by our College Data Analytics Team
[Cosmetology](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/cosmetology/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their cosmetology graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find where cosmetology graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose cosmetology graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Paul Mitchell The School Portsmouth, our #1 for cosmetology graduate salaries in New Hampshire. Paul Mitchell The School Portsmouth is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of Portsmouth. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Paul Mitchell The School Portsmouth typically earn about $35,706 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Empire Beauty School Hooksett earned it the #2 place for cosmetology. Located in the suburb of Hooksett, Empire Beauty School Hooksett is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Hooksett typically earn about $33,430 annually.
Empire Beauty School Laconia produces some of the highest-paid graduates in cosmetology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Laconia, Empire Beauty School Laconia is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Empire Beauty School Laconia make a median of around $33,430 per year.
Empire Beauty School Somersworth produces some of the highest-paid graduates in cosmetology, landing the #4 spot this year. Empire Beauty School Somersworth is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of Somersworth. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Somersworth typically earn about $22,655 annually.
Keene Beauty Academy came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Keene Beauty Academy is a private for-profit school located in the town of Keene. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Keene Beauty Academy typically earn about $17,164 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries cosmetology graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.