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Cosmetology Schools in California

93 schools compared · Average earnings $14,816/yr

93 California schools offer Cosmetology. Average graduate earnings run 14% below the national average — something worth factoring in alongside tuition, location, and program fit.

Schools in CA
93
Avg Grad Earnings
$14,816/yr
-14% vs. national avg
Avg Score
43/100
Top CA Cities
8
with programs

Cosmetology Training in California: What You Need to Know

Local program supply

California has 93 schools offering Cosmetology programs, concentrated in 8 cities including {'city': 'Sacramento', 'city_slug': 'sacramento', 'count': 5, 'avg_earn': 17087.0}, {'city': 'San Diego', 'city_slug': 'san-diego', 'count': 4, 'avg_earn': 13298.0}, {'city': 'Garden Grove', 'city_slug': 'garden-grove', 'count': 4, 'avg_earn': 11249.0}. Most students attend within 60 miles of home — local choice matters more than national rankings.

Earnings vs. national

Cosmetology graduates in California earn approximately $14,816/year on average, which is -14% below the national average for this trade. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

California-specific licensing

Most skilled trades require a state-issued license or certification before you can work independently. Requirements vary substantially by state. Verify California-specific licensing through the relevant state board (Department of Labor, Contractors Board, or trade-specific licensing body). Apprenticeship hours often count toward licensure.

How California compares

Average TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Cosmetology programs in California is 43/100. Cost of living, wage levels, and program supply all vary by state — see the school list below ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines earnings, debt, and job-market demand.

Cosmetology Programs in California

All 93 California schools offering Cosmetology, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click a school to see full earnings projections and program details.

