Oregon
Best cosmetology programs in Oregon 2026
Portland skyline. Photo by Cord Rodefeld, licensed under CC BY 2.0, 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 Oregon 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 Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit is what decides whether your hours count toward the exam.
37
schools currently licensed
12
qualify to be ranked
5
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Premiere Aesthetics Institute
Bend, OR · Licensed school
100%
Share of students who finish
- Esthetics
- $11,404 program cost
What the record shows
Premiere Aesthetics Institute is licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission and trains in Bend. This is a specialist: an esthetics license, not cosmetology. The work is skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair, the course is a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes, and it does not license you to cut or color hair, so it is a different decision from the full-service schools on this page. 100 percent of its students finish, out of 45 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $11,404 for the full program. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 100 percent, 23 points over the 77 percent median, is a good sign. $11,404 is 31 percent under the $16,524 median, but for a course shorter than cosmetology that is a smaller discount than the length would justify, so it is on the dear side for esthetics. 54 credentials in the year from a fall count of 45: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Verify the school's standing with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
undefined undefined The trade is unusually concentrated around Bend, about 1.6 times the national rate, so there are more chairs to compete for and more to be hired into.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#2
Phagans Grants Pass College of Beauty
Grants Pass, OR · Licensed school
96%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $10,200 program cost
What the record shows
Phagans Grants Pass College of Beauty is licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission and trains in Grants Pass. 96 percent of students see the course through, out of 43 enrolled. The published cost is $10,200 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $8,812 in federal loans at the median, 58 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $93 a month. That is most of the $10,200 price arriving as debt, so the published cost and what a student actually finances are close to the same number here. 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, 19 points above the 77 percent median and 38 percent under the $16,524 median. It awarded 42 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 43 enrolled, that is one of the higher-throughput floors on this page. Check its license with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Medford, the range runs $31,580 to $70,440 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $49,480. Against the state as a whole, the metro sits roughly 14 percent under 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. Medford employs the trade at only about 0.7 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#3
Phagans Beauty College
Corvallis, OR · Licensed school
86%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $17,800 program cost
What the record shows
Phagans Beauty College is licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission and trains in Corvallis. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Corvallis. 86 percent of its students finish, out of 59 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $17,800 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,646 in federal loans at the median, 52 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $102 a month. $17,800 is within 8 percent of the $16,524 median, and the completion is not ordinary: 86 percent against 77. That is the better half of the trade. It awarded 66 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 59, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Confirm the school's current license with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
undefined The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. Nail technology pays a $46,080 median in Oregon, 20 percent under cosmetology.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#4
Phagans School of Hair Design
Happy Valley, OR · Licensed school
80%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $20,000 program cost
What the record shows
Phagans School of Hair Design operates in Happy Valley under license from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. 80 percent of its students finish, out of 212 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $20,000 for the full program. 63 graduates borrowed, at a median of $8,382 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $89 a month. It charges 21 percent over the $16,524 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 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. Check its license with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, the range runs $35,350 to $77,620 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $59,610. 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. Around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, the gap between barbering and nail technology is real: a $64,310 median against one 26 percent lower. This is a comparatively thin market: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro runs at roughly 0.6 times the national concentration, about 1,500 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Beau Monde Academy of Barbering and Cosmetology
Portland, OR · Licensed school
77%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $19,173 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Portland, Beau Monde Academy of Barbering and Cosmetology is on the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission register. Portland has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Of the 92 students in its fall count, 77 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $19,173 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $8,973 in federal loans, measured over 64 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $95 a month. It charges 16 percent over the $16,524 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 52 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Confirm the school's current license with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro earn under $59,610, with the tenth percentile at $35,350 and the ninetieth at $77,620. 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. Around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, barbering pays a $64,310 median, about 36 percent above nail technology. Local demand is below the national norm, 0.6 times the usual concentration around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, which is worth knowing before committing the hours.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Phagans Central Oregon Beauty College
Bend, OR · Licensed school
77%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $10,200 program cost
What the record shows
Phagans Central Oregon Beauty College trains in Bend, licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. 77 percent of its students finish, out of 101 enrolled in the fall count. The published cost is $10,200 for the full program. 107 graduates borrowed, at a median of $6,333 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. It charges 38 percent less than the $16,524 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. 82 students completed a credential here 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. Ask the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission 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
undefined The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Oregon figure.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Aveda Institute-Portland
Portland, OR · Licensed school
77%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $6,000 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Portland, Aveda Institute-Portland is on the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission register. Portland has 8 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. The school graduates 77 percent, on a fall headcount of 238. Tuition is reported at $6,000 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $7,917 in federal loans at the median, 274 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. That median loan is larger than the $6,000 price, so the typical borrower here finances more than tuition. It charges 64 percent less than the $16,524 median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. 102 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 10 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Check its license with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.
