Best Cosmetology Programs in Ohio 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 Ohio the binding credential is the school's license from Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board.

Best Cosmetology Programs in Ohio

• 1

  Knox County Career Center

  Adult Education Schools List

  Mount Vernon, OH

  100% Share of students who finish
  • $17,672 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Knox County Career Center operates in Mount Vernon under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as an adult education school. 100 percent of students across the center finish, out of 126 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That completion rate is 15 points above the 85 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the center and not about the cosmetology floor. The published tuition is $17,672. 20 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 111019 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 Ohio, the range runs $23,520 to $77,330 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,260. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. The work is somewhat more concentrated in Ohio than nationally, at roughly 1.2 times the usual rate.

• 2

  Sandusky Career Center

  Adult Education Schools List

  Sandusky, OH

  100% Share of students who finish
  • $21,086 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Sandusky, Sandusky Career Center is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists it as an adult education school. 100 percent of students across the center finish, out of 88 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That completion rate is 15 points above the 85 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the center and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $21,086. That price is 19 percent over the $17,672 median, which for a public program is unusual and worth asking about. Its board record is license 111749, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Sandusky earn under $29,030, with the tenth percentile at $22,790 and the ninetieth at $75,640. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 20 percent under on median pay. It is a small occupational market locally, so openings are fewer and word of mouth carries more weight than a resume. Local concentration around Sandusky sits near the national average.

• 3

  EHOVE Career Center

  Career Technical Schools List

  Milan, OH

  96% Share of students who finish
  • $16,028 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  EHOVE Career Center operates in Milan under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as a career technical school. Across all 398 students at the center, 96 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. At 96 percent the center 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. Tuition is reported at $16,028. It awarded 37 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000204; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Sandusky earn under $29,030, with the tenth percentile at $22,790 and the ninetieth at $75,640. The distance between $22,790 and $75,640 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 20 percent under on median pay. The local occupation is small in absolute terms, which tends to mean hiring runs through personal contacts. Local concentration around Sandusky sits near the national average.

• 4

  Moler-Pickens Beauty Academy

  Private Schools List

  Fairfield, OH

  96% Share of students who finish
  • $17,750 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Moler-Pickens Beauty Academy operates in Fairfield under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Fairfield. The school graduates 96 percent, on a fall headcount of 88. Tuition is reported at $17,750 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $6,333 in federal loans, measured over 39 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. $17,750 is within 1 percent of the $17,672 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 96 percent against 85. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 50 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000561; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Cincinnati earn under $36,790, with the tenth percentile at $24,230 and the ninetieth at $80,150. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Concentration around Cincinnati runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.2 times, or 2,540 people in the occupation.

• 5

  Paramount Beauty Academy

  Private Schools List

  Portsmouth, OH

  93% Share of students who finish
  • $23,107 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Portsmouth, Paramount Beauty Academy is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists no other licensed school in Portsmouth. 93 percent of students see the course through, out of 51 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $23,107 for the full program. Paying 31 percent over the $17,672 median buys 8 points of completion over the 85 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. It awarded 36 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000529; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists in Ohio, the range runs $23,520 to $77,330 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,260. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Ohio employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.

• 6

  Buckeye Hills Career Center

  Adult Education Schools List

  Rio Grande, OH

  90% Share of students who finish
  • $15,202 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Buckeye Hills Career Center trains in Rio Grande, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as an adult education school. Across all 122 students at the center, 90 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That completion rate is 5 points above the 85 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the center and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $15,202. That price is 14 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like. 12 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 111003; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists in Ohio earn under $36,260, with the tenth percentile at $23,520 and the ninetieth at $77,330. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Concentration in Ohio runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.2 times, or 12,890 people in the occupation.

