By: Kendall Upton
Updated: February 3, 2026
Cosmetology Career Guide
Everything you need to know about cosmetology school
Are you thinking of enrolling in cosmetology school? As beauty experts versed in an array of hair, skin and nail services, cosmetologists need to develop a grasp of the fundamentals before their first client sits in the salon chair. In fact, cosmetologists must be licensed to practice and a major requirement is attending an approved cosmetology program to learn the ins and outs of the trade.
States typically require anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 hours of cosmetology school to qualify for licensure, with most states requiring 1,500 hours.
Even though cosmetology programs cover the spectrum of hair, skin and nails, graduates of these programs can decide to specialize in one of these areas later and pursue a career as a hair stylist, esthetician, nail technician or something else. Although this means that cosmetology programs last longer (and are usually more expensive) than truncated programs that focus solely on esthetics or nail services, a cosmetology graduate has the most flexibility when it comes to their career post-graduation.
In This Article
Types of cosmetology shool programs
Cosmetology schooling can look a little different depending on the type of institution offering a cosmetology program, which includes beauty schools, community and technical colleges and, finally, apprenticeship programs.
How long is cosmetology school?
With the exception of apprenticeship programs which are usually much longer, traditional cosmetology programs typically take between nine and 12 months to complete.
As long as the program meets your state’s hourly requirements, no type of provider or program is inherently better than the others. They do, however, offer slightly different experiences that are all designed to prepare students to take their state’s licensing examinations and start a successful career as a cosmetologist.
As long as the program meets your state’s hourly requirements, no type of provider or program is inherently better than the others.
Beauty school programs
Beauty schools are private trade schools that offer specific programs for budding beauty industry professionals. Many beauty schools have cosmetology programs designed to meet their state’s licensure requirements for cosmetologists. Unlike programs offered at community or technical colleges, cosmetology programs from a beauty school focus solely on the relevant topics and skills as opposed to requiring students to take other general education classes.
Certificate or associate degree programs
Many community and technical colleges offer cosmetology programs that typically award students with either a certificate or associate degree upon completion, such as an Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) degree or an Associate in Technical Arts (ATA) degree in cosmetology.
Associate degrees tend to take a little longer to complete than certificate programs, but both programs almost always require students to take a certain number of classes outside of their cosmetology coursework in foundational subjects like English, math, communications, business fundamentals and others.
Apprenticeships
Many states allow cosmetologists to complete an apprenticeship for the education portion of their licensure requirements in lieu of a more traditional program. In states that allow this, the hourly requirement for apprenticeships is usually about twice as long. For example, cosmetologists in Washington state need to complete a cosmetology program of at least 1,600 hours to qualify for licensure. If they choose to do an apprenticeship, however, it must be at least 3,000 hours.
Apprenticeships allow you to learn a skill—such as cosmetology—under the direction of an experienced professional. Because of this, apprenticeships by their nature emphasize on-the-job learning but often still include some classroom or lecture-based instruction as well. Apprentices are also usually paid while they learn, which can make it an especially attractive option for some people.
Be sure to check with your state’s licensing agency directly before enrolling in an apprenticeship program, as many agencies require cosmetologists to enroll in an approved program to be eligible for licensure.
Cosmetology program curriculum: What you’ll learn
Regardless of what type of cosmetology program you choose to enroll in, there are a range of topics and skills that appear in most programs:
In addition, cosmetology programs include dedicated time for hands-on practice of the relevant services and techniques cosmetologists are expected to perform.
It can depend on your state
Brittani LeJeune, the Director of Curriculum at the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institutes, said that each program is going to vary when it comes to how much time they devote to each topic.
“Every state is slightly different in what we are regulated to cover minimally. We do have to abide by state regulations, first and foremost,” LeJeune said. “Some states are a little bit lax and they give us free rein to decide what we think is most valuable and where we can place some of the focus, and some states are very clear down to the hour where the focus should be and exactly how much time [to spend] in every category.”
Cosmetology is just the beginning of your education
Cosmetology school is only the beginning, LeJeune said. In reality, the majority of a student’s learning is going to occur after graduation once they start working.
“There is this common idea between students coming in that they’re going to leave school a master of the trade sometimes, and really what school is there to do is to provide a really strong foundation for your career and teach the fundamental skills of cutting, coloring, chemical services and styling, and then set you on a pathway to go into your career,” LeJeune said. “And the education doesn’t stop, learning never ends.”
