Home › Pennsylvania › Cosmetology schools
Cosmetology Schools in Pennsylvania
61 schools in Pennsylvania offer cosmetology-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 3 registered apprenticeship programs in Pennsylvania train cosmetology apprentices — see apprenticeships. Federal program data groups cosmetology with barbering — schools below may offer any of these.
Occupation pay is what working cosmetology professionals in Pennsylvania earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Cosmetology licensing in Pennsylvania: State license required
Pennsylvania requires a state cosmetologist license from the State Board of Cosmetology. Applicants qualify with either 1,250 hours at a licensed cosmetology school or a 2,000-hour registered salon apprenticeship, then pass a single written theory exam through Pearson VUE — no practical exam is required. Minimum requirements are age 16 and a 10th-grade education, with a $119 initial licensing fee and no continuing-education requirement.
Official source: Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology (Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs) · Exam: One state theory/procedural written examination administered through Pearson VUE; Pennsylvania does not require a practical exam · Typical requirement: 1,250 hours at a licensed cosmetology school (minimum 8 months day / 15 months night) OR 2,000 apprenticeship hours; minimum age 16 and 10th-grade education; $119 initial fee
Official license records related to cosmetology in Pennsylvania
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Cosmetologist — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Cosmetology Board
- Barber Manager — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Barber Examiners Board
- Barber — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Barber Examiners Board
- Cosmetology Teacher — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Cosmetology Board
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County Community College | Butler | public | $6,233 | 30.2% | $38,891 |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology | Pleasant Gap | public | $9,857 | 90.8% | $41,677 |
| Laurel Technical Institute | Hermitage | private for-profit | $6,778 | 65.6% | $28,311 |
| York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education | York | public | $13,490 | 89.7% | $54,322 |
| Laurel Technical Institute | Uniontown | private for-profit | $7,825 | 76.2% | $30,819 |
| Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center | Johnstown | public | $14,111 | 76.6% | $48,881 |
| Butler Beauty Academy-Kittanning Beauty Academy | Kittanning | private for-profit | $7,417 | 70.8% | $23,003 |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | Clearfield | public | $14,460 | 80.4% | $41,559 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | public | $13,970 | 25.3% | $39,449 |
| Somerset County Technology Center | Somerset | public | $14,444 | 89.1% | $37,558 |
| Butler Beauty Academy-New Castle Beauty Academy | New Castle | private for-profit | $8,962 | 53.1% | $23,003 |
| Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork | Lancaster | private for-profit | $11,971 | 80.6% | $29,738 |
| Butler Beauty Academy | Butler | private for-profit | $10,406 | 76.4% | $23,003 |
| Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program | Uniontown | public | $24,194 | 72.4% | $49,229 |
| Indiana County Technology Center | Indiana | public | $18,822 | 72.7% | $34,858 |
| Penn Commercial Business/Technical School | Washington | private for-profit | $18,350 | 52.7% | $31,736 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Technology | Erie | private for-profit | $17,540 | 69.7% | $28,704 |
| Metro Beauty Academy | Allentown | private for-profit | $20,756 | 90% | $33,859 |
| Lansdale School of Cosmetology Inc | Lansdale | private for-profit | $15,962 | 50% | $25,019 |
| Empire Beauty School-Monroeville | Monroeville | private for-profit | $16,162 | 74.2% | $25,073 |
| The Beauty Institute | Stroudsburg | private for-profit | $19,730 | 70.6% | $30,577 |
| The Beauty Institute | Whitehall | private for-profit | $15,916 | 64.4% | $23,580 |
| Empire Beauty School-Lancaster | Lancaster | private for-profit | $17,135 | 84.1% | $25,073 |
| Empire Beauty School-Springfield | Springfield | private for-profit | $17,290 | 66.4% | $25,073 |
| Empire Beauty School-Lehigh Valley | Whitehall | private for-profit | $17,293 | 65.2% | $25,073 |
| Empire Beauty School-Hanover | Hanover | private for-profit | $16,843 | 81.4% | $24,407 |
| Empire Beauty School-West Mifflin | West Mifflin | private for-profit | $17,759 | 52.1% | $25,073 |
| Empire Beauty School-Shamokin Dam | Shamokin Dam | private for-profit | $17,847 | 68.4% | $25,073 |
| The Beauty Institute-Ambler | Ambler | private for-profit | $17,878 | 64.5% | $24,785 |
| Venus Beauty Academy | Aston | private for-profit | $16,491 | 84.1% | $22,727 |
| Empire Beauty School-Wyoming Valley | Moosic | private for-profit | $17,372 | 70.8% | $23,921 |
