How Expensive Is Cosmetology School? Launch Your Career in Cosmetology

May 12 2020 - Did you know the employment of cosmetologists is forecast to grow 8 percent through 2028? This shows there’s a fairly strong demand for these professionals, especially considering that the average growth for all jobs is 5 percent.

If you’ve been thinking of becoming a cosmetologist, now is a good time to follow the career path. Rest assured employment opportunities will come your way quickly.

However, to prepare yourself for this career, you need to go to cosmetology school.

This brings us to the question: just how expensive is cosmetology school? At a time when graduates are leaving college with thousands in debt, you want to be careful with your education decisions.

Continue reading for more insight.

How Expensive Is Cosmetology School?

Right off the bat, let’s say there’s no fixed cost of cosmetology school. There are several factors that go into the amount of money you’ll pay for your tuition and other education-related expenses - more on this later.

As such, it’s difficult to give a straight-up figure. However, according to beauty school surveys, you can expect to pay about $10,000. This can fall to as low as $6,500 or climb to as high as $20,000.

The Factors That Influence the Cost of Cosmetology School

Now that you have a ballpark figure, let’s focus on the variables that impact cosmetology school costs.

Program Level

When you want to pursue a career in cosmetology, you have two options.

With just a high school diploma, you can join a vocational school and take a 12-month certificate program. However, you can also go to community college and pursue an associate’s degree in cosmetology.

It all depends on your career goals. If you want to work in a local, small-town beauty parlor, a certificate will do. A degree opens you up to more, higher-paying positions in large cities.

Either way, an associate’s degree will cost you more. As of 2020, the average cost of a 2-year degree program in most public universities is about $13,000, tuition fees and boarding costs included. Private colleges charge significantly more, usually around $20,000.

On the other hand, a 12-month certificate program will cost you less, about half the cost of an associate’s degree.

Your Location

It’s a common fact of life that the cost of education is different from state to state. If you’re pursuing a cosmetology program in a New York college, for instance, you’ll pay more. And if you’re studying in a rural town where the cost of living is low, you’ll pay less for cosmetology school.

Indirect Costs

Besides tuition fees, there are other indirect costs that will have a sizeable impact on the cost of your education.

For example, if you’ll be living within the institutions, your room and boarding costs will be lower. However, if you’ll be living off-campus, the costs will be higher. Off-campus rooms typically cost more and you’ve to factor in the cost of food and gas (transport to and from school).

Make a Financially Savvy Decision

How expensive is cosmetology school?

All elements considered, becoming a cosmetologist isn’t as expensive as pursuing a career that requires a bachelor’s degree. However, even among cosmetology schools, some are cheaper and others a bit more costly. You now know the factors that influence how cheap or expensive cosmetologist education and training can get.

Keep reading our website for more career tips and insights.

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