Virginia
Best cosmetology programs in Virginia 2026
Richmond skyline. Photo by Acroterion, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Ranked on the share of students who finish what they started, within half again the program's normal length, as reported per institution to the US Department of Education. In a clock-hour trade this is the outcome that matters most: the license needs the full hour count, so a student who leaves early has paid for hours that will never qualify them.
There is no such thing as an accredited cosmetology program, in Virginia 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 Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) is what decides whether your hours count toward the exam.
136
schools currently licensed
16
qualify to be ranked
10
excluded, under 40 enrolled students
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#1
Another Level Barbering and Cosmetology School
Petersburg, VA · Licensed school
100%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2026-12
- $15,735 program cost
What the record shows
Another Level Barbering and Cosmetology School trains in Petersburg, licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. Its license covers cosmetology. 100 percent of students see the course through, out of 70 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $15,735 for the full program. Graduates who borrowed took on $9,500 in federal loans at the median, 25 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $101 a month. More of its students finish than at most schools on this page, 100 percent against 61, and the price is 16 percent over the $13,600 median. The premium buys better odds of reaching the exam, and the course you do not finish is the one that costs the most. It awarded 20 beauty credentials 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. The board files it under license 1205001533; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. Virginia employs skincare specialists at close to the national rate, around 1,970 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#2
The Esthetic Institute
Vienna, VA · Licensed school
88%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Renews 2026-12
- $10,000 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Vienna, The Esthetic Institute is on the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. Vienna has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Of the 66 students in its fall count, 88 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $10,000 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 118 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. More finish here than at the typical school on this page, 88 percent against 61, and the price is 26 percent under the $13,600 median: the two numbers point the same way. 160 credentials in the year from a fall count of 66: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. License 1205000972 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 around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria earn under $37,020, with the tenth percentile at $26,900 and the ninetieth at $78,900. Top earners locally clear twice the median, so the ceiling is real, though it belongs to stylists with an established book rather than to new graduates. Around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, nail technology pays a $42,040 median, about 14 percent above cosmetology. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 7,010 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#3
The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics
Virginia Beach, VA
81%
Share of students who finish
- 81% finish
- 206 graduates a year
- $10,650 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Virginia Beach, The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics is one of the esthetics programs the federal government tracks. The license here is an esthetics license, which means skincare, facials and hair removal rather than hair. It takes a fraction of the hours a cosmetology license takes and is a narrower ticket, and for someone who already knows they want that end of the trade, the narrowness is the point. 81 percent of students see the course through, out of 271 enrolled. The published cost is $10,650 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 151 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 81 percent, 20 points over the 61 percent median, is a good sign. $10,650 is 22 percent under the $13,600 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. 206 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. That is roughly 16 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. The Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 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
undefined The metro median runs about 13 percent below the Virginia figure.
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#4
Columbia College
Vienna, VA · Licensed school
80%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2026-12
- $9,900 program cost
What the record shows
Columbia College operates in Vienna under license from the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Vienna has 6 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. Of 151 enrolled in the fall count, 80 percent finish. The published cost is $9,900 for the full program. More finish here than at the typical school on this page, 80 percent against 61, and the price is 27 percent under the $13,600 median: the two numbers point the same way. License 1205001416 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
Around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, the median cosmetologist earns $37,020, the bottom tenth $26,900 and the top tenth $78,900. The spread above the median is wide enough that averages mislead here. What separates the top is a client list built over years. Local concentration around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits near the national average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#5
Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mitchell Partner School
Virginia Beach, VA · Licensed school
73%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Renews 2026-12
- $19,575 program cost
What the record shows
Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mitchell Partner School is licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology and trains in Virginia Beach. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. With 5 licensed schools in Virginia Beach, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 73 percent of students see the course through, out of 155 enrolled. Tuition is reported at $19,575 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $13,000 in federal loans, measured over 126 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $138 a month. Paying 44 percent over the $13,600 median buys 12 points of completion over the 61 percent median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 91 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. License 1205001053 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 skincare specialists around Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs from $31,290 at the tenth percentile to $50,300 at the ninetieth, with a median of $34,190. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. The metro median runs about 13 percent below the Virginia figure. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. Concentration around Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs modestly above the national rate, about 1.5 times, or 530 people in the occupation.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#6
Jazz Barber and Hairstyling Academy
Petersburg, VA · Licensed school
67%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-05
- $15,950 program cost
What the record shows
Jazz Barber and Hairstyling Academy is licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology and trains in Petersburg. 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. Of the 46 students in its fall count, 67 percent complete the course they started. The published cost is $15,950 for the full program. Completion is the one figure that compares across trades, and 67 percent, 6 points over the 61 percent median, is a good sign. $15,950 is 17 percent over the $13,600 median for a similar hour count, which needs a reason. It awarded 9 beauty credentials 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. The board files it under license 1205000998; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined The ninetieth percentile at $75,860 is 1.6 times the median, so the upside is real but bounded, and the floor sits 20 percent under the median, so the first year is lean but not the cliff it is in some states.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#7
Eastern Virginia Career College
Fredericksburg, VA
66%
Share of students who finish
- 44 graduates a year
- $34,950 program cost
What the record shows
Eastern Virginia Career College runs its cosmetology program in Fredericksburg and reports to the US Department of Education. Across all 177 students at the college, 66 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. At 66 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. The published tuition is $34,950. That price is roughly 2.6 times the $13,600 median, and nothing on this record explains the premium. 23 graduates borrowed, at a median of $7,917 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $84 a month. The school conferred 44 credentials in the year reported. Its hours count only under a current entry with the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.
Where it leads
Half of cosmetologists around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria earn under $37,020, with the tenth percentile at $26,900 and the ninetieth at $78,900. Top earners locally clear twice the median, so the ceiling is real, though it belongs to stylists with an established book rather than to new graduates. Local concentration around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits near the national average.
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#8
Chester Career College
Chester, VA
63%
Share of students who finish
- $36,500 program cost
What the record shows
Chester Career College teaches cosmetology in Chester, with its results published federally. Of 79 enrolled in the fall count, 63 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $36,500 for the full program. $36,500 is roughly 2.7 times the $13,600 median, for a completion rate within 2 points of the 61 percent median, which is a premium with nothing on this record to justify it. Look this school up on the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here.
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#9
Paul Mitchell the School-Roanoke
Roanoke, VA · Licensed school
59%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Renews 2027-04
- $14,000 program cost
What the record shows
Paul Mitchell the School-Roanoke operates in Roanoke under license from the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. 59 percent of students see the course through, out of 169 enrolled. It charges $14,000 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. 61 graduates borrowed, at a median of $12,500 in federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $133 a month. It is close to the median school on this page on completion, price and borrowing, 59 percent against 61 and $14,000 against $13,600, 89 percent of the price borrowed against 89 for the page, which is neither a warning nor a recommendation: the choice comes down to the visit and the board file. 41 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 169 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Its board record is license 1205001531, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
undefined Local pay is compressed near the bottom, so the first years look much like the middle and progression comes from clientele rather than from a job title.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#10
Sylvain Melloul International Hair Academy
Lynchburg, VA
50%
Share of students who finish
- 60 graduates a year
- $10,259 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Lynchburg, Sylvain Melloul International Hair Academy is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 50 percent of the 175 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $10,259 for the full program. Borrowing here runs to a median of $9,732 in federal loans, measured over 88 graduates. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $103 a month. $10,259 is 25 percent under the $13,600 median, and 11 points fewer finish than the 61 percent median. The saving only counts if you are one of the ones who gets through. It awarded 60 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 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
Half of skincare specialists in Virginia earn under $39,350, with the tenth percentile at $31,530 and the ninetieth at $67,520. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. An ordinary shape: the top tenth at 1.7 times the median and a floor 20 percent below it, so a good first year and a good tenth year here are separated by a client book rather than by a cliff. Local concentration in Virginia sits near the national average.
