New Jersey · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

Best colleges for Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services in New Jersey

Ranked by graduate earnings

Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield, Cutting Edge Academy and Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology are the top Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in New Jersey by graduate earnings. Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $22,676, College Scorecard. Parisian Beauty School, Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness and Total Image Beauty Academy award the most Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degrees and certificates in New Jersey: 356, 301 and 298 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 22 New Jersey colleges offer Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services and award 3,223 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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
22
offering CIP 12.04
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,223
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$18,284
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
17
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,259
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
75%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$52,200
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield
North Plainfield Private for-profit · Certificate
$22,67616267%$18,940$8,248
2Cutting Edge Academy
Succasunna Private for-profit · Certificate
$19,4117580%$30,484$9,833
3Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology
Wayne Private for-profit · Certificate
$18,51929080%$20,157$6,211
4Empire Beauty School - Bloomfield
Bloomfield Private for-profit · Certificate
$18,4088137%$19,103$15,765
5Shore Beauty School
Egg Harbor Township Private for-profit · Certificate
$18,28415865%$23,381$9,500
6Artistic Academy of Hair Design
Morris Plains Private for-profit · Certificate
$17,2748583%$23,786$5,500
7Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness
Voorhees Private for-profit · Certificate
$16,95430194%$17,785$6,333
8Innovate Salon Academy
South Plainfield Private for-profit · Certificate
$16,42025294%$38,617$7,667
9P B Cosmetology Education Center
Gloucester Private for-profit · Certificate
$16,38710486%$22,005$7,667
10Empire Beauty School - Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill Private for-profit · Certificate
$16,2516957%$21,553$14,492

Colleges awarding the most Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degrees in New Jersey

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. * Campuses that share a federal aid ID report one College Scorecard figure.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Parisian Beauty School
Hackensack Private for-profit
356$15,517
2Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness
Voorhees Private for-profit
301$16,954
3Total Image Beauty Academy
Union City Private for-profit
298$12,507
4Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology
Wayne Private for-profit
290$18,519
5Innovate Salon Academy
South Plainfield Private for-profit
252$16,420*
6Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - West New York
West New York Private for-profit
234$14,650
7Innovate Salon Academy
Brick Township Private for-profit
205Not reported
8Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield
North Plainfield Private for-profit
162$22,676
9Shore Beauty School
Egg Harbor Township Private for-profit
158$18,284
10Innovate Salon Academy
Ewing Private for-profit
122$16,420*
Show the other 12 New Jersey colleges offering Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Pro Beauty AcademyEdisonPrivate for-profit119
P B Cosmetology Education CenterGloucesterPrivate for-profit104
Salon Professional AcademyHowellPrivate for-profit103
Artistic Academy of Hair DesignMorris PlainsPrivate for-profit85
Empire Beauty School - BloomfieldBloomfieldPrivate for-profit81
Cutting Edge AcademySuccasunnaPrivate for-profit75
Empire Beauty School - Cherry HillCherry HillPrivate for-profit69
Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolToms RiverPublic66
Empire Beauty School - UnionUnionPrivate for-profit65
MCVSDFreeholdPublic33
Union County Vocational Technical SchoolScotch PlainsPublic30
Burlington County Institute of Technology - Adult EducationWestamptonPublic15

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 New Jersey

Jobs in New Jersey
15,500
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$52,200
median $36,150
Best-paying metro
$57,850
Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Related careers

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$52,200 avg · 15,500 jobs
Manicurists and Pedicurists
$37,190 avg · 11,520 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
$56,420 avg · 4,640 jobs
Skincare Specialists
$52,290 avg · 2,660 jobs
Shampooers
$36,390 avg · 690 jobs
Personal Service Managers, All Other
$88,500 avg · 170 jobs

Common questions

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

Which New Jersey colleges award the most Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degrees?+

Parisian Beauty School (356 graduates a year), Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness (301 graduates a year) and Total Image Beauty Academy (298 graduates a year) award the most Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services degrees and certificates in New Jersey, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 22 New Jersey colleges offer Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services.

What is the best college for Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services in New Jersey?+

By graduate earnings, Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield leads among Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in New Jersey, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $22,676, College Scorecard. Cutting Edge Academy and Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology follow. By degrees awarded, Parisian Beauty School is the largest, with 356 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Robert Fiance Beauty Schools - North Plainfield tops the list at $22,676. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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

The average annual wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in New Jersey is $52,200 (median $36,150), across about 15,500 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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