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Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina

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2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina

30 Colleges
$16,451 Avg Salary
$13,152 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Cosmetology School for You

In 2020-2021, 193 degrees and certificates were awarded to cosmetology students who went to a North Carolina college or university. This makes it the #108 most popular major in the state.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. 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 help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 30 schools in North Carolina to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina

The following schools top our list of the Best Cosmetology Colleges.

Top 10 Best Cosmetology Schools

Our analysis found Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh to be the best school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a degree in North Carolina. Located in the city of Raleigh, Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

On average, cosmetology graduates from Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh take out $16,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh

#2

Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC

Out of the 30 schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill landed the # 2 spot on the list. Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Chapel Hill.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill take out is $11,667. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $126.

Read More…

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Elevate Salon Institute - Durham is a great place for cosmetology students. Elevate Salon Institute - Durham is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Durham.

Cosmetology majors at Elevate Salon Institute - Durham take out an average of $10,141 in student loans while working on their egree.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Mitchell’s Academy - Raleigh. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the midsize city of Raleigh, Mitchell's Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Cosmetology majors at Mitchell's Academy take out an average of $6,612 in student loans while working on their egree.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the large suburb of Mooresville, Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology take out is $16,500.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology

Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the city of Greenville, Alexander Paul Institute is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Cosmetology majors at Alexander Paul Institute take out an average of $9,027 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Cosmetology at Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design Report

Mitchell’s Academy - Wilson ranked #7 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the town of Wilson, Mitchell's Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Cosmetology majors at Mitchell's Academy take out an average of $6,612 in student loans while working on their egree.

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Empire Beauty School-Pineville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina list. Empire Beauty School-Pineville is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Charlotte.

After completing their degree, cosmetology graduates from Empire Beauty School-Pineville carry an average student debtload of $14,561. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $73, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Pineville Report

Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in the city of Greensboro, Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Cosmetology majors at Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro take out an average of $14,506 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $73, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

Paul Mitchell the School Fayetteville landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Paul Mitchell the School Fayetteville is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Fayetteville.

Cosmetology majors at Paul Mitchell the School Fayetteville take out an average of $13,833 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.

Full Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Fayetteville Report

Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Cosmetology Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
South Carolina 0
Arkansas 1
Alabama 110
Mississippi 26

Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of programs to choose from.

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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