Home › Pennsylvania › Cosmetology schools
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 sponsors in Pennsylvania train cosmetology apprentices — see apprenticeships. Federal program data groups cosmetology with barbering — schools below may offer any of these.
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
| 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). Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
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