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Best Schools for Cosmetology in 2026

1095 schools ranked by TSW Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Cosmetology, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Cosmetology graduate earns $17,290/yr across 1095 schools.

Programs Ranked
1095
Avg Earnings
$17,290/yr
Avg TSW Score
43/100
AI-Proof Rating
Resilient
28% task exposure

All Cosmetology Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

# School TSW Score Earnings ROI
1 Florida State College at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL · Cosmetology 		64
61–64 		$29,668/yr 75.0x
2 Saint Paul College
Saint Paul, MN · Cosmetology 		59
57–59 		$32,987/yr 34.0x
3 Gaston College
Dallas, NC · Cosmetology 		60
57–60 		$27,008/yr 83.8x
4 Waukesha County Technical College
Pewaukee, WI · Cosmetology 		55
53–56 		$27,049/yr 56.3x
5 San Jose City College
San Jose, CA · Cosmetology 		62
58–62 		$23,253/yr 169.2x
6 Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL · Cosmetology 		60
55–61 		$24,361/yr 114.0x
7 Pensacola State College
Pensacola, FL · Cosmetology 		59
56–59 		$23,911/yr 96.5x
8 Olney Central College
Olney, IL · Cosmetology 		52
50–53 		$24,120/yr 53.9x
9 Central Carolina Community College
Sanford, NC · Cosmetology 		59
56–59 		$24,101/yr 100.2x
10 Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, NC · Cosmetology 		60
56–61 		$23,286/yr 124.9x
11 Chippewa Valley Technical College
Eau Claire, WI · Cosmetology 		53
49–54 		$23,405/yr 61.2x
12 Lanier Technical College
Gainesville, GA · Cosmetology 		55
51–56 		$22,686/yr 74.3x
13 Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, NC · Cosmetology 		60
56–60 		$22,578/yr 128.4x
14 Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee, WI · Cosmetology 		52
48–52 		$23,198/yr 54.7x
15 The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
Fargo, ND · Cosmetology 		50
46–51 		$29,330/yr —
16 The Hair Academy
Bismarck, ND · Cosmetology 		50
46–51 		$29,327/yr —
17 The Esthetic Institute
Vienna, VA · Cosmetology 		50
46–51 		$29,301/yr —
18 Daytona State College
Daytona Beach, FL · Cosmetology 		53
50–54 		$20,212/yr 71.2x
19 South Georgia Technical College
Americus, GA · Cosmetology 		50
48–51 		$20,501/yr 53.2x
20 Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Valdosta, GA · Cosmetology 		51
49–52 		$19,659/yr 57.7x
21 Johnson County Community College
Overland Park, KS · Cosmetology 		59
54–60 		$21,250/yr 134.2x
22 Kansas City Kansas Community College
Kansas City, KS · Cosmetology 		53
51–53 		$21,091/yr 66.0x
23 Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Fergus Falls, MN · Cosmetology 		49
47–49 		$24,367/yr 40.3x
24 Summit Salon Academy Kansas City
Independence, MO · Cosmetology 		49
45–49 		$27,878/yr —
25 Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Grand Forks, ND · Cosmetology 		49
46–50 		$28,331/yr —
26 Navarro College
Corsicana, TX · Cosmetology 		56
51–57 		$20,857/yr 88.7x
27 Madison Area Technical College
Madison, WI · Cosmetology 		49
47–49 		$22,152/yr 45.3x
28 Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Fargo, ND · Cosmetology 		49
46–50 		$28,331/yr —
29 Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA · Cosmetology 		58
55–59 		$18,184/yr 140.2x
30 Pickens Technical College
Aurora, CO · Cosmetology 		50
48–50 		$22,997/yr 43.0x
31 Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL · Cosmetology 		54
49–54 		$18,411/yr 80.1x
32 Atlanta Technical College
Atlanta, GA · Cosmetology 		52
47–52 		$17,157/yr 68.0x
33 Columbus Technical College
Columbus, GA · Cosmetology 		57
49–57 		$19,094/yr 101.0x
34 Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, GA · Cosmetology 		55
47–56 		$18,291/yr 87.5x
35 Savannah Technical College
Savannah, GA · Cosmetology 		51
49–52 		$19,242/yr 50.6x
36 Garden City Community College
Garden City, KS · Cosmetology 		49
47–49 		$18,724/yr 51.4x
37 Hutchinson Community College
Hutchinson, KS · Cosmetology 		48
46–48 		$17,437/yr 50.0x
38 Ridgewater College
Willmar, MN · Cosmetology 		49
44–49 		$21,574/yr 45.4x
39 Meridian Community College
Meridian, MS · Cosmetology 		48
45–49 		$17,559/yr 51.4x
40 Northwest Mississippi Community College
Senatobia, MS · Cosmetology 		52
46–53 		$17,660/yr 68.4x
41 Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville, NC · Cosmetology 		56
53–56 		$19,024/yr 85.1x
42 Guilford Technical Community College
Jamestown, NC · Cosmetology 		54
50–54 		$17,193/yr 84.2x
43 Summit Salon Academy-Portland
Tigard, OR · Cosmetology 		48
45–49 		$27,110/yr —
44 Grayson College
Denison, TX · Cosmetology 		51
49–52 		$18,598/yr 62.9x
45 College of the Mainland
Texas City, TX · Cosmetology 		56
54–57 		$18,495/yr 103.3x
46 Lone Star College System
The Woodlands, TX · Cosmetology 		54
49–55 		$18,887/yr 80.9x
47 Wharton County Junior College
Wharton, TX · Cosmetology 		56
50–57 		$19,087/yr 93.8x
48 Northwood Technical College
Rice Lake, WI · Cosmetology 		51
44–51 		$18,294/yr 59.4x
49 Ogeechee Technical College
Statesboro, GA · Cosmetology 		55
47–56 		$17,660/yr 101.6x
50 Southwest Institute of Healing Arts
Tempe, AZ · Cosmetology 		48
44–48 		$26,795/yr —

Methodology

Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (projected earnings vs. program tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Cosmetology?
Based on our TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Florida State College at Jacksonville ranks #1 for Cosmetology with a score of 64/100 and graduate earnings of $29,668/yr.
How much do Cosmetology graduates earn?
Across 1095 schools, Cosmetology graduates earn an average of $17,290/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $32,987/yr.
Is Cosmetology an AI-proof career?
Cosmetology has an average AI task exposure of 28%, rated "Resilient". This trade is resilient to AI disruption — most tasks require physical presence and human judgment.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.