Where it leads
For cosmetologists around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, the range runs $35,350 to $77,620 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $59,610. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Barbering and nail technology do not pay alike around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro: barbering carries a $64,310 median, roughly 36 percent above nail technology. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#8
College of Hair Design Careers
Salem, OR · Licensed school
74%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $15,747 program cost
What the record shows
College of Hair Design Careers operates in Salem under license from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. 74 percent of its students finish, out of 58 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $15,747 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 74 percent against 77 and $15,747 against $16,524. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 62 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 58, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. The license from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
undefined Nail technology pays a $44,850 median around Salem, 12 percent under cosmetology. Salem employs the trade at only about 0.3 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#9
Northwest College-Medford
Medford, OR · Licensed school
72%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $17,300 program cost
What the record shows
Northwest College-Medford trains in Medford, licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. The school graduates 72 percent, on a fall headcount of 95. The published cost is $17,300 for the full program. Northwest campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $8,619 in federal loans at the median over 477 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $91 a month. The price is close to the $16,524 median and the completion is not: 72 percent against 77. In a clock-hour course that is the wrong half of the trade, and the reason to ask hard questions before a deposit. It awarded 97 credentials over the year against a fall headcount of 95, which is what a clock-hour course that turns over more than one cohort a year looks like. Verify the school's standing with the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.
Where it leads
Around Medford, the median cosmetologist earns $49,480, the bottom tenth $31,580 and the top tenth $70,440. The metro median runs about 14 percent below the Oregon figure. Medford employs the trade at only about 0.7 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#10
Summit Salon Academy-Portland
Tigard, OR · Licensed school
72%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $20,550 program cost
What the record shows
Summit Salon Academy-Portland trains in Tigard, licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Its license covers cosmetology, esthetics, instructor training and nail technology. Of the 66 students in its fall count, 72 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $20,550 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $13,079 in federal loans, measured over 40 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $139 a month. That is the pairing to be wary of: 5 points fewer of its students finish than the 77 percent median, at a price 24 percent over the $16,524 median. Ask the school directly why students leave before you commit. 39 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The license from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.
Where it leads
Around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, the median cosmetologist earns $59,610, the bottom tenth $35,350 and the top tenth $77,620. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Nail technology pays a $47,280 median around Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, 21 percent under cosmetology. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#11
Northwest College-Eugene
Springfield, OR · Licensed school
68%
Share of students who finish
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
- Esthetics
- Instructor training
- Nail technology
- $17,300 program cost
What the record shows
Northwest College-Eugene trains in Springfield, licensed by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Springfield. Of the 139 students in its fall count, 68 percent complete the course they started. Tuition is reported at $17,300 for the full program. Borrowing is pooled across Northwest campuses in the federal file, 477 borrowers at a median of $8,619 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $91 a month. 9 points fewer of its students finish than the 77 percent median, priced within 5 percent of the $16,524 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. 103 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 11 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 Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission first: that entry is what qualifies your hours, whatever the federal figures say.
Where it leads
undefined Nail technology pays a $46,080 median in Oregon, 20 percent under cosmetology. Eugene-Springfield employs the trade at only about 0.6 times the national rate, so graduates enter a thinner local market than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, read 2026-08-31.
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#12
Johnny Matthew's Hairdressing Training School
Salem, OR
59%
Share of students who finish
- 59% finish
- $11,200 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Salem, Johnny Matthew's Hairdressing Training School is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. The school graduates 59 percent, on a fall headcount of 60. The published cost is $11,200 for the full program. $11,200 is 32 percent under the $16,524 median, and 18 points fewer finish than the 77 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. Licensing is the business of the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission 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 Salem runs from $33,780 at the tenth percentile to $69,960 at the ninetieth, with a median of $50,960. The metro median runs about 11 percent below the Oregon figure. Early pay locally runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. This is a comparatively thin market: Salem runs at roughly 0.3 times the national concentration, about 130 people in the occupation.
- Premiere Aesthetics Institute 100% 100%
- Phagans Grants Pass College of B... 96% 96%
- Phagans Beauty College 86% 86%
- Phagans School of Hair Design 80% 80%
- Beau Monde Academy of Barbering ... 77% 77%
- Phagans Central Oregon Beauty Co... 77% 77%
- Aveda Institute-Portland 77% 77%
- College of Hair Design Careers 74% 74%
- Northwest College-Medford 72% 72%
- Summit Salon Academy-Portland 72% 72%
Which other cosmetology schools in Oregon are state licensed?