• 7

  Lorain County Joint Vocational School District

  Career Technical Schools List

  Oberlin, OH

  90% Share of students who finish
  • $7,592 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Lorain County Joint Vocational School District is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Oberlin. The board lists it as a career technical school. 90 percent of students across the center finish, out of 87 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That completion rate is 5 points above the 85 percent median, but it is every program on campus, so treat it as a fact about the center and not about the cosmetology floor. Tuition is reported at $7,592. That price is 57 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. It awarded 45 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 000236 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 Cleveland, the range runs $23,420 to $70,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $35,640. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.5 times the usual concentration around Cleveland.

• 8

  Buckeye Joint Vocational School

  Career Technical Schools List

  New Philadelphia, OH

  88% Share of students who finish
  • $11,850 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in New Philadelphia, Buckeye Joint Vocational School is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists it as a career technical school. Across all 80 students at the center, 88 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 88 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $11,850. That price is 33 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like. A program that awarded 7 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. License 000307 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 Ohio runs from $23,520 at the tenth percentile to $77,330 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,260. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. The work is somewhat more concentrated in Ohio than nationally, at roughly 1.2 times the usual rate.

• 9

  Brown Aveda Institute-Mentor

  Private Schools List

  Mentor, OH

  86% Share of students who finish
  • $20,630 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Brown Aveda Institute-Mentor trains in Mentor, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Mentor. 86 percent of students see the course through, out of 115 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $20,630 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Brown Aveda campuses in the federal file, 275 borrowers at a median of $7,917 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. It charges 17 percent over the $17,672 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the extra price is not buying a better completion rate. 145 credentials in the year from a fall count of 115: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. License 000540 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 around Cleveland runs from $23,420 at the tenth percentile to $70,750 at the ninetieth, with a median of $35,640. The distance between $23,420 and $70,750 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.5 times the usual concentration around Cleveland.

• 10

  Meryma'at Barber College

  Private Schools List

  Cleveland, OH

  86% Share of students who finish
  • $14,490 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Meryma'at Barber College operates in Cleveland under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The license here is a barber license, which means men's cutting, shaving and beard work. It takes a similar hour count to cosmetology and is a narrower ticket, and for someone who already knows they want that end of the trade, the narrowness is the point. Cleveland has 7 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 86 percent of students see the course through, out of 48 enrolled. It charges $14,490 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 86 percent, 1 points over the 85 percent median, is about what this page does. $14,490 is 18 percent under the $17,672 median for a similar hour count, which makes it the cheaper route to a chair. It awarded 28 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000055; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Cleveland earn under $35,640, with the tenth percentile at $23,420 and the ninetieth at $70,750. Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. The trade is unusually concentrated around Cleveland, about 1.5 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.

• 11

  Brown Aveda Institute-Strongsville

  Private Schools List

  Strongsville, OH

  85% Share of students who finish
  • $20,630 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Strongsville, Brown Aveda Institute-Strongsville is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists no other licensed school in Strongsville. 85 percent of students see the course through, out of 121 enrolled. The published cost is $20,630 for the full program. The federal file reports borrowing for Brown Aveda campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $7,917 in federal loans across 275 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. $20,630 is 17 percent over the $17,672 median, for a completion rate exactly at the 85 percent median, which is a premium with nothing on this record to justify it. It awarded 123 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 121, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The board files it under license 000695; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Cleveland earn under $35,640, with the tenth percentile at $23,420 and the ninetieth at $70,750. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Cleveland carries roughly 1.5 times the national concentration of this work, among the denser markets in the country.

• 12

  Madison Adult Career Center

  Mansfield, OH

  85% Share of students who finish
  • Public institution
  • 5 graduates a year
  • $6,445 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Madison Adult Career Center runs its cosmetology program in Mansfield and reports to the US Department of Education. 85 percent of students across the center finish, out of 81 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 85 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. The published tuition is $6,445. That price is 64 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. 5 credentials in a year means the cosmetology program barely ran; ask whether it is enrolling this term before anything else. The Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board holds the record that counts your hours; find this school on it by its legal name and check it is current before a deposit.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Mansfield, the range runs $22,260 to $68,470 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $29,690. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 18 percent under on median pay. This is a dense market by national standards, 1.5 times the usual concentration around Mansfield.