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#11
Empire Beauty School-Newport News
Newport News, VA · Licensed school
50%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-02
- $13,600 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Newport News operates in Newport News under license from the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. With 5 licensed schools in Newport News, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 50 percent of its students finish, out of 92 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $13,600 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The federal file reports borrowing for Empire Beauty campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $12,090 in federal loans across 987 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $128 a month. The price is close to the $13,600 median and the completion is not: 50 percent against 61. 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 26 beauty credentials in the reporting year. From 92 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. License 1205001611 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
undefined Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. The metro median runs about 13 percent below the Virginia figure.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#12
Wytheville Community College
Wytheville, VA
47%
Share of students who finish
- Public institution
What the record shows
Wytheville Community College teaches cosmetology in Wytheville, with its results published federally. Across all 1,255 students at the college, 47 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. That 47 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. It is a public college, so the cosmetology course is priced at in-district tuition rather than at an academy price. Look this school up on the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology register by its legal name before you pay, because that entry and not this one is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for skincare specialists in Virginia runs from $31,530 at the tenth percentile to $67,520 at the ninetieth, with a median of $39,350. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. A 2.1-to-one spread from bottom to top is ordinary for skincare specialists, and here as everywhere the top belongs to a client book. On concentration, Virginia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
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#13
Empire Beauty School-Midlothian
Midlothian, VA · Licensed school
44%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Renews 2026-12
- $13,600 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Midlothian trains in Midlothian, licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. The board lists no other licensed school in Midlothian. 44 percent of its students finish, out of 125 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $13,600 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Empire Beauty campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $12,090 in federal loans at the median over 987 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $128 a month. 17 points fewer of its students finish than the 61 percent median, priced exactly at the $13,600 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. 29 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. From 125 enrolled that is slow throughput for a clock-hour course, and it belongs beside the completion figure above. Its board record is license 1205001290, and that entry is the one that counts your hours.
Where it leads
For skincare specialists in Virginia, the range runs $31,530 to $67,520 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $39,350. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. Neither end of this market is extreme: the top tenth earns about 1.7 times the median and the floor sits 20 percent under it, which makes the first year a budget question rather than a survival one. On concentration, Virginia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#14
Southside Virginia Community College
Alberta, VA · Licensed school
42%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2027-06
What the record shows
Based in Alberta, Southside Virginia Community College is on the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology. 42 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,807 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 42 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. It is a public college, so the cosmetology course is priced at in-district tuition rather than at an academy price. License 1205001374 is the board's entry for it, and that is the record to confirm is still current before a deposit.
Where it leads
In Virginia, the median skincare specialist earns $39,350, the bottom tenth $31,530 and the top tenth $67,520. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. Virginia employs skincare specialists at close to the national rate, around 1,970 people.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#15
Empire Beauty School-Richmond
Richmond, VA · Licensed school
39%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Nail technology
- Renews 2026-12
- $13,600 program cost
What the record shows
Based in Richmond, Empire Beauty School-Richmond is on the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology register. Its license covers cosmetology and nail technology. With 7 licensed schools in Richmond, this one is competing for students rather than the only option. 39 percent of its students finish, out of 77 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $13,600 for the full program. Empire Beauty campuses share a debt figure in the federal file, $12,090 in federal loans at the median over 987 borrowers, so read it as the chain's number rather than this floor's. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $128 a month. 22 points fewer of its students finish than the 61 percent median, priced exactly at the $13,600 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. 27 students completed a credential here in the reporting year. The board files it under license 1205001291; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
Pay for skincare specialists around Richmond runs from $30,470 at the tenth percentile to $67,520 at the ninetieth, with a median of $35,370. Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. The metro median runs about 10 percent below the Virginia figure. Entry and median pay nearly meet locally. The money comes later and it comes from repeat clients. The occupation is about as common around Richmond as it is nationally.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
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#16
Empire Beauty School-Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA · Licensed school
37%
Share of students who finish
- Cosmetology
- Renews 2026-12
- $13,600 program cost
What the record shows
Empire Beauty School-Virginia Beach operates in Virginia Beach under license from the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. The board licenses it to train toward cosmetology. Virginia Beach has 5 licensed schools, so there is a real choice locally. 37 percent of its students finish, out of 163 enrolled in the fall count. It charges $13,600 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. The federal file reports borrowing for Empire Beauty campuses together rather than for this one: a median of $13,583 in federal loans across 802 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $144 a month. The price is close to the $13,600 median and the completion is not: 37 percent against 61. 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 69 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The board files it under license 1205001446; that record, not this one, is what makes your hours count.
