Cosmetology
Personal & Culinary Services · federal classification: Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $25,483 | $21,392 to $29,896 | 911 | 4% |
| Associate's Degree | $24,040 | $21,599 to $27,769 | 12 | 0% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +6% (2025 to 2035), about 133,200 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $35,790 | +7.7% | 73,400 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $35,760 | +9.2% | 21,900 |
| Skincare Specialists | $45,330 | +8.8% | 14,200 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | $48,590 | +6.3% | 12,000 |
| Barbers | $38,210 | +3.3% | 6,900 |
| Shampooers | $32,600 | +5.6% | 2,200 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a cosmetology program, of 1,597 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- NUC University
- Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-Covington
- Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett
- Douglas J Aveda Institute
- Christine Valmy International School for Esthetics, Skin Care & Makeup
- Aveda Institute-South Florida
- Euphoria Institute of Beauty Arts & Sciences-Summerlin
- Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona, LLC
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.