2023 Best Cosmetology Schools
Finding the Best Cosmetology School for You
In 2020-2021, 107,895 people earned a degree or certificate in cosmetology, making the major the #229 most popular in the United States.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Cosmetology Schools ranking. This report analyzed 1,002 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Best Cosmetology Colleges.
Top 25 Top Schools in Cosmetology
Our 2023 rankings named Medspa Academies the best school in the United States for cosmetology students. National Institute of Medical Aesthetics is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of South Jordan.
Cosmetology majors at National Institute of Medical Aesthetics take out an average of $12,125 in student loans while working on their egree.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Schools list. University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology take out is $10,542.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lia Schorr Institute of Cosmetic Skin Care Training. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Schools list. Located in the city of New York, Lia Schorr Institute of Cosmetic Skin Care Training is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from Lia Schorr Institute of Cosmetic Skin Care Training carry an average student debtload of $6,333.
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Out of the 1,002 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc landed the # 4 spot on the list. SFIEC is a small private for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco.
After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from SFIEC carry an average student debtload of $10,556. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $95.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Schools list. Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Henrico.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics take out is $8,218.
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Gary Manuel Aveda Institute landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. GMAI is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Seattle.
After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from GMAI carry an average student debtload of $10,429.
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New York Institute of Beauty landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the suburb of Islandia, New York Institute of Beauty is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, cosmetology graduates from New York Institute of Beauty take out $6,333 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Paroba College of Cosmetology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools list. Paroba College of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Everett.
While working on their degree, cosmetology majors at Paroba College of Cosmetology accumulate an average of around $8,833 in student debt.
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J D Academy of Salon and Spa did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Danville, J D Academy of Salon and Spa is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from J D Academy of Salon and Spa carry an average student debtload of $6,211. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $70, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Everett, Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
While working on their degree, cosmetology majors at Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett accumulate an average of around $10,556 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $74.
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Hastings Beauty School came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Schools ranking. Located in the fringe town of Hastings, Hastings Beauty School is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Hastings Beauty School take out is $10,846.
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Dermal Science International Aesthetics and Nail Academy came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Schools ranking. Located in the small city of Reston, DSI Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
While working on their degree, cosmetology majors at DSI Academy accumulate an average of around $11,200 in student debt.
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The Hair Academy landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the small city of Bismarck, The Hair Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
On average, cosmetology graduates from The Hair Academy take out $14,067 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics ranked #14 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools list. Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Woburn.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics take out is $7,625.
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With a ranking of #15, The Institute of Beauty and Wellness did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the city of Milwaukee, The Institute of Beauty and Wellness is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Cosmetology majors at The Institute of Beauty and Wellness take out an average of $10,961 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $75, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in the suburb of Medford, Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy take out is $6,333.
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With a ranking of #17, O’Briens Aveda Institute did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the midsize suburb of Williston, O'Briens Aveda Institute is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from O'Briens Aveda Institute carry an average student debtload of $9,833.
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With a ranking of #18, Academy for Salon Professionals did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the large city of Northridge, Academy for Salon Professionals is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Cosmetology majors at Academy for Salon Professionals take out an average of $8,913 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the large city of New York, Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
On average, cosmetology graduates from Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics take out $6,333 in student loans while working on their degree.
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New York School of Esthetics & Day Spa did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #20 on the list. New York School of Esthetics & Day Spa is a small private for-profit school located in the city of white plains.
The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at New York School of Esthetics & Day Spa take out is $6,333.
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The Salon Professional Academy - Fargo landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the city of Fargo, TSPA - Fargo is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, cosmetology majors at TSPA - Fargo accumulate an average of around $12,000 in student debt.
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Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Schools ranking. Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Omaha.
On average, cosmetology graduates from Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics take out $9,500 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $72, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #24, Aveda Institute - Denver did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the city of Denver, Aveda Institute - Denver is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
On average, cosmetology graduates from Aveda Institute - Denver take out $12,000 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $80.
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With a ranking of #25, Universal Spa Training Academy did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the suburb of Downers Grove, Universal Spa Training Academy is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
On average, cosmetology graduates from Universal Spa Training Academy take out $7,917 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Additional Award Winners
This section represents the rest of the colleges awarded a Best Cosmetology Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 1002 different United States cosmetology schools we analyzed.
Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Cosmetology Schools award.
Cosmetology by Region
View the Best Cosmetology Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Cosmetology Rankings
Rankings in Majors Related to Cosmetology
One of 4 majors within the area of study, cosmetology has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Cosmetology
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Culinary Arts | 19,806 |
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 2,354 |
| Casino Operations and Services | 192 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 81 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Tiffany Bumgardner.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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