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. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools on the early-career earnings of their cosmetology graduates.
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If you want to know which schools send cosmetology graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Bluegrass Community And Technical College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid cosmetology graduates in Kentucky. Set in the city of Lexington, Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a public institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Bluegrass Community And Technical College make a median of around $24,172 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Paul Mitchell The School Louisville earned it the #2 place for cosmetology. Located in the suburb of Louisville, Paul Mitchell The School Louisville is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Paul Mitchell The School Louisville typically earn about $28,111 annually.
A rank of #3 makes Pjs College Of Cosmetology Bowling Green one of the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Pjs College Of Cosmetology Bowling Green is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $22,938.
A rank of #4 makes Ideal Beauty Academy Louisville one of the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Set in the suburb of Louisville, Ideal Beauty Academy Louisville is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Ideal Beauty Academy Louisville make a median of around $24,079 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Empire Beauty School Florence one of the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Located in the suburb of Florence, Empire Beauty School Florence is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $22,913.
Paul Mitchell The School Lexington placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Paul Mitchell The School Lexington is a private for-profit school located in the city of Lexington. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Paul Mitchell The School Lexington typically earn about $21,614 annually.
Empire Beauty School Chenoweth landed the #7 spot for cosmetology salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Louisville, Empire Beauty School Chenoweth is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $22,409.
Empire Beauty School Dixie ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the city of Louisville, Empire Beauty School Dixie is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $21,000.
Summit Salon Academy Lexington earned the #9 position for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Lexington, Summit Salon Academy Lexington is a private for-profit institution. Cosmetology graduates of Summit Salon Academy Lexington earn a median of about $18,886 a year early in their careers.
Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown came in at #10 for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Elizabethtown, Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown is a private for-profit institution. Cosmetology graduates of Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown earn a median of about $19,913 a year early in their careers.
Hazard Community And Technical College landed the #11 spot for cosmetology salaries this year. Located in the town of Hazard, Hazard Community And Technical College is a public institution. Cosmetology graduates of Hazard Community And Technical College earn a median of about $16,696 a year early in their careers.
Regina Webb Academy earned the #12 position for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Regina Webb Academy is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Regina Webb Academy make a median of around $15,757 per year.
American College Of Barbering ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the city of Louisville, American College Of Barbering is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $15,279.
Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology is a private for-profit school located in the city of Bowling Green. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology typically earn about $18,700 annually.
West Kentucky Community And Technical College landed the #15 spot for cosmetology salaries this year. Set in the city of Paducah, West Kentucky Community And Technical College is a public institution. Cosmetology graduates of West Kentucky Community And Technical College earn a median of about $15,850 a year early in their careers.
Employment Solutions College For Technical Education ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Employment Solutions College For Technical Education is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lexington. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $14,402.
Somerset Community College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the town of Somerset, Somerset Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $15,653.
Campbellsville University came in at #18 for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Campbellsville, Campbellsville University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $12,486.
Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow landed the #19 spot for cosmetology salaries this year. Located in the town of Glasgow, Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow make a median of around $12,749 per year.
Jenny Lea Academy Of Cosmetology Whitesburg ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the rural area of Whitesburg, Jenny Lea Academy Of Cosmetology Whitesburg is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Jenny Lea Academy Of Cosmetology Whitesburg typically earn about $10,165 annually.
Appalachian Beauty School came in at #21 for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Appalachian Beauty School is a private for-profit school located in the rural area of Belfry. Cosmetology graduates of Appalachian Beauty School earn a median of about $5,973 a year early in their careers.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their cosmetology graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 21 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.