| Beauty Culture School LLC | Feasterville | private for-profit | $19,995 | 91.7% | $27,341 |
| Empire Beauty School-NE Philadelphia | Philadelphia | private for-profit | $18,100 | 80% | $24,407 |
| Empire Beauty School-Pottsville | Pottsville | private for-profit | $17,576 | 64.2% | $23,589 |
| Empire Beauty School-York | York | private for-profit | $18,021 | 74.1% | $23,921 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Altoona | Altoona | private for-profit | $15,796 | 86.8% | $20,809 |
| Empire Beauty School-Reading | Reading | private for-profit | $18,160 | 65.9% | $23,921 |
| Empire Beauty School-Cheltenham | Wyncote | private for-profit | $18,171 | 49.6% | $23,921 |
| Jean Madeline Aveda Institute | Philadelphia | private for-profit | $19,986 | 63.8% | $26,029 |
| Empire Beauty School-Harrisburg | Harrisburg | private for-profit | $17,329 | 64.7% | $22,377 |
| Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia | Philadelphia | private for-profit | $17,520 | 35.3% | $22,377 |
| Bella Capelli Academy | Monroeville | private for-profit | $20,459 | 82.8% | $25,817 |
| Empire Beauty School-North Hills | Pittsburgh | private for-profit | $18,083 | 49% | $22,377 |
| Empire Beauty School-Lebanon | Lebanon | private for-profit | $19,710 | 78.3% | $22,377 |
| Douglas Education Center | Monessen | private for-profit | $27,348 | 84.2% | $30,814 |
| Cortiva Institute | King of Prussia | private for-profit | $30,400 | 79.8% | $32,094 |
| Altoona Beauty School Inc | Altoona | private for-profit | $25,356 | 83.7% | $24,246 |
| South Hills Beauty Academy | Pittsburgh | private for-profit | not reported | 92% | $23,453 |
| Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center | Springville | public | $5,594 | 96.7% | not reported |
| Berks Career & Technology Center | Leesport | public | $20,536 | 70% | not reported |
| World A Cuts Barber Institute | York | private for-profit | $27,746 | not reported | not reported |
| Barber School of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh | private for-profit | $17,488 | 72.6% | not reported |
| Barber and Beauty Academy of Pennsylvania | Harrisburg | private for-profit | $11,710 | 90.9% | not reported |
| Champ's Barber School | Lancaster | private for-profit | $19,837 | 75% | not reported |
| Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology | Pittsburgh | private for-profit | $25,855 | 47.4% | not reported |
| Premier Barber Institute | Norristown | private for-profit | $27,339 | 64.5% | not reported |
| American Barber and Beauty Academy | Reading | private for-profit | not reported | 84.2% | not reported |
| Lehigh Valley Barber School | Bethlehem | private for-profit | $13,694 | 81.3% | not reported |
| The Salon Professional Academy | Collegeville | private for-profit | $16,270 | 89.1% | not reported |
| Cutting Edge Barber Academy | Lancaster | private for-profit | $20,407 | not reported | not reported |
| Champ's Barber School-Lebanon | Lebanon | private for-profit | $24,262 | not reported | not reported |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not cosmetology graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Cosmetology school in Pennsylvania
- How much do Cosmetology schools cost in Pennsylvania?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 61 cosmetology schools in Pennsylvania is $17,520. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a cosmetology in Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania requires a state cosmetologist license from the State Board of Cosmetology. Applicants qualify with either 1,250 hours at a licensed cosmetology school or a 2,000-hour registered salon apprenticeship, then pass a single written theory exam through Pearson VUE — no practical exam is required. Minimum requirements are age 16 and a 10th-grade education, with a $119 initial licensing fee and no continuing-education requirement.
- Can you get paid to train as a cosmetology in Pennsylvania?
- Yes — Pennsylvania has 3 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the cosmetology apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a cosmetology earn in Pennsylvania?
- Working cosmetology professionals in Pennsylvania earn a median of $36,790 per year, ranging from about $23,700 to $68,750 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for cosmetology programs in Pennsylvania
Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.
We may share your info with matched school and program partners so they can contact you about enrollment. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Cosmetology schools in nearby states
- Cosmetology schools in New Jersey
- Cosmetology schools in New York
- Cosmetology schools in Alabama
- Cosmetology schools in Arizona
- Cosmetology schools in Arkansas
- Cosmetology schools in California
- Cosmetology schools in Colorado
- Cosmetology schools in Connecticut
- Cosmetology schools in Delaware
- Cosmetology schools in Florida
See all states & the full cosmetology guide →