Virginia · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

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

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
1,687
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$20,028
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
16
College Scorecard
Median net price
$18,212
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
67%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
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
1The Esthetic Institute
Vienna Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$29,30111988%$21,591$11,208
2The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics
Virginia Beach Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$23,97425281%$20,501$7,333
3Dermal Science International Aesthetics and Nail Academy
Reston Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$22,7634393%$10,807$8,517
4Culpeper Cosmetology Training Center
Culpeper Public · Certificate degree
$21,9372688%$13,666
5Paul Mitchell the School - Roanoke
Roanoke Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$20,7616059%$18,445$13,833
6Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mitchell Partner School
Virginia Beach Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$20,0289673%$19,704$16,184
7Eastern Virginia Career College
Fredericksburg Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$19,6124466%$39,005$7,917
8Staunton School of Cosmetology
Staunton Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$19,5811171%$13,592
9Empire Beauty School - Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$17,1136537%$18,212$16,500
10Sylvain Melloul International Hair Academy
Lynchburg Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$15,81210850%$21,972$10,757

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 Virginia

Jobs in Virginia
10,200
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
annual
Best-paying metro
$49,720
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Related careers

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
avg · 10,200 jobs
Manicurists and Pedicurists
$41,780 avg · 4,230 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
$53,370 avg · 2,950 jobs
Skincare Specialists
$47,260 avg · 1,970 jobs
Shampooers
$30,350 avg · 350 jobs
Barbers
$51,480 avg · 160 jobs

Common questions

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

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), The Esthetic Institute tops the list at $29,301. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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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