandhills Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Pinehurst. 53 percent of students across the college finish, out of 2,539 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 53 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. 8 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. License 097 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists in North Carolina runs from $26,880 at the tenth percentile to $61,530 at the ninetieth, with a median of $38,410. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.

• 17

  Vance-Granville Community College

  Henderson, NC

  53% Share of students who finish
  • Public institution
  • 9 graduates a year

  What the Record Shows

  Vance-Granville Community College teaches cosmetology in Henderson, with its results published federally. Across all 1,665 students at the college, 53 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 53 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. 9 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. Its hours count only under a current entry with the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Raleigh-Cary, the range runs $27,300 to $70,550 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $43,700. Against the state as a whole, the metro runs roughly 14 percent higher on median pay. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Raleigh-Cary than nationally, at roughly 1.2 times the usual rate.

• 18

  Blue Ridge Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Flat Rock, NC

  50% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Blue Ridge Community College trains in Flat Rock, licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Flat Rock. 50 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,758 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 50 percent as the college's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Its 35 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,758. Its board record is license 213, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists around Asheville runs from $27,420 at the tenth percentile to $60,190 at the ninetieth, with a median of $40,620. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. The occupation is about as common around Asheville as it is nationally.

• 19

  Coastal Carolina Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Jacksonville, NC

  49% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Jacksonville, Coastal Carolina Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board lists no other licensed school in Jacksonville. 49 percent of students across the college finish, out of 2,724 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 49 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 27 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 2,724. The board files it under license 194; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Around Jacksonville, the median cosmetologist earns $39,990, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $49,960. The local occupation is small in absolute terms, which tends to mean hiring runs through personal contacts. Jacksonville employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 90 people.

• 20

  Carteret Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Morehead City, NC

  49% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Carteret Community College is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners and trains in Morehead City. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Morehead City. 49 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,172 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 49 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. Its 35 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,172. Its board record is license 030, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists in North Carolina, the range runs $26,880 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,410. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.

• 21

  Western Piedmont Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Morganton, NC

  49% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Western Piedmont Community College operates in Morganton under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. The board lists no other licensed school in Morganton. 49 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,339 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 49 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 44 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,339. The board files it under license 419; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, the range runs $27,120 to $59,180 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $35,100. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 9 percent under on median pay. The upside is capped near 1.7 times the median and the floor is 23 percent under it, a market where the first year is tight rather than dangerous and the ceiling is earned slowly. This is a comparatively thin market: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs at roughly 0.5 times the national concentration, about 160 people in the occupation.

• 22

  McDowell Technical Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Marion, NC

  48% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  McDowell Technical Community College operates in Marion under license from the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. Across all 608 students at the college, 48 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. 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. Its 20 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 608. License 070 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 in North Carolina, the range runs $26,880 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,410. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.

• 23

  Craven Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  New Bern, NC

  48% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in New Bern, Craven Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board lists no other licensed school in New Bern. 48 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,989 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. Its 49 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 1,989. License 039 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 in North Carolina, the range runs $26,880 to $61,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $38,410. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. The occupation is about as common in North Carolina as it is nationally.

• 24

  Empire Beauty School-Pineville

  Cosmetic Art School (Private)

  Charlotte, NC

  48% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology
  • $19,260 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Charlotte, Empire Beauty School-Pineville is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. The board records it as a private school. With 21 licensed schools in Charlotte, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 48 percent of students see the course through, out of 75 enrolled. The published cost is $19,260 for the full program. Empire Beauty campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $13,000 in federal loans at the median over 746 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. 18 points fewer of its students finish than the 66 percent private-school median, priced exactly at the $19,260 private-school median, so you would be paying the going rate for worse odds of getting through. Ask the school what happens to the ones who leave. It awarded 24 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 345, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia earn under $38,530, with the tenth percentile at $28,160 and the ninetieth at $61,530. A 2.2-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for the trade, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. Local concentration around Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia sits near the national average.

• 25

  James Sprunt Community College

  Cosmetic Art School (Public)

  Kenansville, NC

  48% Share of students who finish
  • Cosmetology

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Kenansville, James Sprunt Community College is on the North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners register. 48 percent of students across the college finish, out of 799 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 48 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 9 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Its board record is license 503, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists in North Carolina earn under $38,410, with the tenth percentile at $26,880 and the ninetieth at $61,530. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. Local concentration in North Carolina sits near the national average.

Which Other Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina Are State Licensed?

These North Carolina cosmetology schools hold a current license from North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners 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 North Carolina exam exactly as the ranked schools' hours do. They are listed by city rather than ordered, since nothing published about them supports an ordering.

Showing 25 of the 119 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners.

Cosmetology Schools by City in North Carolina

• Cosmetology schools in Charlotte (7 ranked)
• Cosmetology schools in Raleigh (5 ranked)

How Do You Become a Cosmetologist in North Carolina in 2026?

To become a cosmetologist in North Carolina you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 11.5 months full time. Only 12 states ask less, so this is at the shorter end of a range that reaches 2,000 hours.

Time is the expensive part of this qualification, and it is only banked while the school holds a current North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners license.

How Much Do Cosmetologists Make in North Carolina in 2026?

Cosmetologists in North Carolina earn a median of $38,410 , with the bottom tenth on $26,880 and the top tenth on $61,530 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.

Where Do Cosmetologists Make the Most Money in North Carolina?

Cosmetologists make the most money in North Carolina around Durham-Chapel Hill, where the median is $48,060, and the least around Rocky Mount at $27,330. A 76 percent spread across one state means where you work matters more to your pay than which of these metros you trained in.

Against a statewide median of $38,410, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.

Where Are the Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina?

The licensed cosmetology schools in North Carolina cluster hardest in Charlotte, which holds 21 of the 144 the board currently lists. At 15 percent of the state total, no single city dominates training in North Carolina.

Another 60 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.

Is It Better to Be a Cosmetologist, Esthetician or Nail Tech in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $45,400 median. Cosmetologists in North Carolina sit at $38,410, below that, which is worth weighing before committing to the longest of the licenses.

The shorter licenses also take fewer hours, so the comparison is not only what the work pays but how long you spend unpaid getting there.

Can You Use a Cosmetology License From Another State in North Carolina?

Using a cosmetology license from another state in North Carolina means satisfying North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other South states, North Carolina is it asks 70 more hours than the regional average of 1,430, and it pays about 17 percent above the regional average.

Someone who expects to follow work across the region should train to the heavier requirement, because hours are easier to hold than to add later.

What Does This North Carolina Cosmetology Program Ranking Not Tell You?

This North Carolina 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 North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners for the license itself.

Where Does This North Carolina Cosmetology Program Data Come From?

This North Carolina cosmetology program data comes from North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, read on 2026-08-28, 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.

• North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, license records, read 2026-08-28
• 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