North Carolina · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

Best institutions to study Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services in North Carolina

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
70
offering CIP 12.04
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,021
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$21,443
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
30
College Scorecard
Median net price
$15,553
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
45%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$43,670
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
1Gaston College
Dallas Public · Certificate degree
$27,0086163%
2Central Carolina Community College
Sanford Public · Certificate degree
$24,10110043%$12,167
3Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh Public · Certificate degree
$23,2863933%$7,693
4Rowan - Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury Public · Certificate degree
$22,57820135%$16,500
5Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$21,82616482%$18,712$11,583
6Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design
Greenville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$21,4432764%$14,976$12,107
7Paul Mitchell the School - Charlotte
Charlotte Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$20,87714456%$15,034$16,500
8College of Wilmington
Wilmington Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$19,9627315%$14,063$16,500
9Paul Mitchell the School - Fayetteville
Fayetteville Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$19,5836666%$15,642$13,833
10Davidson - Davie Community College
Thomasville Public · Certificate degree
$19,0247146%

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 North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
8,490
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$43,670
median $38,410
Best-paying metro
$55,430
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Related careers

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$43,670 avg · 8,490 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
$48,380 avg · 3,510 jobs
Skincare Specialists
$50,870 avg · 2,680 jobs
Manicurists and Pedicurists
$42,800 avg · 1,900 jobs
Barbers
$47,710 avg · 330 jobs
Personal Service Managers, All Other
$79,640 avg · 240 jobs

Common questions

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

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Gaston College tops the list at $27,008. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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

The average annual wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in North Carolina is $43,670 (median $38,410), across about 8,490 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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