These Oregon cosmetology schools hold a current license from Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit 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 Oregon exam exactly as the ranked schools' hours do. They are listed by city rather than ordered, since nothing published about them supports an ordering.
| School | City | Board record | Approved to teach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Institute School of Cosmetology | Beaverton | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Carole’s Cosmetic Tattoo | Beaverton | Licensed school | |
| Northwest College School of Beauty-Beaverton | Beaverton | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Ravish Ink | Beaverton | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Tanya's Beauty School | Beaverton | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Advanced Esthetics Institute | Eugene | Licensed school | esthetics |
| IBS School of Cosmetology and Massage | Eugene | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Oregon Dermal Academy, Inc | Grants Pass | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Mylan Beauty Academy | Happy Valley | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Tangled Ends Hair Academy | Keizer | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics |
| lmani Institute of Cosmetology | Medford | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Pacific Academy of Cosmetic Tattoo | Milwaukie | Licensed school | |
| Aesthetics Institute | Portland | Licensed school | electrology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Allura Beauty School | Portland | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Anatomy School of Tattoo | Portland | Licensed school | |
| Center for Electrology | Portland | Licensed school | electrology |
| Champions Barbering Institute, Inc | Portland | Licensed school | barbering |
| Portland Beauty School | Portland | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Patsy Brows & Beauty Academy | Salem | Licensed school | cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Phagans' School of Beauty | Salem | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Gorge Academy of Cosmetology and Massage | The Dalles | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| Spectrum Advanced Aesthetics | Tigard | Licensed school | esthetics |
| Northwest College School of Beauty-Tualatin | Tualatin | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, nail-technology |
| The Salon Academy | Wilsonville | Licensed school | barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, nail-technology |
| Xo Ink Cosmetic Tattoo Academy | Wilsonville | Licensed school |
How much do cosmetologists make in Oregon in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Oregon earn a median of $57,580 , with the bottom tenth on $34,880 and the top tenth on $76,810 . The related licenses pay differently again, which matters because you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Salon managers $58,240 $58,240
- Nail technicians $46,080 $46,080
- Cosmetologists $57,580 $57,580
- Estheticians $52,110 $52,110
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Oregon?
Oregon is doubly unusual. First, it has no cosmetologist license: the state certifies five separate fields of practice, hair design, barbering, esthetics, nail technology and natural hair care, and HLO states outright that no umbrella cosmetology certification exists, so an Oregon 'cosmetologist' is really someone stacking multiple certificates. Second, school regulation is fully detached from practitioner licensing, sitting with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission's private-career-school unit rather than the cosmetology board, which is why the only official school roster is published by an education agency. Oregon also recognizes competency-based schools alongside traditional clock-hour schools, letting students be credited on demonstrated proficiency rather than seat time, an alternative most states do not formally accommodate. Read Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit's own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Oregon?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Oregon around Corvallis, where the median is $61,880, and the least around Medford at $49,480. That is a 25 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 $57,580, roughly half these metros pay above and half below.
- Corvallis $61,880 $61,880
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro $59,610 $59,610
- Bend $51,640 $51,640
- Salem $50,960 $50,960
- Eugene-Springfield $49,570 $49,570
- Medford $49,480 $49,480
Where are the cosmetology schools in Oregon?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Oregon cluster hardest in Portland, which holds 8 of the 37 the board currently lists. At 22 percent of the state total, no single city dominates training in Oregon.
Another 7 towns hold a single licensed school apiece, so in much of the state the practical choice is one school or a commute.
- Portland 8 8
- Beaverton 5 5
- Salem 3 3
- Bend 2 2
- Eugene 2 2
- Grants Pass 2 2
- Happy Valley 2 2
- Medford 2 2
- Tigard 2 2
- Wilsonville 2 2
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Oregon?
In Oregon, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $58,240 median. That is above the $57,580 cosmetologist median, so the longer general license is not automatically the better-paid route here.
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.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $58,240 | 2,300 |
| Estheticians | $52,110 | 1,070 |
| Nail technicians | $46,080 | 2,210 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Oregon?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Oregon means satisfying Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other West states, Oregon is it pays about 54 percent above the regional average.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon (this state) | $57,580 | |
| Washington | 1,600 | $59,510 |
| California | 1,000 | $38,660 |
| Montana | 1,500 | $38,000 |
| New Mexico | 1,600 | $37,750 |
| Colorado | 1,500 | $37,690 |
| Arizona | 1,500 | $36,810 |
| Idaho | 1,600 | $35,480 |
| Utah | 1,250 | $35,140 |
| Hawaii | 1,800 | $35,040 |
| Nevada | 1,600 | $33,840 |
| Alaska | 1,650 | $32,150 |
| Wyoming | 1,600 | $29,170 |
What does this Oregon cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Oregon 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 Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Oregon
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Oregon rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Oregon hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Oregon?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Oregon?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Oregon accredited?
Where does this Oregon cosmetology program data come from?
This Oregon cosmetology program data comes from Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing Unit, 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. Oregon is doubly unusual. First, it has no cosmetologist license: the state certifies five separate fields of practice, hair design, barbering, esthetics, nail technology and natural hair care, and HLO states outright that no umbrella cosmetology certification exists, so an Oregon 'cosmetologist' is really someone stacking multiple certificates. Second, school regulation is fully detached from practitioner licensing, sitting with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission's private-career-school unit rather than the cosmetology board, which is why the only official school roster is published by an education agency. Oregon also recognizes competency-based schools alongside traditional clock-hour schools, letting students be credited on demonstrated proficiency rather than seat time, an alternative most states do not formally accommodate.
Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Private Career Schools Licensing UnitRead 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