# School Score Earnings ROI
1 San Jose City College
San Jose, CA		 62 $23,253/yr 169.2x
2 Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA		 58 $18,184/yr 140.2x
3 The Salon Professional Academy-San Jose
San Jose, CA		 46 $24,660/yr —
4 San Diego City College
San Diego, CA		 56 $13,445/yr 98.7x
5 Riverside City College
Riverside, CA		 54 $13,431/yr 103.3x
6 Cerritos College
Norwalk, CA		 55 $13,133/yr 107.2x
7 Saddleback College
Mission Viejo, CA		 52 $11,257/yr 77.6x
8 MTI College
Sacramento, CA		 44 $21,371/yr —
9 Institute of Technology
Clovis, CA		 44 $21,184/yr —
10 Shasta School of Cosmetology
Redding, CA		 44 $20,144/yr —
11 California College of Barbering and Cosmetology
Stockton, CA		 44 $20,065/yr —
12 Paul Mitchell the School-Modesto
Modesto, CA		 44 $20,060/yr —
13 Hoss Lee Academy
Roseville, CA		 43 $19,797/yr —
14 Paul Mitchell the School-North Tahoe
Truckee, CA		 43 $19,523/yr —
15 San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc
San Francisco, CA		 43 $19,002/yr —
16 Moler Barber College
Oakland, CA		 43 $18,947/yr —
17 American Beauty College
West Covina, CA		 43 $18,085/yr —
18 J D Academy of Salon and Spa
Danville, CA		 43 $18,059/yr —
19 Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay
Pleasant Hill, CA		 43 $17,858/yr —
20 Bellus Academy-Poway
Poway, CA		 43 $17,745/yr —
21 Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy
Santa Fe Springs, CA		 43 $17,655/yr —
22 Cinta Aveda Institute
San Francisco, CA		 43 $17,592/yr —
23 Los Angeles College of Aesthetics
Los Angeles, CA		 43 $17,507/yr —
24 Santa Ana Beauty Academy
Santa Ana, CA		 43 $17,413/yr —
25 Palomar Institute of Cosmetology
San Marcos, CA		 42 $17,219/yr —
26 North Adrian's College of Beauty Inc
Modesto, CA		 42 $17,084/yr —
27 Federico Beauty Institute
Sacramento, CA		 42 $16,940/yr —
28 San Bernardino Beauty College
San Bernardino, CA		 42 $16,767/yr —
29 Blake Austin College
Vacaville, CA		 42 $16,650/yr —
30 Design's School of Cosmetology
Paso Robles, CA		 42 $16,533/yr —
31 Salon Success Academy-Upland
Upland, CA		 42 $16,526/yr —
32 Salon Success Academy-West Covina
West Covina, CA		 42 $16,526/yr —
33 Lytles Redwood Empire Beauty College
Santa Rosa, CA		 42 $16,502/yr —
34 Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, CA		 42 $16,464/yr —
35 Paul Mitchell the School-San Diego
San Diego, CA		 42 $16,464/yr —
36 John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College
Long Beach, CA		 42 $16,320/yr —
37 Elite Cosmetology School
PALM DESERT, CA		 42 $16,174/yr —
38 Citrus Heights Beauty College
Citrus Heights, CA		 42 $16,131/yr —
39 Career Academy of Beauty
Garden Grove, CA		 42 $15,921/yr —
40 California Beauty School
Modesto, CA		 42 $15,882/yr —
41 Waynes College of Beauty
Salinas, CA		 42 $15,728/yr —
42 Hilltop Beauty School
Daly City, CA		 42 $15,698/yr —
43 Advance Beauty Techs Academy
San Jacinto, CA		 42 $15,654/yr —
44 Milan Institute-Visalia
Visalia, CA		 42 $15,635/yr —
45 Lu Ross Academy
Ventura, CA		 42 $15,389/yr —
46 Paul Mitchell the School-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA		 42 $15,322/yr —
47 Paul Mitchell the School-Pasadena
Pasadena, CA		 42 $15,126/yr —
48 Professional Institute of Beauty
El Monte, CA		 42 $15,081/yr —
49 Bellus Academy-Chula Vista
Chula Vista, CA		 42 $14,996/yr —
50 Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville
Vacaville, CA		 42 $14,943/yr —
51 Lancaster Beauty School
Lancaster, CA		 42 $14,654/yr —
52 Paul Mitchell the School-Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks, CA		 42 $14,600/yr —
53 Salon Success Academy-Riverside
Riverside, CA		 42 $14,566/yr —
54 International School of Beauty Inc
Palm Desert, CA		 42 $14,530/yr —
55 Paul Mitchell the School-Temecula
Temecula, CA		 42 $14,507/yr —
56 Bellus Academy-El Cajon
El Cajon, CA		 41 $14,350/yr —
57 Salon Success Academy-Corona
Corona, CA		 41 $14,308/yr —
58 Salon Success Academy-Fontana
Fontana, CA		 41 $14,308/yr —
59 Salon Success Academy-Redlands
Redlands, CA		 41 $14,308/yr —
60 Coba Academy
Anaheim, CA		 41 $14,146/yr —
61 International College of Cosmetology
Oakland, CA		 41 $13,873/yr —
62 Academy for Salon Professionals
Northridge, CA		 41 $13,837/yr —
63 Hinton Barber and Beauty College
Vallejo, CA		 41 $13,620/yr —
64 My Le's Beauty College
Sacramento, CA		 41 $13,617/yr —
65 Milan Institute-Clovis
Clovis, CA		 41 $13,386/yr —
66 Milan Institute-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA		 41 $13,386/yr —
67 Milan Institute-Merced
Merced, CA		 41 $13,386/yr —
68 Adrian's Beauty College of Turlock
Turlock, CA		 41 $12,957/yr —
69 Lawrence & Company College of Cosmetology
Hanford, CA		 41 $12,869/yr —
70 Victory Career College
Carson, CA		 41 $12,775/yr —
71 Modern Beauty Academy
Oxnard, CA		 41 $12,543/yr —
72 Sierra College of Beauty
Merced, CA		 41 $12,331/yr —
73 ZMS The Academy
Los Angeles, CA		 41 $12,288/yr —
74 Associated Barber College of San Diego
San Diego, CA		 41 $12,147/yr —
75 Fredrick and Charles Beauty College
Eureka, CA		 41 $11,647/yr —
76 Coachella Valley Beauty College
La Quinta, CA		 41 $11,561/yr —
77 Coachella Valley Beauty College-Hemet
Hemet, CA		 41 $11,561/yr —
78 Lyle's College of Beauty
Bakersfield, CA		 41 $11,556/yr —
79 Urban Barber College
Concord, CA		 41 $11,292/yr —
80 California Barber and Beauty College
San Diego, CA		 41 $11,137/yr —
81 International College of Beauty Arts & Sciences
Los Angeles, CA		 41 $11,095/yr —
82 Advance Beauty College
Garden Grove, CA		 41 $10,981/yr —
83 California Hair Design Academy
La Mesa, CA		 41 $10,829/yr —
84 Paul Mitchell the School-Fresno
Fresno, CA		 41 $10,762/yr —
85 Santa Ana Beauty College
Santa Ana, CA		 41 $10,600/yr —
86 Asian-American International Beauty College
Westminster, CA		 41 $9,647/yr —
87 Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
La Puente, CA		 41 $9,467/yr —
88 Thanh Le College School of Cosmetology
Garden Grove, CA		 41 $9,418/yr —
89 Academy of Esthetics and Cosmetology
San Fernando, CA		 41 $9,293/yr —
90 CRU Institute of Cosmetology and Barbering
Garden Grove, CA		 41 $8,677/yr —
91 Diamond Beauty College
South El Monte, CA		 41 $8,549/yr —
92 Coastline Beauty College
Fountain Valley, CA		 41 $8,495/yr —
93 Redondo Beach Beauty College
Torrance, CA		 41 $7,021/yr —

Where Cosmetology Programs Cluster in California

Cities with the most Cosmetology programs — useful if you want to minimize commute or relocate within state.

City Schools Avg Earnings
Sacramento, CA 5 $17,087/yr
San Diego, CA 4 $13,298/yr
Garden Grove, CA 4 $11,249/yr
Modesto, CA 3 $17,675/yr
Los Angeles, CA 3 $13,630/yr
San Jose, CA 2 $23,957/yr
San Francisco, CA 2 $18,297/yr
West Covina, CA 2 $17,306/yr

Compare Cosmetology in Other States

Considering a nearby state? Here's how California compares to others with strong Cosmetology offerings.

Texas (110) Florida (84) Illinois (48) Pennsylvania (41) Tennessee (38) North Carolina (37) Georgia (35) New York (33) Ohio (32) Louisiana (29) Michigan (27) Utah (26)
← See Cosmetology programs across all states
Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, and DOL RAPIDS. Methodology & sources →