Where it leads
undefined Skincare specialists are the nearest series BLS carries to cosmetologists here. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk employs skincare specialists at about 1.5 times the national rate, so the local market is thicker than average.
Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), read 2026-08-31.
- Another Level Barbering and Cosm... 100% 100%
- The Esthetic Institute 88% 88%
- The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics 81% 81%
- Columbia College 80% 80%
- Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mit... 73% 73%
- Jazz Barber and Hairstyling Acad... 67% 67%
- Eastern Virginia Career College 66% 66%
- Chester Career College 63% 63%
- Paul Mitchell the School-Roanoke 59% 59%
- Sylvain Melloul International Ha... 50% 50%
Which other cosmetology schools in Virginia are state licensed?
These Virginia cosmetology schools hold a current license from Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) 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 Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alana's Hair and Cosmetology Institute | Abingdon | No. 1205001594 · to 2026-08 | cosmetology |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Alberta | No. 1205001691 · to 2028-02 | cosmetology |
| Beatriz International Hair Salon and Bea | Alexandria | No. 1205001405 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology |
| Jolimia Beauty Academy LLC | Alexandria | No. 1205001739 · to 2028-04 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Megastyle Beauty Academy | Alexandria | No. 1205001702 · to 2027-05 | cosmetology |
| Melanie Beauty Academy INC | Alexandria | No. 1205001488 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology |
| Skyline Beauty Academy | Alexandria | No. 1205001586 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Spectrum Beauty Academy LLC | Alexandria | No. 1205001204 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Topcurl Beauty Academy LLC | Alexandria | No. 1205001694 · to 2026-11 | cosmetology |
| Cosmopolitan Beauty & Tech School | Annandale | No. 1205001228 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Le Arai Beauty and Barber Academy | Annandale | No. 1205001255 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Springfield Beauty Academy | Annandale | No. 1205001560 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Victor Beauty Academy | Annandale | No. 1205000740 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Ai-Lien International Beauty Academy | Arlington | No. 1205001013 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Anna Beauty Academy | Arlington | No. 1205001241 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Arlington Education Center | Arlington | No. 1205001313 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Arlingto | Arlington | No. 1205001626 · to 2026-09 | cosmetology |
| Hair Fashions Salon & Beauty Academy | Aylett | No. 1205001226 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology |
| Salon Central LLC | Aylett | No. 1205001714 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology |
| Lady Project Salon & Academy | Bluefield | No. 1205001642 · to 2027-03 | cosmetology |
| Crown Cutz Academy Bristol | Bristol | No. 1205000974 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Exalt Academy of Cosmetology | Bristol | No. 1205001384 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Cana Va Beauty College & Beauty Salon | Cana | No. 1205001136 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Flawless Styles Academy | Carrollton | No. 1205001413 · to 2026-12 | cosmetology, nail-technology |
| Glow Academy of Cosmetology INC | Castlewood | No. 1205001686 · to 2027-12 | cosmetology |
Showing 25 of the 120 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) .
How do you become a cosmetologist in Virginia in 2026?
To become a cosmetologist in Virginia you need 1,000 clock hours at a school licensed by Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 7.7 months full time. No state sets a lower bar. Virginia sits at the floor of a range that runs to 2,000 hours elsewhere, so the same license costs twice the time in some states.
The count is only good if the school was licensed by Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) throughout, so the license is worth confirming before you enroll.
How much do cosmetologists make in Virginia in 2026?
Cosmetologists in Virginia are not separately costed by BLS , which publishes the related beauty licenses for this state instead. They pay differently from each other, and you pick the license before you start the hours.
- Nail technicians $36,630 $36,630
- Salon managers $48,990 $48,990
- Estheticians $39,350 $39,350
- Barbers $46,730 $46,730
What is different about cosmetology licensing in Virginia?
Virginia licenses schools by DELIVERY MODE, not just by discipline: the roster shows each school's approved program types as either "Cosmetology School Classroom Program" or "Cosmetology Hybrid Program," so a state-issued license record tells you outright which schools may teach theory online (20 hold a cosmetology hybrid credential, plus 45 holding the legacy 1000-hour hybrid program). At 1,000 clock hours Virginia is also among the lowest-hour cosmetology states in the country, and it cut barbering from 1,100 to 750 hours effective December 1, 2025. Read Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR)'s own rules .
