Two ways in: pay for school (1,521 U.S. schools offer Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs at certificate/associate level, median net price $15,216/yr) or get paid to train (710 registered apprenticeship programs in the federal database). Federal program data groups cosmetology with related trades in one category (Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services), so school counts cover the category. State-licensed everywhere with hour minimums (commonly 1,000–1,600); many accredited schools are Pell-eligible; hour requirements vary by state.
Working cosmetology professionals earn a median of $35,040/yr nationally — state medians range from $26,030 (Louisiana) to $59,510 (Washington). Wage data: U.S. Dept of Labor via CareerOneStop.
State license required: Texas, Florida, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan.
We've verified licensing rules for 10 states so far, each cited to the official board on its state page — more are being added. States not listed above may well require a license: always confirm with your state's licensing authority before enrolling.
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About half of states run their own apprenticeship agencies (including NY, MN, OR, VT, WA, DC) and are under-reported in the federal database — a low count there does not mean apprenticeships don't exist in that state.