• 13

  Summit Salon Academy-Perrysburg

  Private Schools List

  Perrysburg, OH

  85% Share of students who finish
  • $24,468 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Summit Salon Academy-Perrysburg trains in Perrysburg, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The school graduates 85 percent, on a fall headcount of 113. Tuition is reported at $24,468 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $7,916 in federal loans, measured over 84 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. It charges 38 percent over the $17,672 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the extra price is not buying a better completion rate. It awarded 107 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 113 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. The board files it under license 000688; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  In Ohio, the median cosmetologist earns $36,260, the bottom tenth $23,520 and the top tenth $77,330. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Ohio employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.

• 14

  Elite Academy of Hair Design

  Private Schools List

  Bridgeport, OH

  84% Share of students who finish
  • $17,500 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Elite Academy of Hair Design trains in Bridgeport, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists no other licensed school in Bridgeport. The school graduates 84 percent, on a fall headcount of 61. The published cost is $17,500 for the full program. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 84 percent against 85 and $17,500 against $17,672. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 27 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 000729, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists in Ohio earn under $36,260, with the tenth percentile at $23,520 and the ninetieth at $77,330. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. The work is somewhat more concentrated in Ohio than nationally, at roughly 1.2 times the usual rate.

• 15

  Brown & Clermont Adult Career Campuses

  Bethel, OH

  84% Share of students who finish
  • Public institution
  • $18,664 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Brown & Clermont Adult Career Campuses runs its cosmetology program in Bethel and reports to the US Department of Education. 84 percent of students across the school finish, out of 101 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 84 percent is ordinary for this page, and it belongs to the whole campus; ask the cosmetology department for the program's own figure. Tuition is reported at $18,664. Licensing is the business of the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board 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 around Cincinnati earn under $36,790, with the tenth percentile at $24,230 and the ninetieth at $80,150. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Cincinnati employs the trade at about 1.2 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.

• 16

  Ohio State School of Cosmetology-Heath

  Private Schools List

  Heath, OH

  84% Share of students who finish
  • $26,550 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Ohio State School of Cosmetology-Heath operates in Heath under license from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Heath. The school graduates 84 percent, on a fall headcount of 86. Tuition is reported at $26,550 for the full program. 35 graduates borrowed, at a median of $9,833 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. It charges 50 percent over the $17,672 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the extra price is not buying a better completion rate. 51 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 000631 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.

  Where It Leads

  Around Columbus, the median cosmetologist earns $36,260, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $78,040. The distance between $23,580 and $78,040 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Columbus employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 2,420 people.

• 17

  Cuyahoga Valley Career Center

  Career Technical Schools List

  Brecksville, OH

  81% Share of students who finish
  • $14,500 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Cuyahoga Valley Career Center is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Brecksville. The board lists it as a career technical school. 81 percent of students across the center finish, out of 131 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Read that 81 percent as the center's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $14,500. That price is 18 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like. A program that awarded 9 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. The board files it under license 000248; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Cleveland earn under $35,640, with the tenth percentile at $23,420 and the ninetieth at $70,750. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. The trade is unusually concentrated around Cleveland, about 1.5 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.

• 18

  Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus

  Private Schools List

  Columbus, OH

  81% Share of students who finish
  • $18,452 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Columbus. Columbus has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 81 percent of its students finish, out of 200 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $18,452 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,833 in federal loans, measured over 143 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. Completion and price both sit close to the page median, 81 percent against 85 and $18,452 against $17,672, 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 81 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 000666, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Half of cosmetologists around Columbus earn under $36,260, with the tenth percentile at $23,580 and the ninetieth at $78,040. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. Local concentration around Columbus sits near the national average.

