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 highest-paying schools turn a cosmetology degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the early-career earnings of their cosmetology graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send cosmetology graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools in Minnesota. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College is a public institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $23,128.
Students chasing top earnings in cosmetology will find them at Aveda Institute Minneapolis, which ranked #2. Aveda Institute Minneapolis is a private for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. Cosmetology graduates of Aveda Institute Minneapolis earn a median of about $33,406 a year early in their careers.
Model College Of Hair Design came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Model College Of Hair Design is a private for-profit school located in the city of Saint Cloud. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Model College Of Hair Design make a median of around $29,877 per year.
Minnesota School Of Cosmetology Woodbury Campus came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the suburb of WOODBURY, Minnesota School Of Cosmetology Woodbury Campus is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Minnesota School Of Cosmetology Woodbury Campus make a median of around $30,875 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Pci Academy Plymouth earned it the #5 place for cosmetology. Set in the city of Plymouth, Pci Academy Plymouth is a private for-profit institution. Cosmetology graduates of Pci Academy Plymouth earn a median of about $30,439 a year early in their careers.
Nova Academy Of Cosmetology came in at #6 for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Nova Academy Of Cosmetology is a private for-profit school located in the city of Rochester. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Nova Academy Of Cosmetology make a median of around $23,889 per year.
Minnesota State Community And Technical College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Set in the rural area of Fergus Falls, Minnesota State Community And Technical College is a public institution. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Minnesota State Community And Technical College typically earn about $24,367 annually.
Ridgewater College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Located in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Ridgewater College make a median of around $28,325 per year.
Hastings Beauty School ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Set in the town of Hastings, Hastings Beauty School is a private for-profit institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Hastings Beauty School make a median of around $24,850 per year.
Avalon School Of Cosmetology ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Set in the town of Worthington, Avalon School Of Cosmetology is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $23,440.
Empire Beauty School Bloomington ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the city of Bloomington, Empire Beauty School Bloomington is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $22,816.
Empire Beauty School Spring Lake Park earned the #12 position for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Empire Beauty School Spring Lake Park is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of Spring Lake Park. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Spring Lake Park typically earn about $22,913 annually.
Minnesota West Community And Technical College earned the #13 position for cosmetology graduate earnings this year. Minnesota West Community And Technical College is a public school located in the rural area of Granite Falls. Students who complete the cosmetology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $17,767.
This list is compiled 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 · 13 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.