Best cosmetology programs in West Virginia 2026

• #1

  Huntington School of Beauty Culture

  Huntington, WV · Licensed school

  100%

  Share of students who finish

  • $14,400 program cost

  What the record shows

  Huntington School of Beauty Culture is licensed by the state board and trains in Huntington. The school graduates 100 percent, on a fall headcount of 111. Tuition is reported at $14,400 for the full program. That puts it in the rare corner of this table: 27 points more of its students finish than the 73 percent private-school median, and it charges 20 percent less than the $18,000 private-school median to do it. The page median is set by public technology centers, so that comparison is against the other private schools here. It awarded 53 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 12 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. The license from the state board is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.

  Where it leads

  undefined

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #2

  Fred W Eberle Technical Center

  Buckhannon, WV · Licensed school

  98%

  Share of students who finish

  • $10,800 program cost

  What the record shows

  Fred W Eberle Technical Center is licensed by the state board and trains in Buckhannon. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Buckhannon. 98 percent of students across the center finish, out of 109 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. At 98 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 $10,800. That price is 14 percent under the $12,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like. It awarded 26 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.

  Where it leads

  For cosmetologists in West Virginia, the range runs $23,580 to $60,300 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,480. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. On concentration, West Virginia is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #3

  Carver Career Center

  Charleston, WV

  92%

  Share of students who finish

  • Public institution
  • 58 graduates a year
  • $7,950 program cost

  What the record shows

  Carver Career Center teaches cosmetology in Charleston, with its results published federally. 92 percent of students across the center finish, out of 169 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That completion rate is 13 points above the 79 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 $7,950. That price is 36 percent under the $12,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like. It awarded 58 beauty credentials in the reporting year. That is roughly 13 percent of everything awarded by federally reporting beauty programs in the state, so it is one of the larger training operations here. Look this school up on the state board 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 The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for.

  Source: US Department of Education, College Scorecard.

• #4

  International Beauty School

  Martinsburg, WV

  83%

  Share of students who finish

  • 83% finish
  • 89 graduates a year
  • $25,000 program cost

  What the record shows

  Based in Martinsburg, International Beauty School is one of the cosmetology programs the federal government tracks. 83 percent of students see the course through, out of 86 enrolled. It charges $25,000 for the full program, which for a clock-hour course is the whole price rather than a yearly one. Graduates who borrowed took on $6,333 in federal loans at the median, 90 of them. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. Paying 39 percent over the $18,000 private-school median buys 10 points of completion over the 73 percent private-school median, and whether that is worth it depends on how sure you are of finishing anywhere. 89 credentials in the year from a fall count of 86: the program cycles more than once a year, so the two figures are different populations rather than a contradiction. Its hours count only under a current entry with the state board, so search that register by the school's legal name before any deposit.

  Where it leads

  Around Hagerstown-Martinsburg, the median cosmetologist earns $32,710, the bottom tenth $31,200 and the top tenth $39,520. There is little distance between entry pay and the median locally, so the early climb is flatter than in most trades. Hagerstown-Martinsburg carries roughly 4.3 times the national concentration of this work, among the denser markets in the country.

  Source: US Department of Education, College Scorecard.

• #5

  Academy of Careers and Technology

  Beckley, WV · Licensed school

  81%

  Share of students who finish

  • $12,500 program cost

  What the record shows

  Academy of Careers and Technology is licensed by the state board and trains in Beckley. The board lists no other licensed school in Beckley. Across all 168 students at the school, 81 percent finish, which covers cosmetology along with everything else it teaches. Read that 81 percent as the school's rate, not the cosmetology floor's, so it neither ranks this program up nor down. Tuition is reported at $12,500. It awarded 25 beauty credentials in the reporting year. Ask the state board 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

  Pay for cosmetologists around Beckley runs from $22,630 at the tenth percentile to $57,030 at the ninetieth, with a median of $28,610. The metro median runs about 17 percent below the West Virginia figure. The local occupation is small in absolute terms, which tends to mean hiring runs through personal contacts. On concentration, Beckley is unremarkable, tracking the national rate closely.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #6

  Mercer County Technical Education Center

  Princeton, WV · Licensed school

  79%

  Share of students who finish

  • $5,814 program cost

  What the record shows

  Mercer County Technical Education Center trains in Princeton, licensed by the state board. 79 percent of students across the center finish, out of 120 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 79 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 $5,814. That price is 53 percent under the $12,500 median, which is what public pricing looks like and the reason it is a fraction of the academies here. A program that awarded 7 credentials all year may not run every term, which is the first thing to confirm. Ask the state board 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

  In West Virginia, the median cosmetologist earns $34,480, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $60,300.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #7

  Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage Therapy

  Clarksburg, WV · Licensed school

  73%

  Share of students who finish

  • $18,000 program cost

  What the record shows

  Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage Therapy operates in Clarksburg under license from the state board. Of 47 enrolled in the fall count, 73 percent finish. Tuition is reported at $18,000 for the full program. Completion and price both sit near the page's middle, 73 percent, exactly the median and $18,000, exactly the median. Nothing federal separates it, so the clinic floor and the board file will. It awarded 33 beauty credentials in the reporting year. The license from the state board is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.

  Where it leads

  In West Virginia, the median cosmetologist earns $34,480, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $60,300. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. Local concentration in West Virginia sits near the national average.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #8

  Morgantown Beauty College Inc

  Morgantown, WV · Licensed school

  72%

  Share of students who finish

  • $21,025 program cost

  What the record shows

  Morgantown Beauty College Inc trains in Morgantown, licensed by the state board. 72 percent of the 68 students it enrolls finish. The published cost is $21,025 for the full program. $21,025 is 17 percent over the $18,000 private-school median, for a completion rate within 1 points of the 73 percent private-school median, which is a premium with nothing on this record to justify it. It awarded 66 beauty credentials 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 state board before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.