“…what school is there to do is to provide a really strong foundation for your career and teach the fundamental skills of cutting, coloring, chemical services and styling, and then set you on a pathway to go into your career,”
-Brittani LeJeune
Developing your soft skills is important
Aveda’s cosmetology programs also include instruction and guidance on developing the professional skills needed to thrive in the workplace.
“There are pieces in there too that I think students don’t expect we’re going to cover like soft skills— working with clients, consultations, we also cover financial literacy with our students to set them up for retailing and other soft skills that are going to make them successful in the salon,” LeJeune said. Traci Sakosits, the Vice President of Education and Creative Direction for the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institutes, added that this also includes instruction in how to interview well, how to be professional, how to manage money and more.
Career development opportunities
Many cosmetology programs provide career support to students to help prepare them for life after graduation. Although the extent of this support varies from program to program, it may be worthwhile to inquire about it when looking for programs if this is important to you.
“We’re lucky at Aveda Arts because we have a network of salons under the umbrella of Aveda. And during their course we have what we call Culture Days where we really tap into the community,” Sakosits said. “Salons and individuals that have great careers [in cosmetology] will come in and speak to the students and give them exposure to the outside world. And hopefully [the students] make those connections so when they’re ready to graduate they know where they want to be already, so we try to give those opportunities while they’re in school.”
“Our big thing is trying to get them placed prior to graduation,” LeJeune said. “Our educators are really connected through a vast network of salons locally, both Aveda and non-Aveda. We try to personally place students as much as we can or tell them to go visit salons that we think that they would connect with, because we know our students’ personalities and we would like to think we know where they would fit in best.” Even after graduation, LeJeune said, they have what they call student care managers that follow up with students to make sure they’ve found jobs.
Cosmetology program prerequisites
Most cosmetology programs—whether offered through a beauty school, apprenticeship or community or technical college—simply require that you have a high school diploma or equivalent education such as a GED to apply. Some programs may also have students take and pass a basic skills test to assess their reading, writing and math skills.
In addition, programs usually have a minimum age requirement. Typically it’s somewhere between 16 and 18 years of age.
Are online cosmetology schools available?
Although some programs may deliver some of their classroom-based curriculum online, there aren’t any 100% online cosmetology programs. As a hands-on profession that requires a lot of tactical practice, cosmetologists must receive most of their education in person.
There are some online continuing education courses for existing cosmetologists, but prospective cosmetologists should expect to get their education in-person if they wish to qualify for licensure.
Licensure after graduation
Completing your education may be the most significant component on your path to licensure, but graduating from a cosmetology program doesn’t mean you can start working right away. In order to get licensed by your state, you’ll need to take and pass your state’s licensing examination(s).
Most states require cosmetologist applicants to take and pass both a written theory and practical exam developed by the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC). A few states only require the written exam, and some states also require you to take a state-specific laws and rules exam.
After passing these exams, you should be ready to receive your cosmetologist license provided there are no deficiencies in your application.
How much does cosmetology school cost?
The price tag of a cosmetology education can vary a lot and depend on several different factors including your location, the type of institution you enroll in and whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student. For example, out-of-state students—those who attend a program in a state in which they are not a permanent resident—often have to pay significantly more.
Tuition and fees for cosmetology programs often hover around $20,000 to $25,000 in total, but this can vary from program to program.
The exception to this is if you enroll in an apprenticeship. Apprentices get paid while they learn (the state minimum wage is common), so you can actually make money as a student instead of investing a lot in your education. However, apprenticeships last longer than traditional programs, meaning it may take longer to enter the workforce and start earning a more competitive salary as a cosmetologist.
Paying for school
It’s important to remember that you may not have to pay the entire cost of a program if you utilize financial aid options. The first stop for all students should be to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Based on your unique financial situation, you could receive federal grants and/or loans to help pay for school. The FAFSA can also connect you with financial aid programs offered by your state, so it’s a must-visit to find as many financial aid opportunities as possible.
Another helpful resource is the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) which maintains a list of industry sponsors that offer grants and scholarships for cosmetology students.
Taking action toward enrolling in cosmetology school
Attending a cosmetology program can require a significant financial and temporal investment—around 1,500 hours to qualify for licensure in most states, to be exact—but it’s a necessary first step if you want to start a career as a cosmetologist.
From beauty schools to community colleges, a variety of academic institutions offer cosmetology programs. Since cosmetology is a trade, apprenticeships are also an option. No matter what program you choose, their objective is to give students a foundational understanding of the basics of cosmetology: hair cutting, styling, coloring, skin care, manicuring and much more.
Start your beauty career journey by searching for cosmetology programs in your area today.