Kentucky · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

Best institutions to study Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services in Kentucky

The Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services program prepares students for a diverse career in the beauty and personal care industry. This program is ideal for individuals interested in hair, skin, and nail care, offering various…

Institutions
23
offering CIP 12.04
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,338
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$16,251
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
17
College Scorecard
Median net price
$17,826
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
60%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$41,390
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1PJ's College of Cosmetology - Bowling Green
Bowling Green Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$21,43916564%$21,241$10,667
2Paul Mitchell the School - Louisville
Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$20,03316973%$28,293$12,583
3Paul Mitchell the School - Lexington
Lexington Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$18,9506779%$23,450$16,500
4Empire Beauty School - Florence
Florence Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$18,4087575%$17,082$15,765
5Summit Salon Academy - Lexington
Lexington Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$16,67910355%$14,224$10,667
6Empire Beauty School - Dixie
Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$16,2515152%$16,943$14,492
7Regina Webb Academy
Bowling Green Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$15,75712100%$17,412
8Empire Beauty School - Chenoweth
Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$15,6794557%$15,472$13,583
9Empire Beauty School - Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$15,32210051%$17,826$10,667
10American College of Barbering
Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$15,2794562%$22,663$14,115

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (SOC 39-5012).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+5.6%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~75,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$35,250
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive LearningReading ComprehensionMonitoring

What Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earn in Kentucky

Jobs in Kentucky
2,350
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$41,390
median $29,840
Best-paying metro
$46,780
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Related careers

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$41,390 avg · 2,350 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
$46,190 avg · 840 jobs
Skincare Specialists
$44,350 avg · 830 jobs
Manicurists and Pedicurists
$44,140 avg · 240 jobs
Barbers
Personal Service Managers, All Other

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in Kentucky.

Which Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services program in Kentucky has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), PJ's College of Cosmetology - Bowling Green tops the list at $21,439. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earn in Kentucky?+

The average annual wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Kentucky is $41,390 (median $29,840), across about 2,350 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services program?+

The Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services program prepares students for a diverse career in the beauty and personal care industry. This program is ideal for individuals interested in hair, skin, and nail care, offering various…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, speaking, critical thinking, active learning, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists?+

The national job outlook is about +5.6% growth with around 75,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services in other statesNorth DakotaWyomingMinnesotaVermontNew HampshireNebraskaSouth DakotaWashington

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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