• 19

  Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati

  Private Schools List

  West Chester, OH

  80% Share of students who finish
  • $21,575 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in West Chester. It is the only licensed school the board lists in West Chester. Of the 453 students in its fall count, 80 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $21,575 for the full program. The median graduate left with $9,823 in federal loans, across 228 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. That is the pairing to be wary of: 5 points fewer of its students finish than the 85 percent median, at a price 22 percent over the $17,672 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. It awarded 308 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. The board files it under license 000716; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Pay for cosmetologists around Cincinnati runs from $24,230 at the tenth percentile to $80,150 at the ninetieth, with a median of $36,790. Most of that range is a following, which is why two graduates of the same program can end up far apart. The work is somewhat more concentrated around Cincinnati than nationally, at roughly 1.2 times the usual rate.

• 20

  Dayton Barber College

  Private Schools List

  Miamisburg, OH

  80% Share of students who finish
  • $14,796 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Dayton Barber College is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Miamisburg. This is a specialist: a barber license, not cosmetology. The work is men's cutting, shaving and beard work, the course is a similar hour count to cosmetology, and it does not license color, chemical services or the full cosmetology scope, so compare it with the other specialists here rather than with the full-service schools. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Miamisburg. 80 percent of students see the course through, out of 74 enrolled. It charges $14,796 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 80 percent, 5 points under the 85 percent median, is about what this page does. $14,796 is 16 percent under the $17,672 median for a similar hour count, which makes it the cheaper route to a chair. It awarded 34 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 000042; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.

  Where It Leads

  Around Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, the median cosmetologist earns $30,590, the bottom tenth $22,860 and the top tenth $75,860. Cosmetologists are the nearest series BLS carries to barbers here. That is a wide spread, and it is mostly the difference between building a client book and not. The metro median runs about 16 percent below the Ohio figure. Local concentration around Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek sits near the national average.

• 21

  Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County

  Career Technical Schools List

  Newark, OH

  79% Share of students who finish
  • $852 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Based in Newark, Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County is on the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board register. The board lists it as a career technical school. 79 percent of students across the center finish, out of 237 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 79 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The published tuition is $852. A program that awarded 4 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Its board record is license 000582, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Around Columbus, the median cosmetologist earns $36,260, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $78,040. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Columbus employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 2,420 people.

• 22

  Paul Mitchell the School-Cincinnati

  Private Schools List

  Cincinnati, OH

  79% Share of students who finish
  • $18,915 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Paul Mitchell the School-Cincinnati trains in Cincinnati, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. With 9 licensed schools in Cincinnati, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. Of the 246 students in its fall count, 79 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $18,915 for the full program. The federal file reports borrowing for Paul Mitchell campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $13,833 in federal loans across 336 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $147 a month. 6 points fewer of its students finish than the 85 percent median, priced within 8 percent of the $17,672 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 116 beauty credentials in the reporting year. License 000640 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 Cincinnati, the range runs $24,230 to $80,150 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $36,790. The distance between $24,230 and $80,150 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Concentration around Cincinnati runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.2 times, or 2,540 people in the occupation.

• 23

  Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology-South Dayton

  Private Schools List

  Dayton, OH

  78% Share of students who finish
  • $23,000 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology-South Dayton trains in Centerville, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists no other licensed school in Centerville. 78 percent of students see the course through, out of 69 enrolled. The published cost is $23,000 for the full program. Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $9,833 in federal loans at the median over 246 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $104 a month. 7 points fewer finish than the 85 percent median and it costs 30 percent over the $17,672 median, so before enrolling ask what happens to the students who do not get through. 62 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 000693 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 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, the range runs $22,860 to $75,860 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $30,590. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 16 percent under on median pay. The occupation is about as common around Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek as it is nationally.

• 24

  Polaris Career Center

  Career Technical Schools List

  Middleburg Heights, OH

  77% Share of students who finish
  • $10,709 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Polaris Career Center is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board and trains in Middleburg Heights. The board lists it as a career technical school. 77 percent of students across the center finish, out of 300 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 77 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The published tuition is $10,709. That price is 39 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like. 37 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. Its board record is license 000291, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  For cosmetologists around Cleveland, the range runs $23,420 to $70,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $35,640. The distance between $23,420 and $70,750 is the whole argument for staying past the first couple of years. Few places employ this trade as heavily: Cleveland runs at about 1.5 times the national rate, some 3,070 people.