  Where it leads

  undefined It is a small occupational market locally, so openings are fewer and word of mouth carries more weight than a resume. Morgantown employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 150 people.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #9

  Charleston School of Beauty Culture

  Charleston, WV · Licensed school

  70%

  Share of students who finish

  • $9,000 program cost

  What the record shows

  Charleston School of Beauty Culture operates in Charleston under license from the state board. 70 percent of its students finish, out of 46 enrolled in the fall count. Tuition is reported at $9,000 for the full program. The median graduate left with $6,333 in federal loans, across 59 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $67 a month. It charges 50 percent less than the $18,000 private-school median and finishes about as many of its students as the typical private school here, so the saving is real rather than a discount for worse odds. 43 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. Verify the school's standing with the state board before any deposit changes hands, since that record and not this one governs your hours.

  Where it leads

  In West Virginia, the median cosmetologist earns $34,480, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $60,300. The bottom of this market sits well below its middle, so the first year is likely to be lean and worth planning for. West Virginia employs the trade at close to the national rate, around 1,020 people.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #10

  New River Community and Technical College

  Beaver, WV · Licensed school

  36%

  Share of students who finish

  What the record shows

  New River Community and Technical College operates in Beaver under license from the state board. It is the only licensed school the board lists in Beaver. 36 percent of students across the college finish, out of 770 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. Most of the students behind that 36 percent are in other programs, so ask the cosmetology department for its own figure rather than reading this one as the program's. The median graduate left with $5,723 in federal loans, across 20 borrowers. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $61 a month. Its 30 completions a year make cosmetology a small program inside a college of 770. The license from the state board is the thing to verify before you pay, since that is what decides whether these hours count toward your exam.

  Where it leads

  For cosmetologists in West Virginia, the range runs $23,580 to $60,300 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles, with a median of $34,480. There is a real gap between entry pay and the median here, which is the part of the trade that surprises people who costed only the tuition. The occupation is about as common in West Virginia as it is nationally.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

• #11

  Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College

  Logan, WV · Licensed school

  29%

  Share of students who finish

  What the record shows

  Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College operates in Mount Gay under license from the state board. The board lists no other licensed school in Mount Gay. 29 percent of students across the college finish, out of 1,064 enrolled, and cosmetology is one of the programs inside that figure. That 29 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. The award here is an associate degree rather than the certificate most cosmetology programs issue, so the hours come with transferable college credit attached. Check its license with the state board before enrolling, because that record and not this card is what makes your clock hours count.

  Where it leads

  In West Virginia, the median cosmetologist earns $34,480, the bottom tenth $23,580 and the top tenth $60,300. Early pay across the state runs well under the median, so budget for a slow first year rather than the headline figure. Local concentration in West Virginia sits near the national average.

  Sources: US Department of Education, College Scorecard; West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, read 2026-08-31.

Which other cosmetology schools in West Virginia are state licensed?

These West Virginia cosmetology schools hold a current license from West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists 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 West 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.

Showing 25 of the 27 remaining licensed schools, ordered by city. The full file is with West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists .

How do you become a cosmetologist in West Virginia in 2026?

To become a cosmetologist in West Virginia you need 2,000 clock hours at a school licensed by West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, then a passing score on the state exam. At the pace most clock-hour schools run, that is roughly 15.4 months full time. That is the longest requirement of any state here. The shortest ask 1,000 hours for the same license, so training in West Virginia is close to twice the commitment.

A cosmetology program whose school lost its license mid-course takes your hours with it, which is the argument for checking West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists first.

How much do cosmetologists make in West Virginia in 2026?

Cosmetologists in West Virginia earn a median of $34,480 , with the bottom tenth on $23,580 and the top tenth on $60,300 . 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 West Virginia?

West Virginia is the clearest split-regulator state of the five: the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists licenses PEOPLE but does not license schools at all. W. Va. Code 30-27-8 requires graduation from "a licensed school which has been approved by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education (CCTCE), Department of Education in conjunction with CCTCE or Department of Education with the Department of Corrections" - a three-way split of school-approval authority by school type (proprietary, public career-technical, corrections). The board's own school-licensing rule, 3 CSR 3, was REPEALED in 2017, confirming the function moved away. At 2,000 clock hours for cosmetology it is also tied for the highest requirement in the nation, double Virginia's next door. Read West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists's own rules .

Where do cosmetologists make the most money in West Virginia?

Cosmetologists make the most money in West Virginia around Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, where the median is $37,020, and the least around Beckley at $28,610. A 29 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 $34,480, so the metros above it are carrying the average up.

Where are the cosmetology schools in West Virginia?

The licensed cosmetology schools in West Virginia cluster hardest in Charleston, which holds 2 of the 38 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.

24 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 West Virginia?

In West Virginia, nail technicians are the best paid of the beauty licenses at a $38,260 median. That is above the $34,480 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 West Virginia?

Using a cosmetology license from another state in West Virginia means satisfying West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, which decides case by case, and the number it weighs is hours. Against the other South states, West Virginia is it asks 603 more hours than the regional average of 1,397, and it pays about 5 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.

What does this West Virginia cosmetology program ranking not tell you?

This West 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 West Virginia State Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists for the license itself.

Common questions about cosmetology programs in West Virginia