Where do cosmetologists make the most money in Virginia?
Cosmetologists make the most money in Virginia around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, where the median is $37,020, and the least around Harrisonburg at $27,730. That is a 34 percent gap inside one state, which is wider than the gap between many states and worth more than most differences between schools.
These are metro figures; BLS suppresses the statewide wage for this occupation in Virginia.
- Washington-Arlington-Alexa... $37,020 $37,020
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-... $29,700 $29,700
- Kingsport-Bristol $28,820 $28,820
- Charlottesville $28,720 $28,720
- Roanoke $27,750 $27,750
- Harrisonburg $27,730 $27,730
Where are the cosmetology schools in Virginia?
The licensed cosmetology schools in Virginia cluster hardest in Alexandria, which holds 7 of the 136 the board currently lists. That is only 5 percent of the state total, so schools are spread more evenly here than in states with a single dominant city.
35 towns have exactly one licensed school, which is worth knowing if you cannot easily move: losing that school means losing the option locally.
- Alexandria 7 7
- Norfolk 7 7
- Richmond 7 7
- Vienna 6 6
- Manassas 5 5
- Newport News 5 5
- Sterling 5 5
- Virginia Beach 5 5
- Annandale 4 4
- Arlington 4 4
Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech in Virginia?
In Virginia, salon managers are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $48,990 median. BLS suppresses the cosmetologist wage in Virginia, so these are the occupations it does publish.
A narrower license limits what you can charge for, and that ceiling matters more over a career than the opening figure does.
| Occupation | Median pay | Employed in state |
|---|---|---|
| Salon managers | $48,990 | 2,950 |
| Barbers | $46,730 | 160 |
| Estheticians | $39,350 | 1,970 |
| Nail technicians | $36,630 | 4,230 |
Can you use a cosmetology license from another state in Virginia?
Using a cosmetology license from another state in Virginia means satisfying Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other South states, Virginia is it asks 463 fewer hours than the regional average of 1,463.
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.
| State | Hours required | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia (this state) | 1,000 | |
| District of Columbia | 1,250 | $54,570 |
| North Carolina | 1,500 | $38,410 |
| Maryland | 1,500 | $36,420 |
| Georgia | 1,500 | $34,560 |
| West Virginia | 2,000 | $34,480 |
| Delaware | $34,350 | |
| South Carolina | 1,500 | $33,700 |
| Tennessee | 1,500 | $31,310 |
| Texas | 1,000 | $30,680 |
| Kentucky | 1,500 | $29,840 |
| Oklahoma | 1,500 | $29,650 |
| Florida | 1,200 | $29,530 |
| Alabama | 1,500 | $29,150 |
| Arkansas | 1,500 | $28,830 |
| Mississippi | 1,500 | $27,560 |
| Louisiana | 1,500 | $26,030 |
What does this Virginia cosmetology program ranking not tell you?
This Virginia 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 Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) for the license itself.
Common questions about cosmetology programs in Virginia
What makes the best cosmetology programs in Virginia rank highly here?
How many cosmetology programs in Virginia hold a current license?
Should you choose a NACCAS-accredited school in Virginia?
How much does cosmetology school cost in Virginia?
Are the best cosmetology programs in Virginia accredited?
Where does this Virginia cosmetology program data come from?
This Virginia cosmetology program data comes from Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), 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. Virginia licenses schools by DELIVERY MODE, not just by discipline: the roster shows each school's approved program types as either "Cosmetology School Classroom Program" or "Cosmetology Hybrid Program," so a state-issued license record tells you outright which schools may teach theory online (20 hold a cosmetology hybrid credential, plus 45 holding the legacy 1000-hour hybrid program). At 1,000 clock hours Virginia is also among the lowest-hour cosmetology states in the country, and it cut barbering from 1,100 to 750 hours effective December 1, 2025.
Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR)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
On this page
- Other licensed schools
- How to become one
- What it pays
- What is different in Virginia
- Where do cosmetologists make the most money
- Where are the cosmetology schools
- Is it better to be a cosmetologist, esthetician or nail tech
- Can you use a cosmetology license from another state
- What this does not tell you
- Common questions
- Sources