• 25

  Warren County Career Center

  Career Technical Schools List

  Lebanon, OH

  77% Share of students who finish
  • $12,800 program cost

  What the Record Shows

  Warren County Career Center trains in Lebanon, licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. The board lists it as a career technical school. 77 percent of students across the center finish, out of 263 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 77 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 $12,800. That price is 28 percent under the $17,672 median, which is what public pricing looks like. It awarded 12 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Its board record is license 000314, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.

  Where It Leads

  Around Cincinnati, the median cosmetologist earns $36,790, the bottom tenth $24,230 and the top tenth $80,150. A gap that size tracks clientele rather than seniority. Concentration around Cincinnati runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.2 times, or 2,540 people in the occupation.

Which Other Cosmetology Schools in Ohio Are State Licensed?

These Ohio cosmetology schools hold a current license from Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board 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 Ohio 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 166 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board.

Cosmetology Schools by City in Ohio

• Cosmetology schools in Columbus (6 ranked)

How Do You Become a Cosmetologist in Ohio in 2026?

To become a cosmetologist in Ohio you need 1,500 clock hours at a school licensed by Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 11.5 months full time. 12 states set a lower requirement and the rest set a higher one, in a national range topping out at 2,000 hours.

A cosmetology program whose school lost its license mid-course takes your hours with it, which is the argument for checking Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board first.

How Much Do Cosmetologists Make in Ohio in 2026?

Cosmetologists in Ohio earn a median of $36,260 , with the bottom tenth on $23,520 and the top tenth on $77,330 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.

What Is Different About Cosmetology Licensing in Ohio?

Ohio merged barber and cosmetology school regulation into a single 'school' license under ORC 4713.44, effective October 24, 2024 (HB 158, 135th General Assembly), so one license now covers a school teaching either or both disciplines. Ohio is also unusually explicit about online delivery: rather than being silent, it codifies a hard 20 percent distance-learning ceiling, bans distance delivery of live-model clinical services, and requires schools to warn students in writing that their distance hours may not transfer to other states. The board further splits its school rosters into three regulatory categories, private, career-technical, and adult education, and publishes a separate list for each. Read Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board's own rules.

Where Do Cosmetologists Make the Most Money in Ohio?

Cosmetologists make the most money in Ohio around Akron, where the median is $38,100, and the least around Sandusky at $29,030. A 31 percent spread across one state means where you work matters more to your pay than which of these metros you trained in.

The statewide median sits at $36,260, so the metros above it are carrying the average up.

Where Are the Cosmetology Schools in Ohio?

The licensed cosmetology schools in Ohio cluster hardest in Cincinnati, which holds 9 of the 191 the board currently lists. At 5 percent of the state total, no single city dominates training in Ohio.

72 towns have exactly one licensed school, which is worth knowing if you cannot easily move: losing that school means losing the option locally.

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

In Ohio, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $39,660 median. That is above the $36,260 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.

Each is a separate license with its own program and its own hour count, which is why the highest median is not automatically the best return on the time.

Can You Use a Cosmetology License From Another State in Ohio?

Using a cosmetology license from another state in Ohio means satisfying Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other Midwest states, Ohio is its 1,500 hour requirement is about the regional norm, 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.

What Does This Ohio Cosmetology Program Ranking Not Tell You?

This Ohio 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 Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board for the license itself.

Where Does This Ohio Cosmetology Program Data Come From?

This Ohio cosmetology program data comes from Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, 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. Ohio merged barber and cosmetology school regulation into a single 'school' license under ORC 4713.44, effective October 24, 2024 (HB 158, 135th General Assembly), so one license now covers a school teaching either or both disciplines. Ohio is also unusually explicit about online delivery: rather than being silent, it codifies a hard 20 percent distance-learning ceiling, bans distance delivery of live-model clinical services, and requires schools to warn students in writing that their distance hours may not transfer to other states. The board further splits its school rosters into three regulatory categories, private, career-technical, and adult education, and publishes a separate list for each.

• Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, license records, 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